Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-26570

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 28 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific guidance it has issued to (a) the Scottish Prison Service, (b) Reliance and (c) the NHS about the treatment of imprisoned parturient women.

Question reference: S2W-26232

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 22 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25784 by Mr Tom McCabe on 22 May 2006, whether it will list each secondment to the private sector providing details of the (a) cost, (b) duration and (c) purpose.

The following table providesdetails of each interchange to the private sector in the period 4 April 1999 to 31 March 2006 includingthe name of the host organisation, the purpose, duration and cost of each secondment.

There are 21 secondments fromScottish Executive to the private sector from 1 April 1999 to31 March 2006.

Please note that a previous questionresponse (S2W-25784, answered on 22 May 2006) erroneouslyrecorded the number of outward secondments as 22. This is because an inward secondmentwas incorrectly included in that answer.

Name of Organisation	Purpose of Secondment	Duration of Secondment		Cost to the SE (£)
Name of Organisation	Purpose of Secondment	Start	End	Cost to the SE (£)
IT Support Association	To develop a child care information website.	12-04-1999	31-12-1999	Nil
Lloyds TSB Foundation	Programme Manager responsible for community initiatives concerned with tackling Scotland’s drug problem	1. 28-08-2000	02-11-2001	36,515
		2. 07-01-2002	30-04-2004	98,519
		3. 16-02-2004	05-06-2005	36,585
		4. 15-08-2005	31-03-2006*	33,642
Lloyds TSB PLC	To work on a project on responsible and responsive banking.	30-01-2006	31-03-2006*	10,025
Momenta (AEA Technology plc)	To assist with the growth and delivery of the Envirowise Programme.	31-05-2005	31-03-2006	Nil
Royal Bank of Scotland	Undertake duties within the Chief Executive’s Office.	20-08-2001	04-11-2002	Nil
Schlumberger	Undertake a project in the prepaid and Application Cards Department.	04-12-2000	10-06-2001	Nil
Scottish Chambers of Commerce	To undertake development of Scottish Chambers’ policies, Scottish Chamber’s International Trade activities and Chamber Services.	1. 02-08-1999	31-03-2001	2,969
Scottish Chambers of Commerce		2. 29-07-2002	11-03-2005	39,512
Scottish Coal	Developing corporate strategy.	09-01-2006	31-03-2006*	21,660
Scottish Council for Development & Industry	Involvement in the full range of Policy and Government Affairs programmes.	1. 12-03-2001	31-03-2004	14,849
Scottish Council for Development & Industry		2. 22-08-2005	31-03-2006*	7,768
Scottish Financial Enterprise	To lead SFE’s work on skills issues.	1.11-02-2002	10-10-2003	22,750
Scottish Financial Enterprise	To lead SFE’s work on skills issues.	2. 01-03-2004	30-04-2005	28,742
Scottish Football Association	To provide support for the joint bid by Scotland and Eire to host the 2008 European Football Championships.	02-07-2001	31-12-2002	150,000
Scottish & Newcastle plc	To work in the Corporate Affairs Unit as Public Affairs Manager.	01-10-2000	31-03-2001	Nil
Scottish Power	Working on the implementation of strategic review of the business activities of Scottish Power.	20-11-2000	28-02-2006 (Please note 1½ days per month over duration of secondment)	Nil
Tontine Hotel	To provide consultancy and business advice.	23-06-1999	31-12-1999	Nil
Traveline Scotland	Project Manager to co-ordinate a small team to deliver Traveline Scotland’s new Business Plan	13-03-2002	22-08-2004	Nil

Note: * = There are four secondmentscontinuing into the 2006-07 financial year.

Question reference: S2W-26595

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to inform parents of any international concerns over the safety record of the MMR vaccine and what steps will be taken to withdraw and replace all advertising literature that asserts that no child has ever died as a result of MMR vaccination, in light of the death of a child and adverse effects on other children in Vietnam following the administration of the Priorix vaccine.

Priorix has been successfullyused to prevent measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) since 1997. More than 145 milliondoses have been administered worldwide and the vaccine has an excellent safety trackrecord.

Preliminary results from theinvestigation into the death of a child, and into the cases of the eight childrenwho fell ill in Vietnam after being immunised with three different infant vaccines,(GSK’s MMR vaccine [Priorix], or a GSK Varicella vaccine [Varilrix]or a non-GSK hepatitis B vaccine), suggest that the vaccines are unlikely to havebeen responsible. The events appear to be isolated to one district, one health centre,and a limited time period.

The latest reports from Vietnam suggestthat the cause of the reactions observed in these children was likely to be Staphylococcusaureus infection, and that the same organism has been isolated from two workersat the vaccination centre. Tests, which need to be finally confirmed, have determinedthat the strain isolated from the health care workers is genetically identical tothat isolated from the vaccinees. The final results of the investigation are expectedto be announced in the latter part of June.

The safety of MMR vaccine isclosely monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA),the government agency which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medicaldevices work, and are acceptably safe. MHRA will take any action that is necessaryto ensure that patient safety is not compromised. The current view within the UK and Europe is thatthe balance of risks and benefits for MMR vaccine remains overwhelmingly positive.

Paediatric vaccines are not advertisedin the UK, and as such the MHRA is unaware of any advertising which asserts that nochild has ever died as a result of Priorix vaccination. The MHRA will take actionif such a claim is brought to its attention.

Question reference: S2W-26566

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it has not funded any clinical research into a connection between autism and bowel disease in children since this issue was first raised in 1998 and that no children identified by parents as having withdrawn into autism following MMR vaccination have been included in a clinical study designed to verify the presence of a new inflammatory bowel disease, despite the Medical Research Council’s statement in 2001 that research into a possible link between bowel disease and autism was a priority area and its subsequent confirmation of this position in 2003.

I refer the member to theanswers to questions S2W-24316 on 27 March 2006, S2W-25442 on 8 May 2006 and S2W-26233 on 2 June 2006. Asstated previously, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish ExecutiveHealth Department has not funded any research into links between autism, bowel diseaseand the MMR vaccination in children since 1998 and consequently there has been nosuch clinical study in that period as described.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S2W-25499

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 16 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23225 by Tavish Scott on 13 March 2006 stating that there was no statutory requirement in terms of Schedule 2 to the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to advise the public of the commencement of the toll period, why Section 27(3) of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 indicates that Schedule 2 to the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 applies to “a toll order with regard to its validity and date of operation”.

Question reference: S2W-26234

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 2 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of significant evidence from the parents of autistic children and documented evidence in peer-reviewed and published literature that painful bowel problems are a feature of such children’s condition and in light of any reluctance by paediatric gastroenterologists to examine these children, what immediate steps will be taken to set up an autism-specific gastrointestinal unit in a hospital to treat autistic children suffering from pain.

Question reference: S2W-26233

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 2 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25442 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 May 2006, in what way the research strategy implemented by the Medical Research Council (MRC) in 2003 “encourages” a programme of specifically clinical research into the link between bowel disease and autism and what evidence of success can be demonstrated in this regard and, given that the MRC and Chief Scientist Office do not operate by commissioning research to address specific questions, what strategy the Executive has in place to encourage research into novel and innovative approaches to neurological problems in children that have been regarded as solely genetic in origin but may be caused by environmental factors such as heavy metal toxicity.

In 2002-03, the Medical ResearchCouncil (MRC) hosted four research forums in order to stimulate discussionacross all aspects of autism. One of those forums was specifically on gut functionin children with autism spectrum disorders. Following those meetings, researcherswere given advice on how to submit their research proposals to the MRC. As indicatedin my answer to question S2W-25442, the MRC received only a few applications onbowel disease and autism and none were deemed of sufficient quality to receive funding.However, since 2003, the MRC has funded 12 research projects on autism coveringa diverse range of projects. This represents a total commitment by the MRC of £3.1million to autism research as a direct result of the MRC’s research strategy.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO)encourages research proposals to be submitted across a wide spectrum of health andhealthcare issues. This role is well knownand advertised throughout the healthcare and academic community. CSO would welcomeresearch proposals on neurological problemsin children which would be subject to theusual peer and committee review.

Question reference: S2W-26187

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 1 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25354 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 April 2006 and as part of the studies listed as evidence of MMR safety, how many autistic children underwent (a) clinical examinations, (b) comprehensive gastro-enterological investigations, (c) blood tests, (d) urine tests and (e) stool tests and how many similar tests were carried out in total on both autistic children and controls as part of the research papers referred to in the answer.

Question reference: S2W-26225

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 1 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25584 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 May 2006, how many people have contracted hepatitis C in each year since the isolation and identification of the virus.

There is no data available to indicate precisely howmany cases of newly contracted HCV occur within a specific year sinceindividuals may have contracted HCV many years prior to diagnosis. However, thenumber of cases diagnosed is shown by year in the following table, as publishedin the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) Weekly Report Vol 40 No 2006/19 dated 16 May 2006.

Year	Reports
Pre-1991	63
1991	276
1992	375
1993	528
1994	841
1995	1,142
1996	1,238
1997	1,529
1998	1,999
1999	1,954
2000	1,890
2001	1,682
2002	1,791
2003	1,629
2004	1,626
2005	1,600

Total cases reported (as at31 December 2005): 20,163.

Question reference: S2W-25782

Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 May 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations and guidelines are in place governing the secondment of the employees of public bodies to the private and independent sectors.

There are no specificregulations governing the secondment of staff from the Scottish Executive tooutside organisations. The Scottish Executive’s policy and proceduraldocumentation is based on the UK wide Cabinet Office Good Practice Guide (September 2000). The Scottish Executive produced its own interchangepolicy and guidance HR Interchange-Way Forward in October 2004. A secondedition was released in April 2006. The document is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 39655).

For the purposes ofanswering this question the response is based on the position in the ScottishExecutive only. The Scottish Executive does not hold information relating toother public bodies.

Chamber and committees