- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 6 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the red kite population has been killed illegally in each of the last five years.
Answer
There are difficulties in identifying the scale of illegal killing. Data published by the RSPB suggests that about 36% of red kites may have been killed illegally since their re-introduction to Scotland in 1989.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports NHS boards in prescribing Cox-2 in accordance with existing guidelines from the Health Technology Board for Scotland.
Answer
The Executive welcomes the Health Technology Board for Scotland's Comment on the use of Cox II selective inhibitors. NHSScotland should take account of this advice and ensure that these treatments are made available to meet clinical need.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to discuss Professor Arthur Midwinter's report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils since Reorganisation with COSLA as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Answer
I am due to meet with COSLA again in the next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities. This will be the forum to discuss such matters.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed Professor Arthur Midwinter's report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils since Reorganisation with COSLA and what the outcome of any such decision was.
Answer
I am due to meet with COSLA again in the next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities. This will be the forum to discuss such matters.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been secured from non-Executive sources for participants in the Microcredit scheme since the programme was launched.
Answer
This is a matter for Scottish Enterprise. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to meet the target level of rheumatologists per head of the population recommended by the British Society for Rheumatology.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26210.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of rheumatologists per head of population is at the level recommended by the British Society for Rheumatology.
Answer
The number of rheumatologists per head of the population is less than the level recommended by the British Society for Rheumatology. The staffing establishment in NHSScotland is decided by the local NHS board, in consultation with the trusts in its area, in order to provide a modern, flexible service matched to local needs. Criteria produced by external organisations do not govern the staffing establishment, although we would expect NHS boards to consider such recommendations in their future planning.The new workforce development arrangements that we are establishing will seek to bring a more co-ordinated approach to assessing the workforce needs of NHSScotland.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been sought for the illegal killing of red kites in each of the last five years.
Answer
The information requested is not available
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 30 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24821 by Colin Boyd QC on 3 May 2002, when the evaluation of the operation of the pilot victim liaison offices in Aberdeen and Hamilton will be completed and when the implementation of the management review of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will be concluded.
Answer
The evaluation of the operation of the pilot projects of the Victim Liaison Offices in Aberdeen and Hamilton is planned to proceed in the period from June to December 2002. An interim report is expected in September 2002.The management review of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service was completed in February 2002. Implementation of the recommendations of the review is now in progress.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 28 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in order to assist local authorities in improving the processing of housing benefit claims.
Answer
Housing benefit administration is a matter for the UK Government. Local authorities in Scotland have a statutory duty to administer housing benefit and council tax benefit under social security legislation and are funded by the UK Government for doing this.All authorities are expected to secure Best Value by the pursuit of continuous improvement across the full range of their activities. The Local Government in Scotland Bill, introduced on 16 May, will give statutory backing to the duty of Best Value and the audit regime which supports it.
