Chamber and committees

The report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services, which was issued to all health boards and NHS Trusts in Scotland earlier this year, recommends equity of access to services and treatment throughout Scotland. All health boards have been asked to work towards implementation of the recommendations as resources permit bearing in mind their existing clinical priorities which are cancer, coronary heart disease/stroke and mental health.

I refer Mary Scanlon to the answer I gave to question S1W-7476 earlier today.

Assessment, which includes the setting and marking of examinations, is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

I understand that an appeals procedure is in place to deal with any cases in which candidates fail to perform to their expected ability as set out in the estimated grades submitted for each candidate by centres. Results can be upgraded at two points in time. First there is an automatic appeal procedure carried out prior to the issue of results, where results will be adjusted if a centre's estimates of expected grades are generally accurate. Second, a candidate's centre can submit a formal appeal after the results have been published.

In the event of a formal appeal the Scottish Qualifications Authority will require centres to provide evidence of a candidate's ability before upgrading an award. Centres would have to submit a medical or other admissible reason for absence from an exam. Internal Assessment results may be submitted by the centre as part of this evidence.

Assessment and the content of examinations is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

I understand that Ron Tuck, Chief Executive of the Authority, is replying to all letters expressing concerns about the Higher Still maths exam. The Executive is concerned that any issues expressed by pupils, parents and others are addressed.

Health boards and NHS Trusts have to account for all their expenditure. The level of information required from University Departments of General Practice in connection with their expenditure from health boards "Additional Cost of Teaching" budgets is for local agreement.

It is the responsibility of health boards to assess local needs for patients with hepatitis C and arrange provision of appropriate support, treatment and care services.

In 1999, The Scottish Office commissioned the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme to establish a working group to consider all aspects of hepatitis C including epidemiology, prevention, investigations and treatment and to estimate future implications for the Scottish population and for service needs.

It is expected that the report will be published in the summer, when the Executive will give its conclusions urgent consideration.

Teaching NHS Trusts must account for all their expenditure, including the Additional Cost of Teaching expenditure. Each Trust produces an annual report and accounts, both of which are published.

Headline targets to achieve these reductions were established in the White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland. The White Paper, which is available in SPICe, also announced that a new national committee would develop a national strategic framework to tackle alcohol misuse in Scotland. The Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol Misuse, established in April 1999 has developed a draft Action Plan which identifies action in four main areas to lay firm foundations for an effective strategy. These are information collection; prevention and health promotion; service provision and co-ordination.

A number of measures are already in place to improve the oral health of children. These include the payment of enhanced capitation fees to dentists for children in deprived areas who are registered with them on the NHS. Oral health promotion programmes are also in place in all health board areas and cover a diverse range of programmes including dental registration from birth, nursery toothbrushing schemes and dietary advice. In addition the Scottish Dental Access Initiative offers grants to NHS dentists setting up or expanding their practices in areas of high oral health need and unmet patient demand.

The Scottish Executive Health Department's Clinical Resource and Audit Group has set up a Working Group on Information Technology to Support Shared Care in Diabetes. The purpose of this group is to develop work already done on diabetes registers and information technology, with a focus on the information required by doctors and other health professionals to directly support their clinical practice. This will raise awareness of diabetes among clinicians, which will enable them to provide improved information to their patients.