Chamber and committees

Since announcing the Scottish Executive's policy on relocation in September 1999, two bodies have been set up outwith Edinburgh or Glasgow. The Public Guardian's Office has been set up in Falkirk and the Food Standards Agency in Aberdeen.The relocation policy includes a presumption against an Edinburgh location for new bodies such as the Public Guardian's Office and the Food Standards Agency. Detailed analysis therefore concentrated on potential locations outwith Edinburgh.For new bodies the main cost difference is likely to relate to property. We estimate that compared with the range of costs for comparable accommodation in Edinburgh, there would have been potential cost savings on property of between £50,000 and £130,000 per annum for the Food Standards Agency and £60,000 to £140,000 per annum for the Public Guardian's Office.Where an existing body is relocated any accommodation savings would need to be set against the staff costs of a move. In these circumstances any net savings related to the particular relocation would take a number of years to accrue.

Between 1 April and 31 December last year a total of 1,231 calls were received by the NHS Helpline on carer-related issues. Information is one of the main needs of carers. Our decision to extend the NHS Helpline to contain social care information, and particularly information for carers, is potentially helping over 100 carers a month. Carers can now obtain advice and support through a single and easily accessible gateway, one that was previously unavailable to them, and that is to be welcomed.

The promotion of carer-friendly employment policies is a reserved matter. The Department for Education and Employment, and other UK Departments, are already taking action to promote carer-friendly employment policies amongst the UK business sector through, for example, the Work-Life Balance Campaign. Officials in the Scottish Executive will shortly meet UK Government officials to discuss the position in Scotland.

It is for NHS Trusts, and in particular for hospital consultants, to determine the most appropriate setting for the treatment of individual patients. We are not aware of any instances of NHS Trusts re-categorising day cases as outpatients in order to reduce waiting lists.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-13792.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department is aware of 25 current studies into mesothelioma in the UK, none of which take place in Newcastle. Details of these are available from the National Research Register, a copy of which is in the Parliament's Reference Centre.A small scale Phase 1 clinical trial, was conducted recently in Newcastle General Hospital, where patients were given a combination of two drugs known as Carboplatin and MTA. CSO has no information as to whether there are plans to extend the trial nor whether any such extension would involve recruitment of patients from Scotland.The results of research into mesothelioma undertaken throughout the UK will inform the future direction of research and treatment in this area.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11085.

The Executive has recently received five letters from or on behalf of the Dundee Young Women's Centre.

The NHS in Scotland is required to provide patients being discharged with prescribed standards of information about treatment and follow-up arrangements. Guidance to NHS Trusts on these standards also allows this information to be given to relatives, carers and GPs, where appropriate.

Around 75% of student nurses complete their training courses successfully.In conjunction with the higher education institutions, which provide nurse education, the Scottish Executive has been and is continuing to take positive steps to reduce the drop-out rate from courses.