- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all facilities supported or run by it meet the requirements of the new disabled access legislation and, if not, when the necessary work will be carried out and how much it will cost.
Answer
We take our responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) as an employer and service provider very seriously. Since October 2004, the DDA requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments to the physical feature of their premises if it would otherwise be unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use their services. Reasonable adjustments depend on the circumstances and needs of the individual disabled person.
The Scottish Executive has been investing in accessibility improvements in itscore buildings since 1995. £400,000 has been committed in 2004-05 to essential projects to improve access and provide auxiliary aids for disabled people across the Executive’s core estate. Further improvements in these areas are planned for 2005-06.
As a service provider, employer, and Jobcentre Plus Disability Symbol User, the Executive has, and will, continue to make all necessary reasonable adjustments for disabled people and individual members of staff, in line with its obligations under the act.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive when the new Scottish Health Council will commence delivery of its remit.
Answer
The Scottish Health Council has been appointed, and will formally commence delivery of its remit on 1 April 2005.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the latest funding settlement for NHS Grampian was allocated for deprivation levels.
Answer
NHS Grampian has received a general allocation of £547.91 million for 2005-06, an increase of 7% over the equivalent allocation for 2004-05. No specific percentage is allocated for deprivation levels. The Arbuthnott formula, which is used to determine the level of funding allocated to each board, takes account of four main indicators. These are each board’s population size, age/sex structure, deprivation levels and remoteness. The formula is used to determine the total level of funds allocated to boards for their unified budgets. It is for each board to decide how best to meet the health care needs of their residentpopulation from the totality of funds it receives, taking account of national andlocal priorities.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to take any action following the Department of Health's guidance on the Carson review of standards for out-of-hours care and access to medicines.
Answer
In Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has published standards on the provision of safe and effective primary medical services in the out-of-hours period. Providers of out-of-hours primary medical services are required to meet these standards. This requirement is set out in Regulations and Directions.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or intends to take, to ensure access to appropriate out-of-hours pharmaceutical advice for all health professionals.
Answer
As with all aspects of the provision of safe and effective primary medical services in the out-of-hours period, it is for NHS boards to determine the provision of services in their area.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop district general hospitals in the next three years and what resources will be allocated for such purposes.
Answer
I refer you to the answer to question S2W-12777 on 24 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to produce a Scotland-wide out-of-hours formulary.
Answer
There are no such plans.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue has been generated through speed cameras in the last three years, broken down by police force.
Answer
The information available, relating to paid fixed penalties collected by safety camera partnerships that have joined the Scottish Safety Camera Programme since it was first piloted in 2001-02, is shown in the following table. However, information is not held centrally on any fines that may have been levied in respect of any cameras not operated by partnerships.
| Partnership | 2001-02 £000 | 2002-03 £000 | 2003-04 £000 |
| Strathclyde | 861 | 1,670 | 3,454 |
| Fife | - | 422 | 619 |
| North East | - | 278, | 1,013 |
| Lothian and Borders | - | - | 1,617 |
| Tayside | - | - | 388 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | - | - | 545 |
Notes:
1. Figures given are for partnerships from the date they joined the Safety Camera Programme. The figure for the Dumfries and Galloway Partnership in 2003-04has still to be finally audited. Northern joined the Programme in July 2004. Central Scotland is not currently part of the Programme. The partnerships in the table expanded or joined the Programme as indicated below.
2. In 2001-02, Strathclyde included only Glasgow City Council area.
3. In 2002-2003, Strathclyde expanded to cover four local authority areas; Fife joined the Programme in April 2002 and the North East Partnership joined in October 2002.
4. In 2003-2004, Strathclyde expanded to 12 local authority areas; Dumfries and Galloway joined the Programme in July 2003, Lothian and Borders in July 2003 and Tayside in July 2003.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 28 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new beat officers have been recruited in the last three years, broken down by police force.
Answer
Decisions on the deployment of officers between community, response and other roles are operational matters for each Chief Constable and as such, this information is not held centrally. The number of police officers recruited over the last three years by force area is shown in the following table.
| Force | 31 March 2002 | 31 March 2003 | 31 March 2004 |
| Central | 16 | 49 | 40 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 23 | 19 | 24 |
| Fife | 94 | 61 | 84 |
| Grampian | 56 | 67 | 125 |
| Lothian and Borders | 157 | 131 | 198 |
| Northern | 45 | 30 | 31 |
| Strathclyde | 312 | 446 | 415 |
| Tayside | 67 | 47 | 49 |
| Total | 770 | 850 | 966 |
Source: Annual Statistical Returns from forces to Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary.
- Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 25 February 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for housing have been refused in the last three years due to lack of water and sewerage infrastructure capacity, broken down by planning committee area.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
