- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) NHS and (b) GP budgets will move to the private sector as a result of the introduction of pharmacist prescribing.
Answer
The introduction of pharmacist prescribing on the NHS will not change existing budget arrangements. At present prescribing costs are linked to the relevant prescribing GP practice and it is likely that pharmacist prescribing costs will be linked to the relevant community pharmacy.
As with general medical practitioners, community pharmacists are independent contractors who are not employed by the NHS but contracted by NHS boards to provide NHS services.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19934 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005 and in light of Rule 86(2) a and b of the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 1994 which states that “an officer may, where he suspects that the visitor may have concealed anything which may be prejudicial to security, good order or safety, ask the visitor to consent to a search”, why the contract with Premier Prison Services Limited in respect of HM Prison Kilmarnock requires a random rub-down search of one-in-three visitors as a minimum and whether this random search is carried out at any other prison in Scotland.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
The contract makes no provision for the number of rub-down searches. Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 32 (S.1) changed Rule 86. Searches of visitors are carried out at all prisons in Scotland.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) representations it has made to, (b) discussions it has had with and (c) meetings it has had with (i) the Equal Opportunities Commission and (ii) other organisations regarding equal pay for women in local authority employment.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has made no representations or held discussions or meetings with the EOC or other organisations on the specific issue of pay for women in local authority employment as this is a matter for local authorities.
The Executive has had a number of discussions with a range of organisations on the general issue of equal pay in the context of its work on gender equality. This has primarily been through the Executive’s role as a partner within the Close the Gap project.
For the last four years the Scottish Executive has been a partner, along with the Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland, in the Close the Gap project which aims to raise awareness about the pay gap between women and men in Scotland and encourage activity to close it, such as carrying out equal pay audits or reviews. The project steering group, which is made up of representatives from all the partner organisations – Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Trades Union Congress and TGWU, the EOC Scotland, Fair Play and the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute, meets regularly to discuss the issues surrounding the pay gap.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 29 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what cognisance it has taken of representations it has received on equal pay and what action it will take to ensure that all women who work for local authorities receive equal pay for work of equal value retrospectively and prospectively.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20706 on 23 November 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20320 by Mr Andy Kerr on 14 November 2005, whether the tendering process will be completed and contracts agreed before a pandemic flu virus is identified and a vaccine is possible and whether the award of the contracts will not depend on whether such a pandemic flu virus emerges.
Answer
As it is not known when a pandemic virus will emerge the Scottish Executive is not in a position to confirm if the tendering process will be completed and contracts agreed in advance.
However, the process has started. Department of Health, on behalf of the UK Health Departments expect to receive expressions of interest later this month and returns in the early part of next year.
The award of the contract is not dependent on whether a pandemic influenza virus emerges or not.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20321 by Mr Andy Kerr on 14 November 2005, whether all contracts being negotiated by the NHS solely relate to H5N1, a virus not transmitted from human to human and not likely to lead to a human flu pandemic
Answer
Department of Health, on behalf of the UK Health Departments, plan to shortly award the contract for the H5N1 vaccine based on the virus strain currently circulating in poultry in south east Asia and elsewhere. A pandemic influenza vaccine cannot be manufactured until the exact influenza strain is known. A tender has been issued for the procurement of a pandemic vaccine when it is available.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20320 by Mr Andy Kerr on 14 November 2005, whether monies paid to successful bidders will be dependent on the emergence of a pandemic flu virus or whether monies will be paid whether or not such a virus emerges.
Answer
Monies will be paid under the terms and conditions of the contract.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 25 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-19948, S2W-19949 and S2W-19950 by Lewis Macdonald on 14 November 2005 and in light of the fact that its Health Department does not hold this information centrally, whether it is satisfied with the performance of the department and whether it considers that its policy on the provision of maternity services is sufficiently informed.
Answer
I am satisfied that our policy on provision of maternity services is sufficiently informed. The information requested in S2W-19948, S2W-19949 and S2W-19950 is not routinely recorded centrally. 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/webapp/wa.search.
Since these questions were answered this information has been collected and is set out in the following tables. There are currently no consultant-led maternity units subject to formal consultation for closure, or conversion to non-consultant services.
Types and Locations of Maternity Units by Region
| West of Scotland |
| Name | Type |
| Princess Royal, Glasgow | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Queen Mothers, Glasgow | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Southern General, Glasgow | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Royal Alexandria, Paisley | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Cresswell Maternity, Dumfries | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Ayrshire Central, Irvine | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Wishaw General, Wishaw | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Inverclyde, Greenock | Community Maternity Unit |
| Vale of Leven, Alexandria | Community Maternity Unit |
| Lorn & Island, Oban | Community Maternity Unit |
| Dunoon, Dunoon | Community Maternity Unit |
| Campbeltown, Campbeltown | Community Maternity Unit |
| Victoria, Rothesay | Community Maternity Unit |
| Islay, Bowmore | Community Maternity Unit |
| Dalrymple, Stranraer | Community Maternity Unit |
| Arran War Memorial, Lamlash | Community Maternity Unit |
| South East and Tayside |
| Name | Type |
| Ninewells, Dundee | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Simpson’s, Edinburgh | Consultant-Led Unit |
| St John’s, Livingston | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Forth Park, Kirkcaldy | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Borders General, Melrose | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Stirling Royal, Stirling | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Perth Royal, Perth | Community Maternity Unit |
| Arbroath, Arbroath | Community Maternity Unit |
| Montrose, Montrose | Community Maternity Unit |
| North of Scotland |
| Name | Type |
| Aberdeen, Aberdeen | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Dr Gray’s, Elgin | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Raigmore, Inverness | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Caithness, Wick | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Western Isles, Stornoway | Consultant-Led Unit |
| Chalmers, Banff | Community Maternity Unit |
| Fraserburgh, Fraserburgh | Community Maternity Unit |
| Jubilee, Huntly | Community Maternity Unit |
| Peterhead, Peterhead | Community Maternity Unit |
| Aboyne, Aboyne | Community Maternity Unit |
| Belford, Fort William | Community Maternity Unit |
| McKinnon, Broadford | Community Maternity Unit |
| Balfour, Kirkwall | Community Maternity Unit |
| Gilbert Bain, Lerwick | Community Maternity Unit |
| Uist and Barra, Benbecula | Community Maternity Unit |
Changes to Maternity Services in Last Five Years
| Perth Royal changed from Consultant-Led Unit to Community Maternity Unit in 2004 |
| Inverclyde changed from Consultant-Led Unit to Community Maternity Unit in 2003 |
| Vale of Leven changed from Consultant-Led Unit to Community Maternity Unit in 2003 |
| Falkirk Consultant-Led service moved to Stirling in 2003 |
| Forfar Community Maternity Unit closed in 2002 |
| Units at Bellshill and Law Hospitals amalgamated at Wishaw General in 2001 |
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20039 by Mr Tom McCabe on 3 November 2005, how it will address any inconsistencies between the offer to local government employees in respect of the 85 Rule and the agreements reached with the public health, teaching and civil service sectors where this option has been retained for all existing pension members.
Answer
The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) already has a normal pension age (NPA) of 65, unlike the schemes for NHS, teachers and civil servants which currently have a NPA of 60. However, as explained in the answer to question S2W-20039 on 3 November 2005, the LGPS will have to be amended to remove the rule of 85 because legal advice is that the rule will not comply with European Equality legislation because of age discrimination. To comply, the rule will have to be removed from the Scheme, for existing as well as new members, by October 2006.
The Scottish LGPS group will be discussing what degree of protection might be afforded to existing scheme members who would have qualified under the rule if it had not been removed. The discussions will continue over the next few months, with a view to agreed proposals being put to ministers by mid-2006.
- Asked by: Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 23 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what remuneration system will be put in place for prescribing pharmacists and what total levels of remuneration are projected.
Answer
Prescribing is considered as an integral part of the patients overall package of health care and is not remunerated separately. The same principle will apply to prescribing by pharmacists.
