- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 23 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated saving would be in financial year 2000-01 if all prescription drugs were written and dispensed generically.
Answer
It is not possible to estimate future savings if all drugs were written and dispensed generically as it cannot be known with certainty for which drugs a generic equivalent will be available and at what price. In addition in some cases a generic product may be inappropriate for clinical reasons. However, during financial year 1998-99, savings of about £5.8 million could have been made in the FHS drugs bill, if all prescribed items, where a generic form exists, had been dispensed as a generic.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 23 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that all primary schools strike a balance between schoolwork and play.
Answer
An appropriate balance between schoolwork and play is a vital component of a rounded curriculum. Schools and pre-school centres have been given advice on the benefits of play as part of a balanced curriculum. Schools are also encouraged to provide pupils with experience of, and access to, a wide range of games and sports through the formal curriculum and through extra curricular activities. HMI reports comment on the delivery and breadth of the curriculum as well as on school ethos which includes an appraisal of school atmosphere and the extent to which pupils are positive and gaining pleasure from their work in school.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it anticipates the latest interest rate rise will have on Scottish exports, and what plans it has to help Scottish industry compete following the recent rise.
Answer
We understand the importance of interest rates to Scottish businesses, but it is important to take account of the whole environment in which businesses operate. UK policy is set with a view to achieving the overall economic conditions for sustained growth and the avoidance of short-term instability.Competitiveness is determined by a variety of factors, including investment in skills, innovation and productivity. The Scottish Executive is determined to work in partnership with business and trade unions to ensure that Scotland is properly equipped to meet the challenges of a highly competitive global environment.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 23 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated cost would be in the financial year 2000-2001 of making nicotine patches available on NHS prescription.
Answer
The cost to the NHS in Scotland of making nicotine patches available on prescription can not be stated with any degree of confidence as it would depend on a number of factors which are currently unknown. For example the take up rate among smokers and the conditions on which prescriptions would be available would have a major influence on the eventual cost.If all smokers who have said that they want to give up were given the recommended course of treatment of around eight to twelve weeks the cost could be up to £130 million for the first year.However, in practice the cost could be expected to be lower than this.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the arrangements whereby Austin Reilly through his company AR Ltd has been paid as a consultant by Queens Park FC Ltd to manage the National Stadium project by virtue of his role in the National Stadium plc are consistent with the assurances regarding the future management of the project to which its contribution of #2 million was subject.
Answer
I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2296.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any element of its contribution of #2 million to the Hampden Park rescue package has been paid to AR Ltd or Austin Reilly in connection with the National Stadium project.
Answer
I refer to the answer given to question S1W-2296.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 18 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to alter the Scottish salmon fishing season from February until October to March until November in order to take account of climatic change over recent years altering the life cycle of Scottish salmon.
Answer
Salmon stocks, as measured by annual catches, continue to decline throughout the range of the species. This has led to advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) urging caution in the exploitation of both early-running multi-sea winter (MSW) salmon and later running one-sea winter (1SW) salmon. In the circumstances, alteration of the fishing season as suggested would lead to increased exploitation of a diminishing resource, and therefore the Scottish Executive have no plans to extend the autumn fishing season.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the three year contract from 1 January 1999 worth #160,000 a year between AR Ltd and the National Stadium plc is consistent with the assurances regarding the future management of the project to which its contribution of #2 million was subject, whether there is any provision in the contract for a one-off payment of #160,000 to Austin Reilly or AR Ltd in the event of termination of the contract by The National Stadium plc and, if so, whether any of its contribution of #2 million could be used to fund this payment.
Answer
The details of the contract between The National Stadium plc and AR Ltd are a matter for the two parties concerned. One of the conditions attaching to the further financial contributions of all the co-funders' is that a new management structure is put in place. The role of TNS in the future management of the stadium is therefore an element in the ongoing negotiations and discussions.None of the Scottish Executive's contribution of £2m to the rescue package will be paid over until the co-funders' pre-conditions have been met. The co-funders' money will be used to help pay off debts to Queen's Park Football Club's creditors.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the resignation of William Samuel this month as a Director of The National Stadium plc has any implications for compliance with the assurances regarding the future management of the National Stadium project to which its contribution of #2 million was subject.
Answer
Only to the extent that the role of The National Stadium generally is being reviewed as part of putting in place a new management structure for the ongoing stadium operation.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 15 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-1960 by Mr Sam Galbraith, to what specific assurances regarding the future management and business plan of the National Stadium project its contribution of #2 million was subject.
Answer
The Scottish Executive wishes to see new management arrangements which reflect the fact that the construction phase of the project is virtually complete and that the project is now mainly a marketing and management operation. We also wish to see a fully developed business plan which demonstrates that the stadium operation is commercially viable on a long term basis.
