- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 25 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for a review of Historic Scotland.
Answer
In their response to the Public Appointments (Scotland) Bill, the Education, Culture and Sport Committee asked Scottish ministers to review the roles and responsibilities of Historic Scotland. Ministers are actively considering this request and will respond to the committee in advance of the Stage 2 discussions on the bill.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost to the NHS is of caring for someone with arthritis.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is normal practice for NHS boards, following recommendations by the Health Technology Board for Scotland that a new drug should be prescribed, to receive additional funding to ensure that the drug can be made available.
Answer
NHS boards are given a unified budget to enable them to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. It is for each individual NHS board to decide the level of funding to allocate to meet the costs of prescribed drugs.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards in Scotland currently prescribe the anti-TNF drugs etanercept and infliximab and when any such boards started prescribing these drugs.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally. Etanercept and infliximab are available on NHS prescription. However, their use depends on the clinical judgement of specialists experienced in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Data on drugs dispensed in hospitals is not held centrally. Centrally collected data relates to items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) has recently recommended etanercept and infliximab for use in certain circumstances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from the HTBS and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to NHS boards about prescribing new drugs that have been endorsed by the Health Technology Board for Scotland.
Answer
NHS boards should ensure that drugs or treatments recommended by the Health Technology Board for Scotland are made available to meet clinical need.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been given to each NHS board to take account of the costs of prescribing drugs in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.
Answer
NHS boards are given a unified budget to enable them to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. It is for each individual NHS board to decide the level of funding to allocate to meet the costs of prescribed drugs.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether officials at Historic Scotland are sufficiently accountable for their actions.
Answer
Officials of Historic Scotland are civil servants of the Scottish Executive and directly accountable to me through the Chief Executive.In their response to the Public Appointments (Scotland) Bill, the Education, Culture and Sport Committee have asked the Scottish Executive to consider how Scottish ministers may be advised on built heritage issues, in addition to the advice provided by Historic Scotland. Ministers are considering this request and will be responding in advance of the stage 2 discussions on the bill.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to making Historic Scotland a non-departmental public body.
Answer
This was one of a number of options considered and rejected when Historic Scotland was established as an executive agency in 1991 and again as part of a review in 1994. The status of Historic Scotland as an executive agency, within the Scottish Executive, was confirmed by the then First Minister in July 1999 in the answer given to question S1W-696 on 28 July 1999. 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/webapp/search_wa.Scottish ministers are considering the suggestion made by the Education, Culture and Sport Committee in their response to the Public Appointments (Scotland) Bill that the roles and responsibilities of Historic Scotland should be reviewed, and will be responding to the committee prior to Stage Two consideration of the bill.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 19 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Historic Scotland gives sufficient priority to ensuring the conservation of historic buildings by restoration for contemporary domestic use.
Answer
Historic Scotland recognises the importance of finding new uses for historic buildings. Many will be considered adaptable to appropriate change in order to secure continued use. They will be given consent and may attract grant. However, a small number are considered by Historic Scotland as too important to the nation to warrant any change other than the least intervention necessary for their preservation.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elaine Murray on 11 November 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action Historic Scotland will take if Castle Tioram's physical structure deteriorates to a point where public access is denied for reasons of safety.
Answer
Castle Tioram was closed to the public following the issuing of a Dangerous Building Notice by the Highland Council in 1998. The notice was issued following engineering reports from the owners regarding the dangerous condition of the building. The castle remains closed to the public. The maintenance of the castle is the responsibility of the owners.In his report following the public local inquiry, the reporter found that the castle was inherently strong but concluded that without major consolidation work the risk of further collapse in five to 10 years was significant. Under section 5 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, if it appears to Scottish ministers that any works are urgently necessary for the preservation of a scheduled monument, they may enter the site of the monument and execute those works after giving the owner and the occupier notice in writing of their intention to do so. Such powers would be exercised on behalf of Scottish ministers by Historic Scotland. There are currently no plans to exercise these powers in respect of Castle Tioram.
