- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 26 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the Stirling Institute of Education.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30776 on 26 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 25 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers made any inquiries of the event organisers, the police or other emergency services about the proposed bonspiel going ahead on the Lake of Menteith this year.
Answer
Representatives of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club had been in contact with Scottish Government officials during the week commencing 4 January 2010 because the club was seeking financial support for a documentary film that was being planned should the grand match go ahead the following weekend. EventScotland officials were also in contact with the club and had offered advice about practical aspects of the event.
The club had removed the Lake of Menteith from its list of potential sites for the grand match in 2000-01 for various reasons including the issue of suitable car parking. It became apparent on 4 January 2010 that the relevant landowners in the area would in fact allow access and parking adjacent to the Lake of Menteith, and the club representatives met with Central Scotland Police and other emergency services on 6 and 8 January 2010.
Following clear unambiguous advice from the police and other emergency services the club representatives concluded that there was not time to prepare satisfactory plans for traffic and access for emergencies before the weekend. It is for this reason that the club cancelled its plans for a grand match on the Lake of Menteith over the weekend of 9 and 10 January 2010.
The club has informed the Scottish Government that plans were already in place for the other main potential sites for a grand match (Piper Dam and Loch Leven), although over the weekend of 9 and 10 January 2010, the ice at these sites was not suitable. The club is now updating its plans for all three sites with a view to being ready should suitable weather conditions return.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 20 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers will look into the decision to cancel this year’s proposed bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith to see if the public interest was well served.
Answer
The Grand Matches are arranged by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. As the event organiser, it is for the Club to make decisions about holding the event following discussion with the relevant Police and emergency services. These discussions will include measures to ensure the safety of participants and spectators. In this way the public interest has to be taken into account by the event-organisers. Most event-organisers will also seek to arrange third party liability insurance to protect themselves in the event of action from third parties.
Ministers have been fully briefed on the circumstances surrounding the Royal Caledonian Curling Club''s decision not to go ahead with an event at the Lake of Menteith on 9 and 10 January 2010. The Club is now updating its plans for all three sites with a view to being ready should suitable weather conditions return. EventScotland officials are in contact with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club and are able to provide advice if necessary.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25345 by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009, whether ministers will publish any information or advice from Community Pharmacy Scotland on the operation of the direct-to-pharmacy scheme.
Answer
Information on the operation of Direct to Pharmacy schemes was provided to Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) by their members. CPS has shared this information with the Scottish Government as it relates to difficulties in the medicines supply chain. The Scottish Government has no plans to publish the information.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice was issued by the police or other emergency services about holding a bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith.
Answer
I understand that the Royal Caledonian Curling Club held two meetings with Central Scotland Police and other public agencies to discuss holding a bonspiel, or Grand Match, on the Lake of Menteith. The police and other emergency services gave advice about safety issues arising from the holding of such an event. The Royal Caledonian Curling Club subsequently decided not to proceed with the event. The Scottish Government was not involved in those discussions and the precise nature of any advice given is a matter for those who attended the meetings.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice ministers or other public authorities received from the emergency services including the police about holding a bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith.
Answer
The decision on whether to hold a bonspiel was a matter for the Royal Caledonian Curling Club not ministers so the emergency services did not provide any such advice to ministers.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the police have to stop a bonspiel going ahead on the Lake of Menteith.
Answer
The police do not have any specified powers to stop such an event. The onus is on event organisers to run a safe event.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what power or legislation was invoked in preventing the proposed bonspiel going ahead on the Lake of Menteith this year.
Answer
No power or legislation was invoked to prevent the proposed bonspiel on Lake of Menteith. The Royal Curling Club took the decision not to go ahead.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 18 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25345 by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009, whether Community Pharmacy Scotland has identified any instances where patient care has been directly affected because of the introduction of the direct-to-pharmacy scheme.
Answer
We are aware that Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) has been collecting information from community pharmacists about supply difficulties. We understand from CPS that this information contains details of difficulties with supply but no clinical details about individual patients or the effect on their treatment.
- Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 18 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25345 by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009 and following the monitoring of the direct-to-pharmacy scheme, what its position is on the impact of the new quota system on local pharmacists and their patients.
Answer
While the choice of method of medicines distribution is a commercial decision by the individual pharmaceutical company, the Scottish Government expects patients to continue to receive the medicines they need promptly.