Chamber and committees

The rise in the prescribing of orlistat is influenced by a number of factors such as the rising levels of obesity in the Scottish population and increased awareness of the potential health risks associated with obesity. Tackling obesity is a high priority for the Scottish Government.

The use of an anti-obesity drug such as orlistat should not be the sole element of treatment. The decision to prescribe such a treatment is a matter for the clinical judgement of the prescriber, informed by advice and evidence about the drug and in consultation with the patient.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0924-01.htm

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0625-01.htm

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15204, on 12 April 2005, providing information on advertising spend by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive from 1991-92 to 2003-04. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

For details of advertising spend by the Scottish Executive/Scottish Government from 2004-05 to 2007-08, I refer the member to the Scottish Government''s website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Directorates/Services-Groups/17963/advertising-marketing/spend.

The Scottish Government''s advertising spend in 2008-09 is currently being reconciled and will be published on the Scottish Government''s website in July 2009.

Special advisers are appointed in accordance with Article 3 (4) of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 (as amended). The Order in Council gives the First Minister delegated authority to appoint up to 12 Special Advisers. The number in post at any one time can vary throughout the year as some leave and others are appointed. The following table provides details of the number employed and the number who left during each calendar year since 1999.

Number of Special Advisers Employed Each Year Since 1999

Year	Employed	Left
1999	9	1
2000	14	6
2001	14	6
2002	12	3
2003	12	1
2004	11	0
2005	13	2
2006	12	0
2007	22	13
2008	11	1

 

During 2009 to date, 11 Special Advisers have been employed. There are currently nine in post.

In the year 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009, £16,715,898.76 was paid in Employers'' National Insurance contributions for the Scottish Government and its agencies.

There is a central team in place that does maintain a strategic overview of the Scottish Government Estate within Change and Corporate Services Directorate.

In line with the recommendations of the Asset Management Review, published in January 2008, Asset Management Plans have been received from all parts of the Scottish Government where a separate plan is appropriate. These are not publicly available as they are commercially sensitive documents.

There are two comprehensive databases of information on Scottish Government properties. Firstly, the electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) which has been developed by the Office of Government Commerce to record all central government civil estate information. Access to e-PIMS is only available across the Government as it contains commercially sensitive information. Secondly, the fixed asset register for core portfolios maintained by the Financial Reporting Unit within the Finance Directorate which is used for management and financial purposes and supports the data reported in the Scottish Government''s Consolidated Accounts. A comprehensive list of all properties held by the Scottish Government, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies'', health boards and public corporations is published by HM Treasury from time to time in the National Asset Register. The latest publication was January 2007. This is available electronically at the following link http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_investment_nar_2007_index.htm. This is compiled using the fixed asset registers from all the different bodies.