Chamber and committees

Council of Europe recommendation R (83) 8 makes a number of recommendations in relation to AIDS. The recommendations dealt with the use of coagulation factor products prepared from large plasma pools; informing patients and recipients of the risks of blood products, and providing blood donors with information. Policy in Scotland in relation to blood products fully reflected these principles and recommendations. The risks of large plasma pools were recognised and appropriate warnings were provided on products. Clear warnings were also provided to blood donors by Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) in 1983, specifically in relation to AIDS.

An earlier Council of Europe Recommendation No. R (80) 5, concerning blood products for the treatment of haemophiliacs, was discussed with Scottish Haemophilia Directors and Directors of The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service at a meeting organised by the Scottish Health Department in 1981, at which it was agreed that “policy and practice in Scotland were consistent with this document, subject to further consideration of the recommendation on the setting up of a haemophilia register”. It is believed that policy and practice in Scotland were also consistent with the subsequent Recommendation No. R (83) 8 concerning AIDS.

This was the subject of a Freedom of Information Review request from the member. A copy of this response has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre  (Bib. number 38917).

The Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme provides a specific pension scheme designed for the teaching profession. The Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland provides a pension scheme for a variety of local government (and similar) employees where they are not entitled to be members of another statutory public service pension scheme. It is therefore common for employees working in the same establishment to belong to different public pension schemes.

The income from the Members’ Restaurant is recorded separately from the other catering outlets. As I indicated in the answer to question S2O-8978, some costs are generic. For example, some roles cover all areas: general manager, executive chef, accountant, kitchen porters and other roles such as food service assistants are often located by demand. It would be extremely difficult accurately to split costs amongst all catering outlets. We have no current plans to make major changes and subsidy is likely to continue to be presented as a total for all catering outlets.

Access to the Members' Restaurant was re-considered by SPCB in November 2004, and it was agreed that the members and their guests only rule, on business days, would continue. It was also agreed that all pass holders could access the bar at any time. The SPCB has no current plans to change the access arrangements.

As the Members' Restaurant is within the private part of the building, it would not be possible, within the current security arrangements, to give the public unescorted access. Members can of course invite guests into the Members’ Restaurant but non-pass holders must be accompanied by a pass holder at all times in the private area.

Future subsidy will be determined by usage, service level and tariff policy. It is not possible to ensure that the catering outlets operate at the same subsidy level, as usage is one of the main factors and can vary from week to week. While the SPCB will keep the catering policy under review, we have no current plans to make major changes and the total subsidy level across all catering outlets will continue broadly at the same level.

The Scottish Executive has no such plans. Explicit guidance has been issued to NHS boards underlining their responsibilities to ensure services provided to NHS patients by the independent health care sector meet the quality standards that apply in the NHS in Scotland. It is for NHS boards to satisfy themselves, in contracting with an independent sector provider, that appropriate governance and monitoring arrangements are in place.

The Scottish Executive does not hold this information as contracts with independent sector providers are held by individual NHS boards.

Information on the numbers of patients admitted to NHS hospitals due to complications in treatment received in the independent sector is not held centrally.