- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22317 by Cathy Jamieson on 31 January 2006, whether it will now provide details of complaints about the internal workings of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) by current and former employees of SCRO which were raised either with ministers or senior managers within SCRO but outwith formal grievance procedures, including details on how many such complaints there were in each of the last 10 years, what the precise nature was of any such complaints, to whom they were reported, who dealt with them, what the outcome was in each case and what position the complainant held at the time of the complaint.
Answer
The only complaint of this natureof which we are aware is the complaint to which reference is made in the answerto question S2W-23612 on 20 April 2006. In addition, some of the representations received aboutthe McKie case have been made by, or on behalf of current and former employees ofSCRO.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22066 by Cathy Jamieson on 23 January 2006, why there is such a differential in absentee rates between the Aberdeen and Glasgow fingerprint bureaux and what the absentee rate was amongst those officers cited in the MacKay Report as being the subject of a recommendation for prosecution.
Answer
I refer the member to the informationprovided on 26 April to the Justice 1 Committee (Col 2898) by the Director of the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service.This can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/justice1/or-06/j106-1201.htm.The absence record of individualsis a confidential matter between employer and employee.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the drug, Enbrel, can be prescribed for arthritis sufferers in Scotland on the NHS.
Answer
Enbrel (etanercept) is availableon NHS prescription and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Scottish MedicinesConsortium (SMC) have provided advice to NHS Scotland on its use.
The Health Technology Board forScotland (HTBS) (now part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland) issued advice onthe use of etanercept (Enbrel) on the following dates:
17 May 2002 - Comment on theNational Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal Guidancenumber 35 on the use of etanercept for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
17 May 2002 - Comment on theNICE Technology Appraisal Guidance number 36 on the use of etanercept and infliximabfor the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
The comments can be accessedat www.nhshealthquality.org.
On 12 July 2004, the SMC issuedadvice to NHSScotland on the use of etanercept for the treatment of active and progressivepsoriatic arthritis in adults. The SMC advice can be accessed at
www.scottishmedicines.org.In each case, the HTBS and theSMC advised that NHSScotland should take account of the advice and ensure that recommendeddrugs and treatments are made available to meet clinical need.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23439 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 March 2006 and given that the outstanding issues have now been resolved, whether it will now provide a breakdown of the total costs to it of legal representation which it sought in defence of the compensation claim against it by Shirley McKie.
Answer
The following table shows a breakdownof costs incurred by the Scottish Executive to date in defence of the compensationclaim against it by Shirley McKie. Figures have been rounded up to the nearest poundand include VAT.
| Category | Cost |
| Court dues | £1,073 |
| Counsels’ fees | £141, 206 |
| Expert Witness fees | £81,751 |
| Printing costs | £375 |
| Law accountants | £80 |
| Agents’ fees | £44,342 |
| Witnesses’ expenses | £750 |
| Other outlays | £571 |
| Total | £270,148 |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 15 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on what date the contractors handed over the Scottish Parliament building; how long the contractors were responsible for the maintenance of the building; whether there is any defects liability on the contractors after the completion of the maintenance period, and, if so, whether it will provide details of such liability.
Answer
I refer the Member to myletter to all MSPs of 11 May 2006. A copy of the letter is available at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-06/pa06-046.htm.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 15 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive why NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is delaying its recommendations in respect of the prescription of donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine for the treatment of people with Alzheimer's Disease, given that the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) has issued recommendations on the management of dementia which include the use of these drugs to treat Alzheimer’s Disease.
Answer
The Scottish IntercollegiateGuidelines Network (SIGN) produces guidelines based on published evidence of theclinical effectiveness of interventions.
The National Institute for Healthand Clinical Excellence (NICE) also considers a final assessment of cost effectivenesswhen preparing its appraisals. NICE has not yet produced final recommendations onthese drugs. When NICE has reached final conclusions NHS Quality Improvement Scotlandwill decide whether they should apply in Scotland.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 12 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23855 by Tavish Scott on 20 March 2006, why its planned on-line upgrade of the A80 to full motorway status is one lane smaller than that recommended by consultants in 2002.
Answer
Ministers opted for less carriagewayprovision than recommended by the study consultants as they did not wish to provideincreased capacity for undesirable long distance commuting. An important part ofthat was the undertaking that, should they be required, integral traffic managementmeasures would be implemented to maintain an acceptable level of service on theimproved route. These measures could include ramp metering to assist joining trafficto take advantage of gaps in the mainline traffic and upstream ramp availabilityconstraints and online metering to give priority to high occupancy vehicles andother economically important traffic.
Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 12 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-23924 and S2W-24109 by Tavish Scott on 16 and 20 March 2006 respectively, when it expects an announcement to be made in respect of the feasibility study by Falkirk Council to improve rail services along the A80-M80 corridor, including opening a train station at Allandale.
Answer
I anticipate that I will be ina position to respond to the study of a new strategic Park and Ride site at Allandalebefore the end of May.
Further issues will remain outstandingin relation to improving the rail services on the route, which will be consideredduring the preparation of a Rail Strategy later in the year.
Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 12 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of First Scotrail’s operating budget is met by subsidy from public funds, and what proportion of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s operating budget is met by revenue raised from collection of fares.
Answer
Financial informationrelating to First ScotRail’s operating costs is commercially confidential andcannot be released. However, the Scottish Executive will pay First ScotRail approximately£1.9 billion in ScotRail franchise payments over the seven year life of thefranchise, subject to variation according to performance.
None of StrathclydePartnership for Transport’s operating budget will be met from fares revenuecollected under the ScotRail franchise.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23973 by Cathy Jamieson on 3 April 2006, what the definition is of “some documents” which can be signed on the author’s behalf if that person is not available to sign the document personally.
Answer
This refers to the generallyaccepted practice in offices of signing a letter or memorandum on someone else’sbehalf if he or she is not there to sign it for himself or herself. Such signaturesare preceded by the Latin abbreviation “p.p.” This stands for “per procurationem” meaning “by proxy”.
There is no such practice inrelation to the identification of fingerprints.
