Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not collect information on the annual value of public sector construction contracts.

Spending on construction in 2011-12 recorded by public sector bodies on the Scottish Government’s Procurement Information Hub was £2.437 billion, which was 23.4% of construction output. The figures for 2010-11 were £2.122 billion and 18.5%. For 2009-10 they were £2.114 billion and 21.4%.

Note that the Scottish Government spending on construction and Scottish construction output figures are not directly comparable. This is because government construction spending in a given year does not immediately translate to measured Scottish output in the same year.

The Scottish Government does not collect information which measures the ratio of wins to bids of individual SMEs competing for public works contracts.

Based on information submitted to the Scottish Government’s Procurement Information Hub, where the size of the supplier firm was known, spending on construction recorded by public sector bodies was £2.09 billion in 2011-12, of which 47% went to firms classed as SMEs. In 2010-11 it was £2.00 billion (44% to known SMEs) and in 2009-10 it was £1.97 billion (43% to known SMEs).

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15200 on 23 May 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The latest official statistics for enterprises operating in Scotland are available from the Scottish Government Businesses in Scotland 2012 publication. The publication shows that: As at March 2012, there were 56,720 enterprises in the construction sector. Of these, 99.8 per cent were classed as either small or medium in size.

The Children and Young People’s Allergy Network has recurring funding from 2011-12 for a lead clinician and administrator. An application for the formalisation of the network’s future status as a national managed clinical network will be considered by the National Specialist Services Committee in August 2013.

As the employer of staff in schools who administer medication to pupils this is a matter for education authorities. The guidance on the administration of medicines in schools makes clear that it is for education authorities to ensure that their insurance/indemnification arrangements provide full cover for staff who volunteer to administer medication within the scope of their employment.

The guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools recommends education authorities should liaise with NHS boards to ensure that all staff involved with pupils with health care needs have received a basic understanding of those needs and to ensure staff who are willing to administer medication to pupils receive the appropriate level of training, provided by the school health team, supplemented as required by health specialists.

The guidance also indicates that training for staff should include the recognition of the signs and symptoms of mild and severe allergic reactions, first aid procedures including the protection of airways and the recovery position, administration of medication including the use of auto-injectors and emergency procedures.

The Scottish Government has committed to review the guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools following the conclusion of the review of guidance on children unable to attend school due to ill health. This review is due to conclude in January 2014. It is intended that work on the review of the guidance on Administration of Medicines will begin in March 2014 and revised guidance made available in during 2014.

The guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools makes it clear that It is for NHS boards to ensure that appropriate agreements are in place with education authorities, which determine the respective responsibilities of each in relation to the administration of medicines in schools (local protocols and procedures, including training). NHS boards, education authorities. and schools should work in co-operation to determine need and plan and co-ordinate effective local provision. Children will be advised on managing their medication by their health professional.

Pupils individual health care needs, and the plans to meet these healthcare needs, which include emergency procedures, determine the medication which is held in schools. The specific information requested is not held centrally.