- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 24 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23640 by Mr Andy Kerr on 8 March 2006, whether it will provide an update on when it expects to publish the review of NHS genetic services.
Answer
The report isstill under consideration.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 24 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the formula used to allocate funding between NHS boards and, if so, whether it will provide the (a) details of, (b) reasons for and (c) timescale for any announcements in respect of such changes.
Answer
The NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) was established in March2005 to improve and refine the Arbuthnott Formula. Members were chosenthrough the public appointment process and DrKaren Facey, a self-employed health policy consultant and non-executiveDirector of Forth Valley NHS Board acts as Chairman. The remit and membershipof NRAC was detailed in my answer to question S2W-14556 answered on 21 February 2005. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.Over the summer of 2005, theCommittee consulted with a number of NHS boards to assess what issues they havewith the current Formula and identify criteria that NHS boards consider asuccessful Formula could be measured against. To inform the work undertaken byNRAC, the issues were collated into groups and a summary of the issues and anoutline of the proposed handling of the evidence was published on the NRAC website(www.nrac.scot.nhs.uk).Individual responses will not be given to Boards, but issues will be consideredas research progresses and new elements of the allocation formula are created.Research has been undertakenduring the past six months to determine how the Formula could be improved. Theareas of research include demography (population measurement and how age/sexcost weights for Care Programmes are assessed); morbidity and lifecircumstances; and the excess costs of supply (including remoteness). Thisresearch is currently being finalised.
The Committee will issuethese research reports on its website in early July, with an overview documentsummarising the key issues, presenting options and raising questions. Engagementand feedback will be sought mainly with NHSScotland, but also other interestedparties including, for example, the Royal Colleges, BMA and COSLA.
The Committee intends tosubmit its Report to Ministers in June 2007. Any agreed changes will be takeninto account in 2008-09 allocations, at the earliest.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive why recreational sea anglers have not been offered representation on the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group.
Answer
The role of the ScottishInshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) has been to advise on commercialfisheries in Scotland’s inshore waters. This is reflected in the Group’smembership. As part of the continuing implementation of the Strategic Frameworkfor Inshore Fisheries in Scotland, a review of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries AdvisoryGroup’s function, structure and membership is ongoing. The review is expectedto conclude later this year.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 14 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers in each local authority will have completed their probationary year in 2005-06 and how many positions for which they may apply are available (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority.
Answer
The following table providesthe number of probationers by local authority on the 2005-06 teacher induction schemeas at 31 May 2006. The vast majority of these will complete their probationaryyear satisfactorily at the end of term.
Apart from the snapshot takenin the annual teacher vacancy survey in February, the numbers of teaching postsavailable are not held centrally.
| Local Authority | Primary | Secondary | Total |
| Aberdeen, City of | 27 | 49 | 76 |
| Aberdeenshire | 76 | 54 | 130 |
| Angus | 41 | 27 | 68 |
| Argyll and Bute | 17 | 12 | 29 |
| Clackmannanshire | 11 | 6 | 17 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 34 | 19 | 53 |
| Dundee, City of | 17 | 16 | 33 |
| East Ayrshire | 38 | 36 | 74 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 24 | 40 | 64 |
| East Lothian | 46 | 38 | 84 |
| East Renfrewshire | 74 | 62 | 136 |
| Edinburgh, City of | 84 | 85 | 169 |
| Eilean Siar | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| Falkirk | 46 | 47 | 93 |
| Fife | 77 | 71 | 148 |
| Glasgow, City of | 115 | 122 | 237 |
| Highland | 59 | 47 | 106 |
| Inverclyde | 7 | 18 | 25 |
| Midlothian | 20 | 26 | 46 |
| Moray | 30 | 28 | 58 |
| North Ayrshire | 53 | 46 | 99 |
| North Lanarkshire | 150 | 111 | 261 |
| Orkney Islands | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| Perth and Kinross | 39 | 28 | 67 |
| Renfrewshire | 31 | 39 | 70 |
| Scottish Borders | 25 | 16 | 41 |
| Shetland Islands | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| South Ayrshire | 25 | 18 | 43 |
| South Lanarkshire | 91 | 120 | 211 |
| Stirling | 29 | 43 | 72 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 41 | 40 | 81 |
| West Lothian | 33 | 30 | 63 |
| (Totals) | 1,381 | 1,316 | 2,697 |
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 10 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much VAT it paid in each of the last seven years and how much it claimed back for each year.
Answer
The VAT paid and reclaimed since1999-2000 is set out in the following table:
| Year | VAT Paid | VAT reclaimed from HMRC (£) |
| To HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) (£) | To Suppliers (£) |
| 2005-06 | 1,353,369 | 91,490,005 | 64,528,351 |
| 2004-05 | 1,633,782 | 84,675,268 | 62,895,741 |
| 2003-04 | 3,246,756 | 73,884,238 | 55,187,710 |
| 2002-03 | 2,642,309 | 54,865,075 | 42,224,752 |
| 2001-02 | 3,112,959 | note 1 | 29,524,674 |
| 2000-01 | 2,893,970 | note 1 | 34,457,810 |
| 1999-2000 | 2,784,196 | note 1 | 30,587,309 |
Note: 1. The Scottish Executiveimplemented a new accounting system in December 2001 and the total amount of VATpaid to suppliers is not available from the previous system.
These figures have been roundedto the nearest pound.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 10 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what energy costs were incurred by it and each public sector body in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percentage changes and national totals.
Answer
Energy costs incurred by the Scottish Executive in years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 and the percentage changesbetween years are as follows:
| Energy Type | | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Electricity | Spend | £592,545 | £562,946 | £529,336 | £915,205 |
| Difference from previous year | N/A | -£29,599 | -£33,610 | £385,869 |
| Year-on-Year % difference | N/A | -5 % | -6% | 73% |
| Gas | Spend | £131,963 | £156,656 | £261,209 | £243,146 |
| Difference from previous year | N/A | £24,693 | £104,553 | -£18,063 |
| Year-on-Year % difference | N/A | 19% | 67% | -7% |
| Liquid Fuel | Spend | £18,618 | £25,346 | £54,652 | £41,108 |
| Difference from previous year | N/A | £6,728 | £29,306 | -£13,544 |
| Year-on-Year % difference | N/A | 36% | 116% | -25% |
Therehas been a large increase in expenditure on electricity in 2005-06. This can beattributed to the fact that a two year fixed-price contract, which was set at aparticularly low point in the market, expired in 2005-06. During the period of thatcontract energy markets were subject to a period of unprecedented volatility. Increasesin oil and gas prices, political instability in key production areas and increaseddemand for energy all combined to force prices up. The Executive was protected fromthese changes during the period of the contract but the new contract which includesmuch increased rates reflects prevailing global market conditions.
The energy costs incurred byother public sector bodies are not held centrally and could only be obtained atdisproportionate cost.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many flood warnings there have been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area and by areas benefiting from formal flood warning schemes.
Answer
This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). I have asked Dr CampbellGemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to the question direct.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those areas that currently benefit from a formal flood warning scheme, broken down by local authority area and whether it will give details of how often this list is reviewed and the criteria used in doing so.
Answer
This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). I have asked Dr CampbellGemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to the question direct.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive to what mechanisms exist to ensure that local authorities and other agencies co-operate on flooding related issue to ensure that experiences and expertise is shared across Scotland.
Answer
The Flooding Issues AdvisoryCommittee (FIAC) provides a forum for a wide-range of stakeholders to share experiencesand expertise on flood related issues. The work of FIAC, its Sub-Committees andfull membership can be found at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/16919/FIAC.In addition, Scottish PlanningPolicy (SPP) 7 states that each local authority should convene a Flood Liaison andAdvice Group (FLAG) or combine with other local authorities to do so, possibly ona catchment basis. The purpose of a FLAG is to act as a forum for the key publicand private interests to share knowledge and offer advice on flooding issues. Moreinformation on FLAGs, and organisations normally represented, can be found in PlanningAdvice Note (PAN) 69 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/08/19805/41600.The Societyof Chief Officers of Transportationin Scotland (SCOTS) Group on Flooding is another such forum whose remit is to share knowledge and experienceand to provide guidance to Scottish local authorities with regard to best practicein terms of issues related to flooding and water legislation. The Executive andmost Scottish local authorities are represented at this group.
Finally, the Conventionof Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) FloodingTask Group was established to consider the issues of flood prevention, flood incidentsand coast protection. The group liaised with other bodies such as the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water, the Association of British Insurers (ABI)and the Executive on flooding issues.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 30 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) homes and (b) businesses are at risk from flooding (i) in total and (ii) broken down by local authority, also expressed as a percentage of all such properties.
Answer
Information on the number ofproperties in Scotland at risk from flooding, and also broken down by localauthority area, can be found in table 4.3 of the Executive publication
ClimateChange: Flooding Occurrences Review which is available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/lightgreen/ccfo-15.asp.Based on national assumptions, the research estimated the total number of propertiesat risk to be 92.5% residential and 7.5% commercial.
