Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-13176

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients with autism spectrum disorders have been compulsorily detained under provisions in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 in each year.

Question reference: S4W-13174

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 4 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost to each NHS board was of prescribing Ritalin to children under 18 was in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 and has been in 2012-13.

Methylphenidate Hydrochloride is the non-proprietary drug name for the branded products Ritalin, Equasym, Equasym XL, Concerta XL,Medikinet XL, and Medikinet and is used as part of a programme of treatment for people who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Methylphenidate Hydrochloride is only licensed for prescribing to patients aged under 18 in the UK, but may be prescribed off-label to adults where the clinician believes that the patient would benefit from treatment.

Table 1 contains the Gross Ingredient Cost (£) of all Methylphenidate Hydrochloride products dispensed by community pharmacists or dispensing GPs, while Table 2 contains the Gross Ingredient Cost (£) of Ritalin dispensings only.

Table 1 - Gross Ingredient Cost (£) paid for the dispensing of all Methylphenidate Hydrochloride products for financial years 2010-11 to 2012-13¹by NHS board.

Health Board

Financial Year

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13¹

NHS Ayrshire and Arran	139,528	144,836	74,606
NHS Borders	125,665	143,411	77,053
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	96,671	102,990	53,600
NHS Fife	361,743	377,500	188,535
NHS Forth Valley	150,998	164,124	81,672
NHS Grampian	315,055	338,165	169,719
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	342,007	375,735	206,863
NHS Highland	124,174	134,977	70,737
NHS Lanarkshire	95,922	118,786	65,469
NHS Lothian	362,829	388,854	190,484
NHS Orkney	6,653	5,731	2,758
NHS Shetland	7,588	7,282	3,643
NHS Tayside	389,255	402,255	206,639
NHS Western Isles	984	1,495	876
NHS Scotland	2,519,071	2,706,142	1,392,653

Note:

Data for financial year 2012-13 is up to and including September 2012.
Cost relate to total dispensings, and may therefore include some off-label prescribing to adults.
Includes dispensings of Ritalin, Equasym, Equasym XL , Concerta XL,Medikinet XL, and Medikinet.
Due to rounding, the figures in each column may not correspond precisely with the overall total for NHS Scotland.

Table 2 - Gross Ingredient Cost (£) paid for the dispensing of Ritalin only for financial years 2010-11 to 2012-13¹by NHS board.

Health Board

Financial Year

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13¹

NHS Ayrshire and Arran	2,970	2,754	979
NHS Borders	1,789	1,869	902
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	201	515	342
NHS Fife	4,190	4,170	1,911
NHS Forth Valley	566	507	211
NHS Grampian	5,703	5,932	3,120
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	4,799	5,489	3,131
NHS Highland	1,789	1,034	525
NHS Lanarkshire	2,760	3,270	1,798
NHS Lothian	11,764	11,787	5,617
NHS Tayside	3,554	4,199	1,947
Island Boards	295	340	134
NHS Scotland	40,381	41,867	20,617

Note:

Data for financial year 2012-13 is up to and including September 2012.
Costs relate to total dispensings, and may therefore include some off-label prescribing to adults.
Due to rounding, the figures in each column may not correspond precisely with the overall total for NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-13169

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the rules on enhanced disclosure of previous criminal convictions are compatible with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Question reference: S4W-13170

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the recent Court of Appeal ruling relating to the disclosure of criminal conviction information in England and Wales and its relevance to Scotland’s enhanced disclosure procedures.

Question reference: S4O-01847

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 27 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with colleges and the Scottish Funding Council regarding the protection of specialised rural courses following college regionalisation.

Question reference: S4O-01820

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it will give direction to the Scottish Police Authority.

Question reference: S4W-12334

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the updated Guidance on Education of Children Absent from School through Ill-health will be published.

The intention is that as part of their consideration of the issues which require further guidance the stakeholder group will also consider the format and timing of the preparation of the products which will result from the review. The review is not simply a rewrite of the current guidance document, instead it will consider what is required to remove barriers to the successful implementation of the duties to provide education to those who are unable to attend school.

Question reference: S4W-12332

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the stakeholder group reviewing Guidance on Education of Children Absent from School through Ill-health (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Question reference: S4W-12373

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the main grant letter breaking down details of the grants to colleges for (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13 will be published and what the reason is for any delay.

Question reference: S4W-12331

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-01379 by Alasdair Allan on 24 October 2012 (Official Report, c.12514) whether the stakeholder group reviewing Guidance on Education of Children Absent from School through Ill-health met during the last three months of 2012 and, if so, when.