- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 18 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the number of medical students.
Answer
Scotland currently educates 14.5% of the UK total of medical students, which is significantly more than its pro rata share of 10% based on relative population size.The number of medical students should not be decided in isolation. It should be linked to the number of career grade doctors that the NHS in Scotland will need in the future, and the number of postgraduate doctors in training that are needed to provide services and to supply those career grade doctors. Our National Health, the health plan for Scotland published on 14 December, includes a commitment to a fundamental review of medical workforce planning, including the intake of medical students and the possibility of fast-track graduate-entry medical degree courses in Scotland.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to meet representatives of Glasgow City Council and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to help resolve their current dispute.
Answer
None.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 17 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it is having with health boards and NHSiS Trusts to improve hygiene levels in hospitals.
Answer
The main responsibility for ensuring adequate hygiene levels in NHS hospitals in Scotland lies with NHS Trusts. Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change, published on 14 December, makes clear that the Scottish Executive expects every NHS Trust to act on the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report A Clean Bill of Health by June 2001.A joint Scottish Executive Health Department/NHS working group is currently preparing recommendations on compliance with, and monitoring of, hospital cleanliness and other standards. These recommendations will be applied to NHS Trusts as soon as they are finalised.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 17 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of the House of Commons Select Committee on Health's report on the tobacco industry, whether it will make nicotine replacement therapy available on prescription up to a maximum of six weeks in total through the NHS.
Answer
As announced in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change, the Department is consulting on a proposal to allow all nicotine replacement therapy products to be prescribed on the NHS by GPs. The consultation letter was issued on 14 December and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 16 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a national policy on strategic retail developments.
Answer
The Executive's policies for all new retail developments are set out in National Planning Policy Guideline 8: Town Centres and Retailing.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 15 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address any shortfall in teachers of English.
Answer
I have today sent the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee a report on the supply of teachers. A response to your specific question can be found at paragraphs 26-38 of the report.Copies of the report have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 15 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure there is no shortage of supply teachers in any core teaching subject.
Answer
I have today sent the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee a report on the supply of teachers. A response to your specific question can be found at paragraphs 39-45 of the report.Copies of the report have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 11 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in relation to citi'ens' juries.
Answer
The Executive has invited area-based SIPs to participate in the roll-out of the People's Jury initiative following the successful pilots and publication of guidance. The Executive will provide support for each area-based SIP which wishes to hold a People's Jury.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what co-ordination there is, on a Scotland-wide basis, of services relating to the treatment of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Answer
The long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse require considered and sensitive long-term care responses. These care responses must be directly related to individual assessed needs, both physical and psychological. Health boards and NHS Trusts are expected to work with their care partners to develop services for the treatment and rehabilitation of such psychological disorders, based on a proper assessment of needs.
The Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland provides a template for the best inter-agency organisation of such services and support, based on the aim that all needs are met.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 9 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8267 by Susan Deacon on 10 July 2000, whether it has received from Her Majesty's Government a copy of the recently agreed protocol on under-age sales and, if so, whether it intends to review its position on the use of children in test purchases of tobacco products.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is aware of the Enforcement Protocol which has been launched in England and Wales, and is working with CoSLA and Scottish Trading Standards towards the development of a Scottish Tobacco Enforcement Protocol for use by local authorities in carrying out their duty in relation to the Children and Young Person (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991.The Lord Advocate is currently reviewing prosecution policy in relation to the use of children in test purchases of tobacco products. The outcome of this review will be taken into account in finalising the Scottish Protocol.
