Chamber and committees

The figures in the following table refer to prescriptions dispensed in the community and do not take into account those dispensed by hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

	Gross Ingredient Cost and Fees *
	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01
Ayrshire and Arran	407,417	496,298	562,426
Borders	7,573	8,254	16,660
Argyll and Clyde	535,297	836,349	965,016
Fife	161,590	242,425	324,971
Greater Glasgow	2,416,153	3,170,438	3,799,698
Highland	21,935	45,595	74,799
Lanarkshire	203,101	462,108	615,484
Grampian	421,353	696,543	979,201
Orkney	116	78	146
Lothian	715,542	884,961	1,010,833
Tayside	415,858	483,817	525,760
Forth Valley	93,549	114,749	150,321
Western Isles	157	190	24
Dumfries and Galloway	70,754	120,685	133,852
Shetland	3,803	3,358	8, 032
Total	5,474,198	7,565,848	9,167,222

Note:*Fees include not only those paid for the dispensing of methadone but also those paid for supervising the taking of the dispensed methadone by the patient.

The £10 million was primarily intended to reduce pressure on hospital beds and allow people to be discharged from hospital, directly into the community, and support them in maintaining their independence. No specific sum was designated for audiology services but it was one of the areas suggested where this allocation could be used.We are aware of four NHS boards which took advantage of this and allocated a total of £350,000 to audiology services. No information is held centrally on how much of this was used for digital hearing aids.I would also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24850 on 19 April 2002, which announced additional funds of £750,000 for audiology services during 2002-03.

I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-24761 on 2 May 2002, S1W-24762 on 29 April 2002 and S1W-24763 on 29 April 2002.

Information on the number of doctors recorded as specialising in endocrinology and diabetes at 30 September is shown in the following table. Information at 31 March is not available centrally.Medical Staff Recorded as Specialising in Endocrinology and DiabetesHeadcount at 30 September

	1998					1999					2000
	Consultant	Staff	Hospital Practitioner 3	GMP (para 94 appt.) 3	Training Grades 4	Consultant	Staff	Hospital Practitioner 3	GMP (para 94 appt.) 3	Training Grades 4	Consultant	Staff	Hospital Practitioner 3	GMP (para 94 appt.) 3	Training Grades 4
Scotland	14	2	3	23	17	18	2	5	31	18	19	1	4	30	26
Argyll and Clyde	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Ayrshire and Arran	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	4	-
Borders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dumfries and Galloway	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Fife	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	1
Forth Valley	1	-	-	3	-	1	-	-	3	-	1	-	-	3	-
Grampian	-	2	-	5	4	1	2	-	4	5	1	1	-	4	5
Greater Glasgow	3	-	-	4	4	3	-	-	6	3	4	-	-	5	9
Highland	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	3	-	-	-	1	3	-
Lanarkshire	2	-	1	-	-	3	-	2	-	-	3	-	1	-	-
Lothian	5	-	1	4	8	6	-	2	5	9	6	-	2	6	7
Orkney	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
Shetland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Tayside	2	-	-	3	-	2	-	-	5	-	2	-	-	4	2
Western Isles	1	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-

Notes:1. Source: Medical and Dental Census, ISD Scotland.2. Table includes honorary appointments.3. Hospital Practitioners and GMP (para 94 appts.) are General Medical Practitioners employed part-time in hospitals.4. Training grades comprises Specialist Registrars, Senior Registrars, Registrars and Senior House Officers.

I refer the member to the answer given to question SIO-05086.

Information in the specific form requested is not available.The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in ophthalmology, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS board of residence, in the year ended 30 September 2001, is given in the following table. NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for a First Out-patient Appointment with a Consultant in Ophthalmology, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Board of Residence. Year Ending 30 September 2001^P.

NHS Board	Median Wait
Argyll and Clyde	53 days
Ayrshire and Arran	61 days
Borders	42 days
Dumfries and Galloway	72 days
Fife	63 days
Forth Valley	62 days
Grampian	83 days
Greater Glasgow	99 days
Highland	72 days
Lanarkshire	92 days
Lothian	44 days
Orkney	75 days
Shetland	65 days
Tayside	39 days
Western Isles	50 days
Scotland	64 days

Source ISD Scotland, SMR00.^PProvisional.

The information requested is shown in the following table:

Department	1998-99(£000)	1999-2000(£000)	2000-01(£000)
Development Department	101.2	101.5	98.5
Education Department	102.8	110.3	108.6
Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department	46.2	33.3	27.1
Environment and Rural Affairs Department	325.7	242.3	317.5
Finance and Central Services Department/Corporate Services	116.2	152.2	102.5
Health Department	116.4	90.8	96.2
Justice Department	40.4	37.4	45.7
Total

The names of the Scottish Executive departments have changed over the period reported. There have also been changes in the balance of functions between departments which will affect their demand for mail services.

The information requested is not held centrally. Central contract figures are available from Scottish Healthcare Supplies for the period January 2001 to December 2001. These indicate that the following hearing aids were drawn off the contracts by NHS Grampian during that period:

Type of hearing aid	Number
Analogue	2,662
Digitally programmable	271
Digital	3

The Executive has no plans to introduce a wheelchair voucher scheme similar to the scheme operated in England.Initial evaluation of the English scheme indicated that relatively few wheelchair users benefited from it and it was both expensive and time consuming to operate.

The maximum rate of attendance allowance for councillors is set by Scottish ministers and the current rate from 15 February this year is £30.42 per day. The previous rate, applicable from January 1999, was £28.53 per day. There is no obligation on councils to pay this allowance and the decision to do so is a matter for individual councils. No information on payment is held centrally.