Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-16956

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total expenditure was on medical research into the causes and methods of diagnosis or treatment of (a) autism or Asperger’s syndrome, (b) dyspraxia or developmental co-ordination disorder, (c) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, (d) Tourette’s syndrome, (e) dyslexia, (f) deficit in attention, motor control and perception and (g) any other recognised learning difficulties or learning disabilities in each of the last five years.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government''s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The main agency through which the UK Government funds medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Total direct expenditure by the CSO and the MRC on (a) autism or Asperger''s syndrome research in each of the last five years was as follows:

	CSO	MRC
2003-04	£43,700	£1.2 million
2004-05	£201,000	£1.0 million
2005-06	£133,500	£1.1 million
2006-07	£143,700	£1.7 million
2007-08	£139,800	£2.3 million

There was no direct expenditure by the CSO or the MRC on (b) dyspraxia research in the last five years.

There was no direct expenditure by the CSO on (c) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) research in the last five years. Total direct expenditure by the MRC on ADHD research in each of the last five years was as follows:

2003-04	£262,000
2004-05	£480,000
2005-06	£380,000
2006-07	£594,000
2007-08	£294,000

There was no direct expenditure by the CSO or the MRC on (d) Tourette''s syndrome research in the last five years.

Total direct expenditure by the CSO and the MRC on (e) dyslexia research in each of the last five years was as follows:-

	CSO	MRC
2003-04	£4,000	£296,000
2004-05	£0	£296,000
2005-06	£0	£434,000
2006-07	£37,200	£377,000
2007-08	£0	£330,000

There was no direct expenditure by the CSO or the MRC on (f) deficit in attention, motor control and perception research in the last five years.

Total direct expenditure by the CSO and the MRC on (g) other recognised learning difficulties or learning disabilities research including learning difficulties/disabilities more generally in the last five years was as follows:

	CSO	MRC
2003-04	£224,600	£1.5 million
2004-05	£299,100	£1.5 million
2005-06	£282,300	£1.9 million
2006-07	£91,200	£2.1 million
2007-08	£15,200	£2.2 million

Expenditure made by research charities on these conditions is not held centrally.

In addition to direct research expenditure, the CSO also meets the additional indirect costs to the NHS of hosting research funded by bodies such as the MRC and research charities. Such indirect expenditure on these conditions is not held centrally.

Question reference: S3W-16958

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost is of educating a pupil in a mainstream school.

Question reference: S3W-16955

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what its total expenditure was on medical research in the field of neurosciences and mental health in each of the last five years and what information it has on how this compares with the UK Government’s expenditure in the same period.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government''s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The main agency through which the UK Government funds medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC).

For the purposes of this reply, neuroscience is defined as the study of the nervous system including the brain, the spinal cord and networks of sensory nerve cells or neurons. It includes Alzheimer''s disease, dementias, Parkinson''s disease, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. It does not include mental health or stroke management research. In each of the last five years direct expenditure by the CSO on neuroscience research was as follows:

2003-04	£183,500
2004-05	£451,900
2005-06	£670,000
2006-07	£831,200
2007-08	£878,300

Direct expenditure figures for the MRC for neuroscience research are not available.

Direct expenditure on mental health research was as follows:

	CSO	MRC
2003-04	£1.3 million	£68.6 million
2004-05	£1.6 million	£76.1 million
2005-06	£1.2 million	£108.1 million
2006-07	£1.1 million	£108.7 million
2007-08	£1.9 million	Not Available

In addition to direct research expenditure, the CSO also meets the additional direct costs to the NHS of hosting research funded by bodies such as the MRC and research charities. Such indirect expenditure on neuroscience and mental health is not held centrally.

Question reference: S3W-16960

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost is of educating a pupil with additional support needs in a special school.

Question reference: S3W-16964

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having learning difficulties are recorded as not in education, employment or training.

The Annual Population Survey (APS) conducted by the Office for National Statistics collects information on the economic status of individuals. Respondents to the survey are also asked for details of health problems they may have which limit the kind of paid work they could do. In 2007, 65.1 per cent of people of working age reporting severe or specific learning difficulties were not in education, employment or training.

Question reference: S3W-16959

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost is of educating a pupil with additional support needs in a mainstream school.

Question reference: S3W-16965

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having learning difficulties are recorded as being unemployed.

The Annual Population Survey (APS) conducted by the Office for National Statistics collects information on the economic status of individuals. Respondents to the survey are also asked for details of health problems they may have which limit the kind of paid work they could do. In 2007, 10.6 per cent of people of working age reporting severe or specific learning difficulties were unemployed and actively seeking work.

Question reference: S3W-16791

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 29 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes there have been in relation to the concessionary travel pass since 2006.

Question reference: S3W-16793

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with disability groups about the concessionary travel pass.

Question reference: S3W-16794

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 27 October 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding a high speed rail link between London and Scottish train stations.

I met the then Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Transport, Tom Harris MP, on 28 May 2008 to discuss the potential for a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland.

Scottish ministers recognise the value of faster rail links to our key economic centres and support in principle the concept of a high speed rail link. We are working with the Department for Transport (DfT) to explore all options for improving cross-border links. DfT has commissioned Network Rail to carry out a study on this issue and we are engaging with interest in that work.

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