Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-14001

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2001
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 21 March 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS Trusts provide free nebulisers for patients living within the community.

Question reference: S1W-13187

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2001
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 19 March 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital chaplains are presently employed by the health service; which hospitals they serve and which church each represents.

There are currently 519 chaplains employed in the Health Service. The breakdown by denomination is as follows:Church of Scotland 287Roman Catholic 160Scottish Episcopal 71Chaplains directly employed by Trust 1 (There are 2 vacant posts at present)A breakdown of denomination by each hospital is not held centrally. More detailed information may be obtained from individual Trusts. The names and addresses of all Trusts are available on the Scottish Health on the Web website at www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

Question reference: S1O-03134

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2001
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 March 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are making adequate progress in developing services for people with learning disabilities.

The same as you?, our review of services for people with learning disabilities, was well received when published last year.Local authorities are acting on many of the report's recommendations, using existing resources. I understand they are making progress with, for example:joint workingalternatives to traditional day opportunitiesemployment opportunitiesadvocacy schemesIn addition, resources of £36 million over three years are available from 1 April 2001 to support implementation of the review.Local authorities and their partners are required to submit their first Partnership in Practice agreements to the Executive by June this year. They will be closely monitored.

Question reference: S1W-10412

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 March 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in implementing the recommendations in The Same As You? A Review of Services for People with Learning Disabilities.

Nationally, I am pleased to say that on 18 October we invited applications to establish the new Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities. We are also analysing the responses to the consultation on the report, and will support implementation in whatever ways we feel are appropriate.Locally, agencies are acting on the report's suggestion that better outcomes are possible by making better use of existing resources.

Question reference: S1O-03027

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2001
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 March 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the implementation of the recommendations contained in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities is proceeding according to schedule.

Yes. We have invited bids to operate new Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities; we have announced a Change Fund of £36 million over three years; we are considering proposals from the National Autistic Society and the Scottish Society for Scotland to take forward establishment of a national service network for those with an autistic spectrum disorder, and the first Partnership in Practice agreements are to be submitted to the Executive by June this year.

Question reference: S1W-10719

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans for the provision of Salbutamol or Ventolin inhalers to be exempt from prescription charges.

Question reference: S1W-13170

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2001
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison chaplains appointed under the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 there currently are, which prisons any such chaplains serve and which church each represents.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:There are currently 72 chaplains appointed under the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 serving in SPS Establishments. The breakdown is as follows:

HMP Aberdeen	2	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
	1	Scottish Episcopal
HMP Barlinnie	5	Church of Scotland
	3	Roman Catholic
HMP Castle Huntly	2	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
HMP Cornton Vale	1	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
HMP Dumfries	1	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
HMP Edinburgh	5	Church of Scotland
	2	Roman Catholic
	1	Scottish Episcopal
HMP Glenochil	3	Church of Scotland
	3	Roman Catholic
	2	Scottish Episcopal
HMP Inverness	2	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
	1	Scottish Episcopal
HMP Low Moss	1	Church of Scotland
	2	Roman Catholic
HMP Noranside	1	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
HMP Perth	3	Church of Scotland
	2	Roman Catholic
HMP Peterhead	2	Church of Scotland
	1	Roman Catholic
HMP Polmont	4	Church of Scotland
	2	Roman Catholic
	1	Scottish Episcopal
HMP Shotts	3	Church of Scotland
	2	Roman Catholic
	1	Scottish Episcopal
HMP Kilmarnock	1	Church of Scotland
	2	Roman Catholic

Chaplaincy teams facilitate the attendance of Ministers of other Christian denominations and representatives of other faiths at the request of prisoners.

Question reference: S1W-12957

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will reply to the letter dated 15 December 2000 from Mr R. Wilson of Bonnybridge.

Question reference: S1W-11608

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure that MSPs can be provided with all necessary financial information relating to the annual cost per prisoner place at Kilmarnock prison.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The Scottish Prison Service has published financial information in respect of the contract for HMP Kilmarnock.

The total cost of HMP Kilmarnock over the 25-year period of the contract is approximately £130 million in Net Present Value terms. This equates to an annual cost per prisoner place of around £11,000 in Net Present Value terms.Further information is also available in the Scottish Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 1999-2000.

Question reference: S1W-12543

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 31 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning will reply to the letter dated 9 December 2000 from Mr W.H. Gray of Dunipace, Denny.