Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-24030

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make the same commitment on access to school nurses as the Department of Health has made in England.

The Executive believes that itis important to develop integrated teams matching the appropriate professional skillwith the identified health need. For example, in some cases, it may be more appropriateto involve members from the health promotion team or other health professional,rather than a school nurse, in health education of children.

Improvements in the health ofchildren and young people can only be achieved by many professionals and agenciesworking in partnership with one another and with children, young people and theirfamilies.

Question reference: S2W-24025

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21458 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 December 2005, what information it has about the level of increase in funding for school nursing in each NHS board area.

Question reference: S2W-24026

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 20 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it can provide about progress in implementing A Scottish framework for nursing in schools.

Implementation of thestandards in A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools is beingundertaken locally by NHS boards. It is being done in co-operation with partnerorganisations such as Education Authorities, Community Health Partnerships anda wide range of health and educational professionals. Implementation is alsobeing undertaken alongside the roll out of the New Community Schools approach.

The Executive is monitoringthe implementation of the standards. The majority of NHS boards across Scotlandhave made considerable progress in implementing the standards. Fullimplementation is expected to be achieved by 2007.

Question reference: S2W-23909

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how Futurebuilders Scotland funding has contributed to the growth of social enterprise.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of communities Scotland, to respond. Herresponse is as follows:

Futurebuilders Scotland providesfunding to support the development of a stronger social economy to deliver moreand better public services for peoplein disadvantaged neighbourhoods or groups. Futurebuilders Scotland is an investmentto achieve a step change in the organisation.

To date the Futurebuilders ScotlandFunds have provided grant funding of:

Investment Fund - 44 approvalsfor £6,206,660.

Learning Fund – 88 approvalsfor £387,351.

Seedcorn Fund - 196 approvalsfor £5,713,749.

Detailed evaluation will takeplace over the remaining 18 months of the Futurebuilders Scotland programme. Theoutputs will include details of how the programme has helped develop the growthof the social economy sector, which includes social enterprises.

Question reference: S2O-09111

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2006
Current Status: Answered by Johann Lamont on 2 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to reach a decision concerning the future location of the head office of Registers of Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-22958

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 2 March 2006

The number of people who tookup employment under a New Deal programme in a Scottish Executive core departmentin each of the years requested is shown in the following table.

Year	No. of People
2003	34
2004	30
2005	15

Question reference: S2W-22959

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 2 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people gained permanent employment in its main departments in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 following a period of employment with it under one of the New Deal programmes.

Question reference: S2O-08692

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to sustain and promote the economic viability of high street and town centre retail businesses in light of the potential impact of out-of-town retail parks.

The Scottish Executive is takinga number of steps to help high street and town centre retailers.

We have recently consulted ona new Scottish Planning Policy covering Town Centres (SPP 8) and are consideringthe responses. We intend to publish the finalised SPP 8 in the spring.

In addition, all businesses will benefit from our commitment to equalisethe Scottish business rate poundage with that of England. From 1 April 2006, the poundagegap will be halved, and from 1 April 2007 we will fully equalise with England. Takentogether with lower average rises in rateable values in Scotland thanin England, this represents a real cut to operating costs and gives our businessesan important competitive edge.

It should be noted that the retailsector makes a significant contribution to Scotland’s economy as the latestfigures show that it accounts for almost five per cent of GDP.

Question reference: S2W-21792

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the provision of eye testing of children in schools.

There are no plans at present to increase the provision of eye testing of children in schools.

The Health for All Guidance published in April 2005 recommended the introduction of vision screening for all children by an orthoptist in their pre-school year, between the ages of four and five years. Until this is in place, visual acuity should be tested on school entry by an orthoptist, or through a programme which is supervised by an orthoptist or an optometrist.

Research will be undertaken to inform future decisions about school-age vision screening.

Children under 16 years of age are entitled to free eye tests under the NHS.

Health for All can be accessed from the following web link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/37432/0011167.pdf.

Question reference: S2W-21791

Asked by: Susan Deacon, MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all schoolchildren are examined by trained community eye specialists or orthoptrists.

The Health for All guidance published in April 2005 recommends that vision screening should be performed by an orthoptist at age four to five years. Until this is in place, children’s visual acuity should be tested on school entry by an orthoptist, or through a programme which is supervised by an orthoptist or an optometrist.

The guidance also recommends that NHS boards should continue vision screening in secondary school at a single point only, unless this has already been discontinued; that any child undergoing assessment for educational under achievement or other school problems should have a visual acuity check, and that vision screening is undertaken in schools for children with hearing impairment.

Health for All can be accessed at the following web link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/37432/0011167.pdf.