Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Question reference: S1W-03689

Asked by: Alex Salmond, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 27 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Rural Affairs will make a statement on the continuation of the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme and the Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme after 31 December 1999.

The Scottish Executive announced on 3 December that it would continue to accept and process applications for both schemes. There will however be a delay in granting approvals until the Scottish Rural Development Plan is approved by the European Commission. This is a temporary measure and the Executive remains committed to the aims of both schemes. The Scottish Executive will play its full part in the negotiations to achieve approval of the Scottish Plan.

Question reference: S1W-03167

Asked by: Alex Salmond, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 23 December 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost to the NHS in (a) Scotland and (b) the former Grampian region was in each of the last four years was for methadone prescriptions.

The cost of methadone dispensed in the community in the Grampian Health Board area and in Scotland as a whole, for the four financial years to 1998-99, is shown in the table.GRAMPIAN HEALTH BOARD AREA

	GIC 1 (£000s)	ESTIMATED FEES (£000s)	TOTAL COST^2,3 (£000s)
1995/96	99	166	265
1996/97	108	159	267
1997/98	133	185	318
1998/99	154	271	425

SCOTLAND

	GIC1 (£000s)	ESTIMATED FEES (£000s)	TOTAL COST2,3 (£000s)
1995/96	1,244	2,080	3,325
1996/97	1,530	2,436	3,966
1997/98	1,840	2,657	4,497
1998/99	2,037	3,264	5,300

Notes:1. GIC = Gross Ingredient Cost2. The cost of methadone dispensed by clinics and hospital is not available centrally.A range of supplementary fees are paid to community pharmacy contractors in the Grampian Health Board area for supervising drug misusers who take their prescribed methadone on the pharmacy premises. The cost of these locally negotiated fees is not held centrally.

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