Chamber and committees

Guidance issued to the NHS and local authorities in 1996 and remains relevant. That guidance includes advice on the need to keep patients, their families and carers informed and involved at all stages where a transfer from hospital to alternative care in the community is under consideration.

That process is underpinned by a two-stage appeal process allowing patients or their families the right to a review of any recommendation made for continuing care. Appellants can refer any concern in the first instance to the Director of Public Health at the health board, and if continued, appellants can request a second opinion involving a clinician from a health board area of their choice.

Statistics on discharges and transfers from mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units are published annually in Scottish Health Statistics by the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland.

This is available from the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland or via SPICe or the Scottish Health on the Web Internet site.

Our policy in relation to GM crops has always been to ensure human health and environmental safety. While it is not possible to give an absolute guarantee that very small amounts of GM material will not be present in honey products, the independent expert advice available to us is that this poses no safety concerns. Without those reassurances we would not grant consent for GM crop trials.

A review of the safety measures that were implemented as part of the Balmedie to Tipperty Route Accident Reduction Plan in 1996 is currently underway. This review is being undertaken as part of a road safety investigation for the section of the A90 between north of the Ellon Roundabout and Fraserburgh.

The scheme to upgrade the 9km section of the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty to a dual two-lane carriageway was considered in the Strategic Roads Review. The review concluded that the scheme should be held in abeyance. It will, in due course, be considered alongside other emerging priorities for inclusion in any future trunk road programme.

No. The Highlands and Islands' exemption was based on a sparsity of population criterion as a definition of peripherality. This also recognises the Highlands and Islands' reliance on air services for essential transport links. The north-east of Scotland, including Aberdeen, does not meet the criteria for exemption. Aberdeen has also sustained a strong increase in passenger numbers since the introduction of APD. In the last decade, the annual number of passengers handled at Aberdeen has increased by 50% to 2.45 million per annum.

The information requested is not held centrally.

It is for each health board, in consultation with their NHS Trusts and local authority care partners, to determine on an ongoing basis, the levels of hospital and community-based care required to match the assessed and ongoing needs of their local population.

Following the recent expressions of concern about the integrity of the fingerprint service at the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO), HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC) was invited to undertake an inspection of the acquisition, examination and presentation of fingerprint evidence including a review of the training, skills and quality assurance aspects of the SCRO operation. The inspection is still ongoing and the Inspectorate will make recommendations on any matters on which it concludes there were shortcomings or scope for improvement. A report of the inspection will be published in accordance with HMCIC's independent role and in the interests of public accountability.

There are no current plans to increase provision for Mental Illness Specific Grant.