Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07740 on 17 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Neither Scottish Government Ministers nor officials have met with, or contacted, manufacturers in relation to mesh devices.

Until the Independent Review’s recommendations are published it is not possible to comment on them. In general terms, clinical research in Scotland is governed by the Scottish Executive Health Department Research Governance Framework for Health and Community Care, published in 2006. The RGF sets exacting and well established standards around the ethics, science, patient care, information, health and safety, finance and quality research culture for clinical research studies. It also details the responsibilities and accountabilities of key people and organisations involved in research studies to ensure robust governance arrangements are in place to assure these standards are maintained. The full document is available from the Scottish Government website.

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Research/by-topic/health-community-care/chief-scientist-office/6864/6933.

Records suggest that there are fewer than five current legal cases involving the use of mesh to treat hernias.

The resignation of the two members was unfortunate, has caused me concern, and I plan to meet with Ms McIlroy and Ms Holmes shortly in order to properly understand their reasons for resigning. I am, however, aware that Ms McIlroy and Ms Holmes have contributed much to the Review over the past three years and would hope that this is reflected in the Review’s final report.

Scottish Government staff have participated in formal Cross-UK forum meetings with the MHRA, regarding pharmacy and medical device issues, in January 2016, April 2016, July 2016, October 2016 and January 2017. A meeting also took place between Scottish Government officials, Health Facilities Scotland and MHRA in February 2017.

Other ad-hoc meetings involving a range of Scottish Government staff have taken place as required.

Options for the treatment of both stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are discussed in the Independent Review’s interim report.

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/10/8485/4.

The Scottish Government has not made an assessment of these costs.

The University of Edinburgh’s new two-year postgraduate teacher education course is a new form of initial teacher education that will result in the award of a full Masters degree and teachers being able to work across both the primary and secondary sectors. The higher academic qualification and increased flexibility in terms of employment will be attractive to graduates considering teaching as a career.

The University of Edinburgh’s new two-year postgraduate teacher education course is a new form of initial teacher education that will result in the award of a full Masters degree and teachers being able to work across both the primary and secondary sectors. The combination of a higher qualification, the development of strong core teaching skills and the ability to work across both primary and secondary schools will allow teachers who study through this route to positively impact on Scotland’s schools.