Chamber and committees

I have identified increasing knowledge transfer and innovation as one of my priorities for the Horizon Fund for Universities in my letter of guidance to the Scottish Funding Council dated 18 November 2008.

The provision of primary medical services in Kinloch Rannoch is a matter for NHS Tayside. I am aware of the detailed consideration by NHS Tayside of options to supplement the existing out-of-hours service for Kinloch Rannoch with a First Responders Scheme. I am also aware that the local community remain concerned about these services and would encourage them to continue to engage with NHS Tayside on the matter.

The provision of primary medical services in Kinloch Rannoch is a matter for NHS Tayside. NHS Tayside directly provides the out-of-hours service that covers Kinloch Rannoch and I am aware of the detailed consideration by NHS Tayside of options to supplement that existing service with a First Responders Scheme. I am also aware that the local community remain concerned about these services and I shall ask NHS Tayside to continue to engage with the local community on the matter.

NHS Tayside did not end the out-of-hours GP service in Kinloch Rannoch. The then GP chose to opt out of the provision of out-of-hours services. This was contested by NHS Tayside and referred to an independent assessment panel. The panel upheld the case for opt out. This was all carried out in terms of the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004. As a result, NHS Tayside now directly provides the out of hours services for Kinloch Rannoch.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18148 on 8 December 2008. 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.

Yes. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the Scottish Ambulance Service continues to provide safe, efficient and effective services to patients across Scotland, including those in Highland Perthshire.

Ambulance cover in Highland Perthshire is primarily provided from stations in Pitlochry, Crieff and Blairgowrie. Each of these stations has a double crewed accident and emergency ambulance on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, together with a second crew on duty for one 12 hour day shift each week.

In addition, NHS Tayside fund a fast response vehicle, crewed by a community paramedic, which is based in Aberfeldy. While this resource can be used to respond to emergency calls, its primary role is to support the delivery of out-of-hours care.

There are currently no plans at present to conduct such a study however these are always vital issues to the Scottish Government and are kept under review.

However, offshore grid development is of critical importance to the Scottish Government in order to realise the full potential of our renewable resources.

We are progressing two key studies into offshore grid connections “ the Irish-Scottish links on Energy Study (ISLES) and the recently published North Sea Energy Grid (NSEG) pre-scoping study.

The principal advisor to the UK Governments on the health effects of radiation, including the low frequency electromagnetic fields from power lines, is the UK Health Protection Agency. In 2004 the Agency published a Review of the Scientific Evidence for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields and related Advice on Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields. The conclusions of this review are in keeping with related health advice from the World Health Organization.

The public inquiry into the proposed Beauly to Denny 400kV transmission line heard evidence from a number of expert witnesses on the issue of potential health hazards. This evidence, and the reporter''s conclusions, will be reported to ministers who will take all material considerations into account when making a determination on the application.

This information is not held centrally.

The number of fatal accidents on the A9 between Perth (Inveralmond Roundabout) and Inverness (Longman Roundabout) in each year since 1985 is shown in the following table:

Year	Number of Fatal Accidents
1985	7
1986	5
1987	8
1988	10
1989	9
1990	11
1991	12
1992	1
1993	3
1994	10
1995	4
1996	7
1997	4
1998	7
1999	6
2000	7
2001	8
2002	3
2003	5
2004	5
2005	1
2006	7
2007	7
2008*	5

Note: *2008 Figures are from 1 January to 29 October.

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, for example because of late returns or corrections to earlier returns.