- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 25 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources and new equipment have been allocated to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in the period since 21 March 2001 following the review of imaging facilities.
Answer
I am advised by Greater Glasgow NHS Board that in excess of £3 million has been invested in imaging equipment at Glasgow Royal Infirmary since March 2001. This includes a new ultrasound scanner, a new CT scanner, refurbished X-ray facilities, the replacement of screening equipment and a gamma camera.In addition, the Cancer Plan for Greater Glasgow indicates that almost £1 million capital and £0.4 million revenue of extra resources will be invested in imaging services across the city in 2001-02.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what feedback it has had on the effectiveness of the separation of the Access Fund into four discrete areas.
Answer
Since 1990, Access Funds, now known as Hardship Funds, have been allocated to institutions on the basis of the number of students enrolled on further education, higher education and postgraduate courses. The further education allocation is now administered by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. The funds for higher education students are provided by SAAS. Institutions are no longer allowed to transfer money between their sectoral allocations, to ensure that the Executive's relative priority for support of students in higher and further education is reflected in the actual distribution to students. In addition, from this year, the Mature Students Bursary Fund (MSBF) has been introduced for full-time higher education students. MSBF is separate from Hardship Funds and is targeted, in particular, at students with childcare costs.We have received representations from some institutions seeking greater flexibility in the use of the funds. We are currently considering whether some flexibility should be introduced between MSBF and Hardship Funds for higher educarion students during the period MSBF is being phased in. I have also, in my letter of policy guidance, asked the Scottish Further Education Funding Council this week to consider how the further education student support system might be simplified, to ease administrative burdens, and improved so funds are better targeted to achieve our principal policy objectives of focusing on students in greatest need and aligning as far as appropriate and possible the student support arrangements in further education and higher education.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase access to hardship funds for part-time higher education students.
Answer
Part-time higher education students studying at least 50% of a full-time course have the same access to hardship funds as full-time students. The Executive has no plans to change these arrangements.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend support to part-time higher education students to assist travel, study and childcare expenses.
Answer
We have no current plans to provide further support to part-time higher education students. Support for higher education students is principally focused on full-time students since they generally have less opportunity than part-time students to support themselves while studying. Part-time higher education students studying at least 50% of a full-time course can apply for a £500 loan each year towards study related costs, including travel. Unlike full-time students, they may also be able to retain their entitlement to income related benefits while studying.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 21 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government and the Strategic Rail Authority on the Scotrail franchise.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty's Government and with the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of issues, including the ScotRail Franchise.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many student radiographers completed their course at Glasgow Caledonian University in each academic year from 1996-97 to 2001-02.
Answer
Data on radiography student places is not held centrally. However, Glasgow Caledonian University has supplied the following figures (which include diagnostic and therapeutic radiography).
Academic year | No of FTE students successfully completing radiography course |
1996-97 | 27 |
1997-98 | 32 |
1998-99 | 44 |
1999-2000 | 41 |
2000-01 | 43 |
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Simpson on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the timetable for the operation and evaluation of time out centres being piloted in Glasgow as alternatives to prison for women offenders is on target and when it will publish any evaluation report.
Answer
Work is under way on drawing up a specification for the centre and the tendering process is expected to take about six months. The timetable thereafter will be largely determined by the identification of suitable premises. The centre will be evaluated but it is too early to say when the report might be published.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in relation to the number of prisoners held at HM Prison Corntonvale.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Skye House has recently been reopened which has increased the available capacity. In addition, work is under way to consider better use of the current available accommodation as well as to look at options for providing additional accommodation. The SPS will take decisions in the light of operational requirements.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Clyde Shipyards Task Force will be published.
Answer
We are currently finalising the Clyde Shipyards Task Force report following the group's last meeting, and will send it to the printers before Christmas with a view to publishing it in January.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurse vacancies there currently are at the HM Prison Corntonvale medical centre.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:None.
