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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: S2W-21772

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 18 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will measure the number of referrals from local authority areas to drug rehabilitation places.

The Scottish Drug Misuse Database is in the process of being enhanced to collect better information about outcomes for clients and new data items are currently being pilot tested. Information will be collected on whether clients receive services including residential detoxification, community based detoxification, residential rehabilitation or other structured interventions.

The collection of postcode sector information should allow for the construction of local authority level information. The revised database will go live during 2006.

The Waiting Times Framework for drug services also collects information on the numbers of people referred for various interventions including residential rehabilitation and detoxification. This information has been available since April 2004. Quarterly reports are published online at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/wtpilot/reports.htm.

Question reference: S2W-21773

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 18 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what methods it will employ to encourage local authorities to refer drug users to abstinence drug rehabilitation places, if these are appropriately identified as a suitable treatment.

Drug Action Teams (DATs) are responsible for the strategic planning and co-ordination of action to tackle drug misuse in their areas.

The allocations to DATs from the additional £4 million to community drug treatment services we announced for 2005-06 were specifically linked to increasing the range of treatment available locally, including abstinence services, as well as expanding capacity and reducing waiting times.

Question reference: S2W-21777

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 18 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been set aside for each local authority to assist drug users remain within their community since 1999.

The majority of funding, £23.7 million in 2005-06, allocated by the Scottish Executive for Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation is provided to National Health Boards to support the work of local Drug and Alcohol Teams in Scotland.

Local authorities receive resources earmarked for drugs rehabilitation, totalling £6.8 per annum, through Grant Aided Expenditure. These funds may also be used support to the work of local Drug and Alcohol Teams. It is for each area to decide how their allocated resources are spent, based on local need.

NHS Board	Local Authority	2000-01 (£000)	2001-02 (£000)	2002-03 (£000)	2003-04 (£000)	2004-05 (£000)
Argyll and Clyde	Argyll and Bute	0	119	119	119	119
	Inverclyde	0	113	113	113	113
	Renfrewshire	0	235	235	235	235
	East Renfrewshire^%	0	119	119	119	119
	West Dunbartonshire^%	0	126	126	126	126
Ayrshire and Arran	East Ayrshire	0	161	161	161	161
	North Ayrshire	0	185	185	185	185
	South Ayrshire	0	152	152	152	152
Borders	Borders	0	141	141	141	141
Dumfries and Galloway	Dumfries and Galloway	0	195	195	195	195
Fife	Fife	0	464	464	464	464
Forth Valley	Clackmannanshire	0	65	65	65	65
	Falkirk	0	192	192	192	192
	Stirling	0	113	113	113	113
Grampian¹	Aberdeen City	0	282	282	282	282
	Aberdeenshire	0	302	302	302	302
	Moray	0	113	113	113	113
Greater Glasgow*	Glasgow City	0	812	812	812	812
	East Dunbartonshire	0	147	147	147	147
	East Renfrewshire^%	0	119	119	119	119
	West Dunbartonshire^%	0	126	126	126	126
	South Lanarkshire^%	0	408	408	408	408
	North Lanarkshire^%	0	436	436	436	436
Highland	Highland	0	277	277	277	277
Lanarkshire	North Lanarkshire^%	0	436	436	436	436
Lanarkshire	South Lanarkshire^%	0	408	408	408	408
Lothian²	East Lothian	0	120	120	120	120
	Edinburgh City	0	600	600	600	600
	Midlothian	0	108	108	108	108
	West Lothian	0	205	205	205	205
Orkney	Orkney	0	26	26	26	26
Shetland	Shetland	0	30	30	30	30
Tayside³	Angus	0	146	146	146	146
	Dundee City	0	192	192	192	192
	Perth and Kinross	0	178	178	178	178
Western Isles	Western Isles	0	37	37	37	37

Notes:

% - Only a percentage of the local authority lies within the NHS board area.

1. Grampian NHS Board comprises Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Drug and Alcohol Action Teams.

2. Lothian NHS Board comprises East Lothian, Edinburgh City, Midlothian and West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Action Teams.

3. Tayside NHS Board comprises Angus, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross Drug and Alcohol Action Teams.

Question reference: S2W-21664

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 16 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20847 by Allan Wilson on 8 December 2005, whether it will publish the student loan repayment model it uses to forecast the average length of time for repayment.

Question reference: S2W-21799

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns in respect of young children and babies being placed at risk as a consequence of the requirement in Health for all Children that NHS boards reduce health visitor checks for children aged under three and a half in order to target health visits on vulnerable children.

For the first time a comprehensive programme of child health surveillance, screening, immunisation and health promotion is being introduced for all children in Scotland. This is firmly evidence-based and available to all parents, wherever they live and whatever their circumstances. Health visitors will determine the nature and frequency of any additional contacts to the core programme, based on each individual family’s need.

This is intended to result in more visits for those families who require additional or intensive support, not less.

Question reference: S2W-21802

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what definition of “deprived” is used in determining which children would receive targeted health visitor support, in line with the requirements set out in Health for All Children.

The criteria “deprived” is not used in Health for All Children (Hall 4) in referring to which children should receive targeted health visitor support.

In line with the requirements set out in Health for All Children, health visitors will determine the nature and frequency of contacts beyond the core programme on the basis of each individual child’s and family’s needs. Other support, agreed with the family, will then be put into place. This additional support may be needed because of a first baby in the family, breastfeeding problems, parental stress or other factors.

Question reference: S2W-20653

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 12 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish domiciled students have taken out a student loan in each year of operation of the student loans scheme; of this, what percentage took out the full loan in each such year, and what projections it has made for future years.

The following table details the number and percentage of full-time, Scottish domiciled higher education students who took out a student loan with the student loans company for each year since the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) started administering loan entitlement in 1999-2000. The percentage taking out the full loan in each year is also shown.

Prior to 1999-2000 students applied for a loan through their institution, and data for that time are not held centrally. Student numbers for 2004-05 have not yet been released.

Academic Year	Full-Time, Scottish Domiciled HE Students¹	Total Number of Loans Taken Out²	Percentage of Scottish Domiciled Students Taking out a Student Loan	Percentage Taking Out the Full Loan²
1999-2000	121,020	78,395	64.8%	93%
2000-01	123,920	84,565	68.2%	94%
2001-02	126,605	90,580	71.5%	95%
2002-03	127,310	91,450	71.8%	94%
2003-04	129,620	89,525	69.1%	92%

Notes:

1. Higher Education Statistics Agency and Scottish Funding Councils data.

2. Student Loans Company data.

All numbers in this table (other than percentages) are rounded up or down to the nearest five.

The Scottish Executive does not produce specific projections on the number of students taking out a student loan in future years.

Question reference: S2W-20850

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20430 by Allan Wilson on 16 November 2005, whether it will now review the answer to question S2W-14031.

There are currently no plansto review the answer to question S2W-14031.

There is a legal requirementon the debtor, which includes student loan borrowers, to inform their trustee,who administers the sequestration and acts on their behalf, of their assets andliabilities. If the Student Loans Company has been listed as a creditor thetrustee will inform the Student Loans Company that an award of sequestrationhas been made.

Question reference: S2W-20650

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cumulative collection rate was for student loans from Scottish domiciled borrowers in 2003-04.

Question reference: S2W-21518

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2005
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 19 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its funding commitment for the Gaelic Medium Secondary School in Woodside, Glasgow, in light of new cost figures taking construction industry inflation into account.

The Scottish Executive has provided significant funding to the City of Glasgow to support the development of Scotland’s first all-through Gaelic school. In May 2004, the City of Glasgow was offered £2.75 million towards their estimated costs of £3.5 million for the renovation of the Woodside school for the Gaelic school. The council has also received Gaelic specific grant funding in 2005-06. The Glasgow Gaelic school is expected to open in August 2006 and in view of the good progress being made the Scottish Executive does not intend to review its funding commitment to this project. The Executive is fully committed to ensuring this project is a success and will continue to work with the council to bring this about.