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Our digital strategy, Scotland''s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, published on 3 March 2011, outlines our ambition for availability of next generation broadband throughout the whole of Scotland, including eastern Perthshire, by 2020 with significant progress being made by 2015.

To achieve this, we are already working with local authorities, enterprise agencies, industry and others to collectively develop a strategic Scotland-wide broadband plan. I jointly hosted a Rural Broadband Summit on 9 March 2011 with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment to progress this issue, and Perth and Kinross Council were represented at the meeting.

Our digital strategy, Scotland''s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, published on 3 March 2011, outlines our ambition for availability of next generation broadband throughout the whole of Scotland, including highland Perthshire, by 2020 with significant progress being made by 2015.

To achieve this, we are already working with local authorities, enterprise agencies, industry and others to collectively develop a strategic Scotland-wide broadband plan. I jointly hosted a Rural Broadband Summit on 9 March 2011 with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment to progress this issue, and Perth and Kinross Council were represented at the meeting.

This is a matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government has published The Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/03/07113554/0.

A key finding of the report is that wind farms and tourism can be compatible where wind farms are well sited.

NHS National Services Scotland''s National Procurement Division (NPD) is NHSScotland''s centre of procurement expertise. In considering the procurement of implantable medical devices, NPD adopts the same principles it applies to the procurement of all other commodities ensuring; cost improvements and efficiency savings; products and services are fit for purpose and of top quality; current and future generations of NHS products remain up to date and valid; an effective supply service, reducing stockpiling and wastage and improving timely distribution and; continued quality assurance.

Cost is one of the most significant contributions to the value of a contract, however, when considering a contract such as for medical devices, there are many other components of value. These include fitness for purpose, whole life costs and consumables, and any cost of change.

NHS National Services Scotland''s National Procurement Division (NPD) is NHSScotland''s centre of procurement expertise. In considering the operational lifetime and period of manufacturer''s guarantee, NPD ensures that whole life costs of the commodity are taken fully into account at the evaluation stage. Consideration of a contract for a medical device takes into account both the anticipated life of the device, as anticipated by the manufacturers and clinical experts, and the period of manufacturer''s guarantee.

NHS National Services Scotland''s National Procurement Division (NPD) is NHSScotland''s centre of procurement expertise. In considering the procurement of medical devices, NPD takes into account a range of factors to ensure it delivers value for money to NHSScotland through effective procurement.

An innovative device need not necessarily be more expensive than the product it is replacing and the use of healthy competition in the contracting process ensures that there is an opportunity for new products to come to the market. Where NPD is aware of new technologies likely to come to market in the near future it is able to adjust its normal contract period to reflect the state of the market and the emergence of product enhancements.

The specific information requested is not available centrally. The number of patients with a diagnosis of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria who have been treated in acute general hospitals in Scotland since 1999 is shown in the following table.

NHS Scotland: Total Number of Patients with a Diagnosis of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria and Treated in Hospital Since 1999

Year of Discharge	Number of Patients
1999	5
2000	9
2001	8
2002	4
2003	7
2004	7
2005	7
2006	8
2007	10
2008	15
2009	16

 

NHS boards are expected to manage costs for the treatment of particular conditions from their overall board funding allocation.

The Scottish Health Technology Group (SHTG) provides information to NHS boards on the clinical and cost effectiveness of existing and new technologies to support planning and decision making.

The most recent advice to NHS boards on transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was issued by the Scottish Health Technology Group (SHTG) on 5 August 2010. The SHTG advice statement noted that transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is not recommended for use for the treatment of patients with aortic stenosis. The statement can be accessed at:

http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/files/TAVI_AdviceStatement_050810.pdf.

The Making Difficult Decisions in NHS Boards in Scotland report, published in March 2010, gives NHS boards outline guidance on managing individual patient decisions in relation to both medicines and technology.