- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 30 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals from the recent diet of Scottish Qualifications Authority exams were successful due to errors in marking and what steps have been taken to address such errors, particularly in relation to intermediate level results.
Answer
The appeals system for national qualifications is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The enquiry should be directed to them as the Scottish Executive does not possess this data.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 30 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are in respect of consulting the voluntary sector collectively on social care education and provision.
Answer
In encouraging good practice and co-operative methods of decision-making, the Executive will consult as appropriate in a flexible and open way, communicating clearly and using appropriate media.
I also chair a National Workforce Group to develop a long-term strategy for the social care sector which includes representation from the voluntary sector.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 29 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals were received from the recent diet of Scottish Qualifications Authority examinations and, of these, how many were successful, broken down by local authority and type of examination.
Answer
The appeals system for national qualifications is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). However, I can inform you that the appeals process is still on-going and that SQA expect to publish this data in November 2004.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 29 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy on (a) training for its senior staff and (b) guidance for staff of non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies and whether it has sought such training and guidance from business schools in Scotland or elsewhere and, if so, what the costs were, detailing which business schools were commissioned to provide such training and guidance.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has a policy of providing senior staff with the trainingand development they require to lead the organisation in delivering the Government’s objectives for the people of Scotland. A range of opportunities is provided, including UK-wide programmes delivered by Cabinet Office and local programmes and events.
Senior staff in agencies of the Executive come under the same development arrangements as those in main departments. However non-departmental bodies are responsible for the development of their own staff.
Corporate Learning Services Division of the Executive, who are responsible for senior development, maintain regular contact with Universities and Business Schools on a number of aspects of training and development but have not commissioned any formal training or guidance from them. Under procurement rules the Executive have to put out to tender the provision of all externally sourced training services – so are not in a position to prioritise Business Schoolsover other potential providers.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for audiology appointments in each NHS board area.
Answer
The information requested is not available centrally. Information on NHS waiting times is collected centrally only for first out-patient appointments at consultant-led clinics, following referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, at specialty level only, and for in-patient and day case treatment.
The Executive is committed to modernising and improving audiology services across NHSScotland. We are investing almost £20 million over the five year period 2002-03 to 2006-07 to ensure NHS boards are equipped with the necessary facilities, equipment, staff and hearing aids to provide a modernised service.
Each NHS board has its own action plan for modernisation and has therefore reached different stages in the modernisation process.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9324 by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 July 2004 regarding funding for patient advocacy in psychiatric hospitals, what the allocation of funding was to each relevant authority.
Answer
The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 which comes into effect in April 2005 includes a right for anyone with a mental disorder to access independent advocacy services. This right will apply whether the person is a patient in a psychiatric hospital or receiving care or treatment for mental disorder in their local community settings.
Funding from the Scottish Executive is provided to cover all aspects of the new mental health act’s implementation. Each local authority then allocates funding according to its priorities. The allocation to each local authority from the Scottish Executive to fund implementation of the new act for the years 2003-04 to 2005-06 is as follows:
Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, Implementation
| (£000) | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Aberdeen City | 50 | 523 | 544 |
| Aberdeenshire | 53 | 560 | 583 |
| Angus | 26 | 267 | 278 |
| Argyll and Bute | 21 | 225 | 234 |
| Clackmannanshire | 11 | 119 | 123 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 34 | 365 | 379 |
| Dundee City | 34 | 359 | 373 |
| East Ayrshire | 28 | 297 | 309 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 26 | 267 | 278 |
| East Lothian | 21 | 223 | 231 |
| East Renfrewshire | 21 | 221 | 230 |
| Edinburgh, City of | 106 | 1,108 | 1,153 |
| Eilean Siar | 6 | 65 | 68 |
| Falkirk | 34 | 359 | 373 |
| Fife | 82 | 863 | 898 |
| Glasgow City | 143 | 1,428 | 1,486 |
| Highland | 49 | 516 | 536 |
| Inverclyde | 20 | 208 | 216 |
| Midlothian | 19 | 200 | 208 |
| Moray | 20 | 215 | 223 |
| North Ayrshire | 33 | 335 | 349 |
| North Lanarkshire | 77 | 793 | 824 |
| Orkney | 5 | 47 | 49 |
| Perth and Kinross | 31 | 333 | 346 |
| Renfrewshire | 42 | 427 | 444 |
| Scottish Borders | 25 | 264 | 275 |
| Shetland | 5 | 54 | 56 |
| South Ayrshire | 27 | 277 | 288 |
| South Lanarkshire | 72 | 746 | 776 |
| Stirling | 20 | 213 | 221 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 22 | 230 | 240 |
| West Lothian | 36 | 393 | 408 |
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are receiving parathormone treatment, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
This information is not available centrally. Prescription data collected centrally relate to prescribed items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors. These data are not patient-specific and do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital-based clinics.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the study into improving the Hilton Drive, Manor Avenue and North Anderson Drive junction in Aberdeen.
Answer
The Executive has finalised the study into options to improve the Hilton Road - Manor Avenue junction with North Anderson Drive in Aberdeen and the recommended option will be presented to Aberdeen City Council and Grampian Police within the next four weeks for their consideration and agreement.
I have asked my officials to contact you to discuss the proposals.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the survey of the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen.
Answer
Work to develop a traffic model for the area around the A90-A96 Haudagain roundabout is on schedule for completion around the end of October. The model will then be used to assess various options for improvement. This study is being joint-funded by the Scottish Executive and NESTRANS.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 21 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support a mandatory registration scheme for quality assurance in the tourism industry.
Answer
High quality in every aspect of Scottish tourism is vital - it is important that the expectations of our visitors are fulfilled during their visits to Scotland. The Scottish Executive has given VisitScotland an additional £3 million over two years to work with the tourism and related sectors to widen and enhance the impact of its current voluntary Quality Assurance schemes. Once we have assessed the results, we will consider whether or not a mandatory registration scheme should be pursued.
