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From 6 June 2016 the age range for routine screening will be changing from 20 to 60 and 25 to 65. Women aged between 20 and 24 already in the screening programme will still be included in the eligible population. The number of women invited to participate in the cervical screening programme fluctuates from year to year.

From 1 June 2016 the age range for cervical screening will change from 20 to 60 years old and 25 to 65 years old.

No cost saving has been calculated, the changes to the age range and frequency of screening were reviewed as an improvement in clinical effectiveness as opposed to a potential cost savings delivery.

On screening issues we are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening.

The NSC reviewed the age range for cervical screening in 2012 considering all the available medical evidence regarding the risks and benefits of screening women under the age of 25 and recommended that cervical screening programmes should screen women routinely between the age of 25 and 64.

The NSC recently recommended the use of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as a primary test in cervical screening programmes. Currently the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme uses cytology testing to look for abnormal cells that could be the first sign of cancer. HPV testing is used as a secondary measure in women needing further investigation. Evidence suggests that screening for HPV first will be a more effective way to let women know whether they are at risk of developing cervical cancer. The Scottish Government is currently working with NHS Scotland on the development of a business case which will provide all of the detail required to make a considered decision on implementing HPV testing in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme.

As part of the Detect Cancer Early Programme, the Scottish Breast Screening Programme recently transformed from older analogue equipment to digital technology along with the introduction of a new IT system.

A direct answer was given to the question put in S4W-30050. The reference to the national guidance was made to provide context, as it explains which NHS service changes are subject to ministerial approval.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26746 on 17 July 2015 that provided the total costs* of employing special advisers in 2014-15 which is the last complete year for which the information is available.

Special advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a special adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers. With the resignation of Alexander Anderson on 31 December 2015, there are currently 13 special advisers. The special advisers and their specific responsibilities are as follows:

Name	Role	Appointed
Liz Lloyd	Chief of Staff to the First Minister including the co-ordination of the Special Adviser team Senior Special Adviser on the Constitution and Europe Responsible for the First Minister’s Strategic Programme in Government.	30 January 2012
Noel Dolan	Senior Special Adviser to the First Minister First Minister’s Questions Policy advice to the First Minister	26 May 2011
Stuart Nicolson	Head of Communications Senior Political Spokesperson for the First Minister	26 May 2011
Colin McAllister	Head of Policy and Special Adviser to the Deputy First Minister Senior Special Adviser for Finance and Local Government First Minister’s Questions Programme for Government	3 October 2012
Malcolm Fleming	Senior Special Adviser for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform and for International Development	25 July 2011
Campbell Gunn	Communications Special Adviser Deputy Spokesperson for the First Minister	8 July 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Name	Role	Appointed
Ross Ingebrigtsen	Communications Special Adviser Deputy Spokesperson for the First Minister Strategic communications planning	20 January 2014
John MacInnes	Political and Media Research Support for First Minister’s Questions Support to Communications Special Advisers	3 June 2011
Davie Hutchison	Special Adviser for Health, Wellbeing and Sport and for Broadcasting	8 June 2011
John McFarlane	Special Adviser for Justice and for Infrastructure, Investment and the Cities Lead on Parliamentary Business including liaison with the Parliamentary Group	26 May 2011
Jeanette Campbell	Special Adviser for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights and for Fair Work, Skills and Training	1 April 2015
Kate Higgins	Special Adviser for Education and Lifelong Learning	1 April 2015
Katy Bowman	Support for the First Minister and the First Minister’s Private Office. Outreach and stakeholder engagement. Special Adviser for Culture and External Affairs and policy support to the Chief of Staff.	13 July 2015

 

The special adviser pay bands and ranges and the number of special advisers within each pay band currently in place are:

Pay Band	Current Pay Range	Number of Special Advisers
1	£39,445 - £52,904	9
2	£51,041 - £67,709	1
3	£65,017 - £83,963	3
3 (premium)	£83,549 - £100,942	0
4	£86,965 - £104,462	0

*Total Costs include salary, ERNIC and employer pension contributions.

Prior to academic year 2014-15, student teacher intake targets for Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) secondary programmes of initial teacher education were not set on a subject specific basis. The table indicates the targets that have been set since 2014-15.

	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17
Science*	175	211	226
English	139	170	194
Maths	120	146	179
PE	39	37	33

*Science = Biology + Chemistry + Physics

In addition to the target for PGDE PE, 100 undergraduate PE places are allocated to the University of Edinburgh each year.

In addition to the target for PGDE science, 30 undergraduate places are allocated to the University of Strathclyde for concurrent degrees in chemistry, maths and physics, and 115 undergraduate places are allocated to the University of Stirling for combined degrees in a broad range of subjects including biology, English, maths and PE.

The information requested is already in the public domain. It is published annually by the Scottish Funding Council and can be viewed at the following links:

http://www.sfc.ac.uk/guidance/guidance.aspx?Search=SFC/AN/01/2016&Type=Announcements&Sector=&From=01/01/2016&To=01/02/2016 

http://www.sfc.ac.uk/guidance/guidance.aspx?Search=SFC/AN/04/2015&Type=Announcements&Sector=&From=01/01/2015&To=28/02/2015 

http://www.sfc.ac.uk/guidance/guidance.aspx?Search=SFC/AN/03/2014&Type=Announcements&Sector=&From=01/01/2014&To=28/02/2014 

http://www.sfc.ac.uk/guidance/guidance.aspx?Search=SFC/02/2013&Type=Circulars&Sector=&From=01/01/2013&To=28/02/2013 

http://www.sfc.ac.uk/communications/Circulars/2012/SFC0312.aspx

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20110411221734/http:/www.sfc.ac.uk/news_events_circulars/Circulars/2011/SFC0111.aspx

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20110411230019/http:/www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/CircularsSFC0510/sfc0510.pdf

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20100411231559/http:/www.sfc.ac.uk/news_events_circulars/Circulars/2009/SFC1809.aspx

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20100411231556/http:/www.sfc.ac.uk/news_events_circulars/Circulars/2009/SFC0809.aspx

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20100411234441/http://www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/CircularsSFC0808/sfc0808.pdf

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20081012001058/http:/www.sfc.ac.uk/information/info_circulars/sfc/2007/sfc4407/sfc4407.html

 http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20101011225710/http://www.sfc.ac.uk/news_events_circulars/Circulars/2007/SFC1307.aspx

The teacher census is conducted in September each year. The table shows the number of teachers identified in each year's census who were probationer teachers in the previous year and have not found a permanent post in a publicly funded school by the time of the census in the year after their probationary year.

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Number of probationers without a permanent post after their first year of emploment (i.e. after their probationary year)	2,264	2,553	2,494	2,608	2,363	1,331	1,290	1,312	1,318

Significant numbers of these probationers had secured temporary posts by the time of the census. The overall proportion of post probationers in permanent or temporary employment at the time of the census in 2015 was 86% compared with 66% in 2007.

The following table shows the number of teachers registered by the General Teaching Council for Scotland as being on the teacher induction scheme recorded in post in a publicly funded school at the time of the annual teacher census.

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Number of probationers	3,502	3,102	3,044	2,857	1,944	2,044	2,215	2,448	2,524

A small proportion of probationer teachers do not join the teacher induction scheme, preferring to follow the 'flexible route' but the Scottish Government does not gather data relating to them.