Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-21961

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 30 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been implemented since 1999 to (a) provide and (b) promote or encourage the provision of seed capital to small and medium-sized companies.

Question reference: S2W-21960

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 30 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of the availability of seed capital for small and medium-sized companies and, if so, what the findings were of the assessment.

Question reference: S2W-22168

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with an orthodontic consultant following referral by an NHS hospital have been in each of the last five years.

NHSScotland has made excellent progress in reducing long waits for patients. On 30 September 2005, the number of patients waiting more than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment with consultant in dental specialties, including orthodontics, following referral, was 1,188 compared with 5,031 on 31 December 2004 - a reduction of 76%.

Information on the median waiting times for a first outpatient appointment with an orthodontic consultant, following referral, by NHS dental or district general hospital or local community hospital, in the years ended 30 September 2001 to 2005, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38745).

Question reference: S2W-21955

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 27 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since 1999 to enable Scottish innovations to be translated quickly and efficiently into commercial products.

As part of its pipeline of support, the Scottish Executive and its agencies have a range of initiatives in place to assist Scottish innovations. These include:

the ICASS (Innovators’ Counselling and Advisory Service for Scotland) service, which provides free, specialist, confidential advice to innovators, inventors and small innovative companies on issues such as commercial viability, intellectual property protection and product development;

the Small Companies Innovation Scheme (SCIS) delivered by Scottish Enterprise and equivalent support offered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise;

the Executive’s SMART, SPUR and SPUR^PLUS industrial research and development (R&D) support schemes;

Scottish Enterprise’s R&D Plus scheme for large companies, and

the £49 million Proof of Concept Programme to assist universities, research institutes and NHS Trusts to bring ideas from the laboratory into the market place.

Question reference: S2W-21952

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 27 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been introduced since 1999 to bring together universities, businesses, research institutes and colleges to ensure that companies have the earliest opportunity to benefit from the newest technologies.

The main measures introduced since 1999 which are aimed at facilitating knowledge transfer from the research base to companies are shown in the following table. Further information and plans for future activity in this area are provided in the Scottish Executive’s Response to the Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration, March 2005, a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre. The Scottish Funding Council has established an overarching Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Group which will take forward the knowledge transfer agenda in both the university and the college sectors. Technology Ventures Scotland, supported by Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council, also looks at knowledge transfer strategy and innovation across Scotland, taking an overarching role in encouraging the commercialisation of Scotland's Science and technology research, particularly from the perspective of business.

Initiative	Year First Introduced	Provider	Purpose of Initiative
Proof of Concept	1999	Scottish Enterprise	To provide pre-seed development gap funding to allow universities, research institutes and NHS Trusts to bring ideas from discovery in the laboratory to the proof of concept stage.
Knowledge Transfer Grant	2001	Scottish Funding Council	To provide higher education institutions with a flexible funding stream to support knowledge transfer activities, including commercialisation of research.
Intermediary Technology Institutes	2003	Scottish Enterprise	To act as a substitute for corporate research and development expenditure; to substantially increase and sustain the birth rate of indigenous high value-add technology based companies leading to significant improvements in productivity gains.
SME Collaborative Research Programme (SCORE)	2003	Scottish Executive	To support Scottish based SMEs undertaking joint research and development projects with the public sector science base.
Scottish Executive Enterprise and Knowledge Transfer (SEEKIT)	2003	Scottish Executive	To support projects that promote co-operation in research and development and knowledge transfer between the Scottish public sector science base and Scottish SMEs.
Scottish Proposal Assistance Fund (SPAF)	2003	Scottish Funding Council	To increase Scottish industry participation in the EU Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and to increase the scale of research and development by Scottish companies, linking those companies to the research base.
Proposal Assistance for Co-ordination of European Research (PACER)	Pilot – 2003-04 Expanded 2004-05	Scottish Funding Council	To assist Scottish universities access EU Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) funding, and to increase links with Scottish companies.
Interface	2005	Scottish Higher Education sector funded by the Scottish Funding Council	To provide a central point of access for business, particularly SMEs, to research in the higher education sector.
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) Knowledge Transfer and Management Grant	2006	Scottish Executive	To improve knowledge management and transfer and collaboration from SEERAD Main Research Providers

Question reference: S2W-21953

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 27 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken since 1999 to allow companies to benefit from pan-European programmes for technology transfer.

A range of support is in place to help companies in Scotland benefit from pan-European programmes for technology transfer.

The Innovation Relay Centre (IRC) Scotland assists Scottish organisations in Transnational Technology Transfer (TTT) through the IRC Network across Europe.

The Scottish Proposal Assistance Fund is designed to increase Scottish Industry participation in the EU Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) which supports collaborative research and development with a commercial end in view.

Question reference: S2W-22184

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the central heating programme will continue beyond 2006.

Question reference: S2W-22290

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 25 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any sections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be constructed as single carriageway and, if so, which sections will be single carriageway; approximately what distance such sections will cover, and whether any of these sections will be reconsidered before construction to ensure that the effectiveness of the route is not undermined.

At present we believe that nosections of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be single carriageway, but thata wide single carriageway with overtaking sections would be sufficient for the trafficpredicted to use the 13km Stonehaven to Milltimber spur. The final solution willdepend on the detailed traffic modelling and design work currently being undertaken.We will also be discussing this with our project partners.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S2W-22182

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, students graduating from dental schools left Scotland for their first post in each of the last three years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

The information held by the Scottish Executive on destinations of graduates from Scottish universitiescomes from a voluntary survey conducted six months after the student graduated.The following table shows the percentage of responding graduates of clinicaldentistry from Scottish universities who were employed in Scotland andelsewhere in the UK for the last three years.

Year of Graduation	% of Respondents Employed in Scotland²	% of Respondents Employed Elsewhere in UK²	% of Respondents Employed	Number of Graduates in Year¹
2002	83%	14%	96%	135
2003	89%	9%	98%	85
2004	71%	23%	94%	180

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency.

Notes:

1. Numbers have been roundedto the nearest five.

2. Percentages may not sumto fourth column exactly due to rounding.

The following is a corrected answer(published on 28 September 2006);see below

Nicol Stephen: The information held by the Scottish Executive on destinations of graduates from Scottish universitiescomes from a voluntary survey conducted six months after the student graduated.The following table shows the percentage of responding graduates of clinicaldentistry from Scottish universities who were employed in Scotland andelsewhere in the UK for the last three years.

Academic Year of Graduation	% of Respondents Employed in Scotland²	% of Respondents Employed Elsewhere in UK²	% of Respondents Employed	Number of Graduates in Year¹
2001-02	83%	14%	96%	135
2002-03	78%	18%	96%	125
2003-04	75%	20%	95%	125

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency amended by Scottish Executive*

Notes:

1. Numbers have been roundedto the nearest five.

2. Percentages may not sum tofourth column exactly due to rounding.

*The number of graduatesreported by Dundee University to the Higher Education Statistics Agency has beenqueried with the Dental School at Dundee. For 2002-03 and 2003-04 the dental school recordsshow a substantially different number of graduates, caused by a timingdifference. In the table above the Dental School records have been included for those two academicyears, in preference to HESA data.

Question reference: S2W-22178

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates obtained a degree in chemistry from each of Scotland’s universities in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

The following tables showthe number of chemistry graduates from each of Scotland’s Higher EducationInstitutes (HEIs) in each of the last five years, as well as year-on-yearpercentage changes.

Chemistrygraduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions, 1999-2000 to 2003-04

1999-2000

	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Other HE
Total	690	225	430	35
University of Abertay Dundee	5	0	5	0
The Robert Gordon University	55	20	15	15
The University of Paisley	25	5	25	0
Glasgow Caledonian University	30	5	30	0
Napier University	20	0	10	10
The University of Edinburgh	140	45	95	0
The University of Glasgow	55	5	50	0
The University of Strathclyde	160	80	80	0
The University of Aberdeen	70	35	35	0
Heriot-Watt University	55	10	35	5
The University of Dundee	20	10	10	5
The University of St Andrews	50	10	40	0
The University of Stirling	0	0	0	0

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency (HESA).

In this table 0, one and twoare rounded to 0. Numbers have beenrounded to the nearest five to protect confidentiality.

Values may not sum to totaldue to rounding.

2000-01

	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Other HE	% Change in the Total from 1999-2000 to 2000-01
Total	620	150	450	15	-10%
University of Abertay Dundee	20	0	15	0	200%
The Robert Gordon University	40	15	15	10	-23%
The University of Paisley	25	0	25	0	4%
Glasgow Caledonian University	25	5	20	0	-25%
Napier University	25	0	20	5	18%
The University of Edinburgh	110	20	90	0	-22%
The University of Glasgow	70	5	60	0	19%
The University of Strathclyde	150	65	80	0	-8%
The University of Aberdeen	40	5	35	0	-45%
Heriot-Watt University	45	5	40	0	-17%
The University of Dundee	20	5	15	0	5%
The University of St Andrews	55	20	35	0	6%
The University of Stirling	0	0	0	0	N/A

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency (HESA).

In this table 0, one and twoare rounded to 0. Numbers have beenrounded to the nearest five to protect confidentiality.

Values may not sum to totaldue to rounding.

Percentages have beencalculated on un-rounded numbers.

2001-02

	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Other HE	% Change in the Total from 2000-01 to 2001-02
Total	590	150	410	25	-5%
University of Abertay Dundee	10	0	5	0	-50%
The Robert Gordon University	30	10	15	5	-32%
The University of Paisley	20	0	20	0	-19%
Glasgow Caledonian University	20	0	20	0	-8%
Napier University	15	0	15	0	-35%
The University of Edinburgh	105	25	80	0	-3%
The University of Glasgow	65	0	60	0	-7%
The University of Strathclyde	150	65	80	0	1%
The University of Aberdeen	40	15	25	0	0%
Heriot-Watt University	45	5	40	0	2%
The University of Dundee	20	10	10	0	-5%
The University of St Andrews	55	20	35	0	2%
The University of Stirling	0	0	0	0	-50%
Bell College*	15	0	0	15	N/A

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency (HESA)

In this table 0, one and twoare rounded to 0. Numbers have beenrounded to the nearest 5 to protect confidentiality.

Values may not sum to totaldue to rounding.

Percentages have beencalculated on unrounded numbers.

*Bell Collegebecame a higher education institution (HEI) in 2001-02.

2002-03

	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Other HE	% Change in the Total from 2001-02 to 2002-03
Total	560	150	380	35	-5%
University of Abertay Dundee	5	0	5	0	-33%
The Robert Gordon University	35	10	15	10	32%
The University of Paisley	25	0	25	0	9%
Glasgow Caledonian University	25	5	20	0	18%
Napier University	5	0	5	0	-59%
The University of Edinburgh	85	20	60	5	-20%
The University of Glasgow	75	0	75	0	17%
The University of Strathclyde	145	70	80	0	-2%
The University of Aberdeen	20	10	10	0	-46%
Heriot-Watt University	45	10	35	0	2%
The University of Dundee	5	0	5	0	-67%
The University of St Andrews	60	20	40	0	11%
The University of Stirling	0	0	0	0	0%
Bell College*	20	0	10	10	57%

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency (HESA).

In this table 0, one and twoare rounded to 0. Numbers have beenrounded to the nearest 5 to protect confidentiality.

Values may not sum to totaldue to rounding.

Percentages have beencalculated on unrounded numbers.

*Bell College becamea higher education institution (HEI) in 2001-02.

2003-04

	Total	Postgraduate	First Degree	Other HE	% Change in the Total from 2002-03 to 2003-04
Total	525	200	305	20	-7%
University of Abertay Dundee	5	0	0	0	-50%
The Robert Gordon University	40	35	0	5	11%
The University of Paisley	25	5	20	0	-4%
Glasgow Caledonian University	15	0	10	0	-50%
Napier University	0	0	0	0	-100%
The University of Edinburgh	75	20	55	5	-8%
The University of Glasgow	60	10	55	0	-16%
The University of Strathclyde	155	85	70	0	5%
The University of Aberdeen	40	15	25	0	86%
Heriot-Watt University	65	10	55	0	37%
The University of Dundee	5	0	0	0	-43%
The University of St Andrews	35	20	15	0	-43%
The University of Stirling	0	0	0	0	N/A
Bell College*	10	0	0	10	-64%

Source: Higher EducationStatistics Agency (HESA).

In this table 0, one and twoare rounded to 0. Numbers have beenrounded to the nearest 5 to protect confidentiality.

Values may not sum to totaldue to rounding.

Percentages have beencalculated on unrounded numbers.

*Bell Collegebecame a higher education institution (HEI) in 2001-02.

The tables include graduateswho have studied chemistry as a single subject, a major subject or in abalanced combination with one other subject.

Chamber and committees