- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will relaunch the Individual Learning Accounts scheme following its closure and what advice is being given to lifelong learners in the interim.
Answer
We remain committed to encouraging the widest possible participation in lifelong learning. We are actively considering what future arrangements might be put in place to support individual learning. I expect to be able to say more about this later in the spring.
In the meantime, learndirect scotland continue to provide advice for learners on freephone 0808 100 9000. Individual Learning Account (ILA) holders with ILA-related enquiries may contact a dedicated freephone helpline on 0800 100 1090.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans have been made to provide on-going support to lifelong learners who have not yet activated their Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) following the closure of the ILA scheme.
Answer
Learners who enrolled in learning before the scheme's closure will be able to proceed, if their learning starts before the end of this month. Letters have gone to all account holders explaining the reasons for the closure and providing them with details of a dedicated freephone helpline, 0808 100 1090, should they require further advice.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 24 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many lifelong learners have been affected by the closure of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme.
Answer
At 7 January 2002, 253,952 people held Individual Learning Accounts. 116,465 of these have engaged in ILA-assisted learning.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how the number of linear accelerators allocated to the Beatson Oncology Centre has been calculated and what scope there is for increasing their number.
Answer
Information about the background to planning cancer services was outlined in the answer given to question S1W-19750.The linear accelerator (and related radiotherapy equipment) modernisation programme has been, and continues to be, developed by the Scottish Executive Health Department in consultation with Cancer Centre Directors and relevant staff drawn from across Scotland.Three new linear accelerators are installed at the Gartnavel Hospital site, giving a total of eight now available. Two further (additional) linear accelerators are to be purchased and installed there during 2002.Beyond that, the plans for further replacement and additional radiotherapy equipment will continue to be brought forward via the modernisation programme and within the context of the business planning process for the development of Phase 2 of the new West of Scotland Regional Cancer Centre at Gartnavel.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive which cancer specialities are not being provided due to the current vacancies at the Beatson Oncology Centre.
Answer
Specialist services for all cancers continue to be provided by the Beatson Oncology Centre.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive who the members of the West of Scotland Regional Cancer Advisory Group are and how many of them are employed by the Beatson Oncology Centre.
Answer
The West of Scotland Regional Cancer Advisory Group is chaired by Mr Tom Divers, Chief Executive NHS Greater Glasgow. The Regional Lead Clinician is Dr Harry Burns, Director of Public Health, NHS Greater Glasgow.There are more than 60 members drawn from across NHS Argyll and Clyde, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Greater Glasgow, NHS Lanarkshire, Managed Clinical Network leads, the voluntary sector, patient representation and representatives of regional services such as breast screening and cancer surveillance.There are three members from the Beatson Oncology Centre,Dr N Reed, Clinical DirectorProfessor J Cassidy, Academic OncologyMs C Hutchison, Consultant Nurse OncologistFull details of the membership of the North, South East and West of Scotland RCAGs will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.Guidance on the role, structure and function of Regional Cancer Advisory Groups is set out in NHS HDL (2001) 71 issued on 13 September 2001. This is available online at
www.show.scot.nhs.uk.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4262 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, what representations it has received over any difficulties in contacting the Student Loans Company Ltd.
Answer
I have not received any representations concerning difficulties in contacting the Student Loans Company. The company has specific performance targets on answering telephone calls and acknowledging and responding to complaints, its performance against which is recorded in the company's annual report. I am aware that callers to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland may sometimes refer to difficulties in contacting the company by telephone.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4262 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, how many times it met the Student Loans Company Ltd in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
Answer
Officials from the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland meet regularly with officials at the Student Loans Company. Complete details of all meetings held between the department and the company over any particular two-year period could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4262 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2001, what guidance is given to the Student Loans Company Ltd on the use of tracing companies dealing with debt.
Answer
No specific guidance is given to the Student Loans Company on the use of tracing companies. The company is responsible for following established procedures on inviting tenders for the subcontracting of its debt recovery function.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 22 January 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20018 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 29 November 2001, what consultation with MSPs will be undertaken before publication of the Clyde Shipbuilding Task Force report.
Answer
The Clyde Shipyards Task Force included Gordon Jackson MSP as chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Shipbuilding Group. The task force do not plan individual consultations in advance of publication of the report in the next few weeks.
