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-01162

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to (a) scrap or (b) reduce the amount spent on consultants' distinction awards.

I have previously made clear my belief that the current award scheme needs reform in order to make it sustainable, fit for the future and value for money. The Scottish Government has already reduced the amount spent on distinction awards by introducing a freeze on the value of existing awards and suspending the making of any new awards. These measures resulted in a saving of just under £3m.

In August 2010 the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (DDRB) agreed to undertake a UK-wide review of clinical excellence and merit awards (which includes distinction awards) and its recommendations are expected shortly. The Scottish Government will carefully consider the DDRB recommendations before deciding what further reforms are to be made.

Question reference: S4W-01161

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants' distinction award holders there are, broken down by award level.

Information relating to the number of NHS consultants in Scotland in receipt of distinction awards, broken down at each level of award, can be found in the Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (SACDA) Annual Report via the following link:

http://www.shsc.scot.nhs.uk/upload/file/national_committee_services/sacda/annual_report/2011_sacda_annual_report_2010_awards_round.pdf.

For ease, the information is as follows:

As at September 2010, 578 NHS consultants held distinction awards comprising
52 A+, 166 A and 359 B award holders.

Question reference: S4W-01160

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on consultants' distinction awards in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S4W-01169

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 July 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual (a) quantity and (b) cost of unused drugs and medicines is in the NHS, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S4W-00420

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on developing proposals for further research into the religious context of religiously aggravated offences, as committed to following the Cabinet meeting of 15 March 2011.

Question reference: S4W-00452

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations it has consulted, or will consult, regarding its plans to introduce new legislation to tackle sectarianism.

Plans to introduce new legislation to tackle sectarianism have been discussed with a range of partners including COSLA, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, Scottish Courts Service, Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Legal Aid Board, Scottish Football Association and Scottish Premier League. Further discussions are planned which intend to cover young people; equality groups; voluntary and third sector.

Question reference: S4W-00424

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked the Joint Action Group on Football to consider, in formulating its final report, issues beyond the eight-point action plan agreed to at the Old Firm summit in March 2011.

Question reference: S4W-00425

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has attended meetings of the Joint Action Group on Football at which it has considered its report on the eight-point action plan agreed to at the Old Firm summit in March 2011.

Question reference: S4W-00423

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Joint Action Group on Football’s report will include issues beyond the eight-point action plan agreed to at the Old Firm summit in March 2011.

Question reference: S4W-00421

Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Joint Action Group on Football will report its final recommendations to ministers.

The Joint Action Group will report to Scottish ministers before the start of the 2011-12 Scottish football season.

The Joint Action Group, chaired by me, has been considering proposals to deliver the eight commitments agreed at the summit on 8 March 2011. In addition, the Joint Action Group have considered the six point plan presented at the summit by Celtic and Rangers football clubs. The overarching aims of this work are to tackle violence, bigotry and alcohol associated with football in order to prevent harm to communities and to maintain the good reputation of our national game.

Financial Year	£
2007-08	24,164,310
2008-09	26,460,756
2009-10	27,961,798
2010-11	27,023,579