- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in order to require local authorities to set targets for the improvement of local services and what progress is being made in respect of this matter.
Answer
Through Best Value, we are encouraging all local authorities to seek continuous improvement in their service delivery. They already have a duty to report performance publicly through the performance indicators. The forthcoming Local Government Bill will include a new statutory backing for Best Value in Scotland and provide the Accounts Commission for Scotland with additional powers to set performance indicators.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 27 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has for the development and increased implementation of good practice in local government, including working with pilot authorities, and what progress is being made in respect of any such targets.
Answer
We are keen to help local authorities' efforts to improve services and share good practice. As local authorities pursue continuous improvement under Best Value we expect them to use the information in inspection reports and the Accounts Commission's value for money reports to challenge their current levels of performance and take action to achieve the standards of the best.The consultation paper we are publishing today entitled Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps also seeks views on the best way of further supporting local government in its efforts to improve services.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 25 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any additional money will be made available through the Modernising Government Fund to support the many modernisation projects that are under way.
Answer
I am pleased to say that I have been able to provide up to an additional £15 million to add to the £15 million that was previously announced in the budget.The fund has attracted 93 bids from the public sector to accelerate change and improve the services they deliver to the public. This injection of up to £30 million of new money over the next two years will help to make that happen.It is particularly encouraging that nearly all the project proposals involve public organisations working together. It is this joining up of the public sector that will significantly enhance their capability to provide services that are more convenient for the public.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of the Faculty of Actuaries are employed by or on secondment to the Executive.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not employ any actuaries.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many registered medical practitioners are employed by or on secondment to it.
Answer
The Scottish Executive currently employs 12 registered medical practitioners with a further seven being seconded in.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many chartered accountants are employed by or on secondment to it.
Answer
The Scottish Executive employs 61 qualified accountants throughout its core and its agencies. All are members of various chartered bodies.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in securing access for deaf people to NHS 24 via a textphone facility.
Answer
When NHS 24 is launched in the Grampian area in late spring, the service will offer nurse consultation and health information services to deaf, deafblind, deafened, hard of hearing, and speech impaired people through the Typetalk service. NHS 24 will be running a comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform people about the new service and how this can be accessed.Typetalk is a new service established just over a year ago and managed by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf in partnership with BT.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received, or assessment it has made, of the likely utility of a Typetalk relay service in allowing deaf people to access NHS 24.
Answer
Typetalk is a service run by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf in partnership with BT. It is the only national telephone service which enables deaf, deafblind, deafened, hard of hearing, and speech impaired people to communicate with hearing people anywhere in the world. The Typetalk service will allow easy access for deaf and hearing impaired individuals to the nurse consultation and health information services and will be accessed via NHS 24's national telephone number. NHS 24 will promote these services in line with the regional roll out plan. NHS 24 will work closely with all communities who will benefit from the services, including the deaf community, and will involve them in the on-going monitoring and continuous improvement of its services. This will include an assessment of the suitability and appropriateness of the Typetalk service.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 12 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the needs of deaf people in regard to securing equal and fair access to NHS services.
Answer
A Good Practice Guide to support the implementation of section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), which requires that people with disabilities are given reasonable access to goods and services, was issued to NHSScotland in September 1999.The guide was compiled in consultation with Scottish disability groups and includes advice on the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22796 by Mr Jim Wallace on 20 February 2002, whether persons applying for appointment to the Judicial Appointments Board will be required to disclose membership of Freemasonry and any other secret society.
Answer
The recruitment exercise for membership of the Judicial Appointments Board has already taken place and candidates were not asked to disclose membership of Freemasonry or any other secret society. Applicants were asked to disclose any possible conflict of interest which might arise if they were appointed, whether personally, in relation to their employment, or in relation to their connections with any organisations. No candidate declared a potential conflict of interest.
