Written Question · S1W-25472 · Session 1
When the report of the MMR expert group will be made public and when it will respond to the Public Health Institute of Scotland needs asses…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the MMR expert group will be made public and when it will respond to the Public Health Institute of Scotland needs assessment report on autistic spectrum disorders.
The answer
The report of the MMR Expert Group has been published today. Copies will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. The report is also available on both the Scottish Executive and the expert group websites.The Executive is grateful to the chairman and members of the expert group, for producing an excellent report, which addresses its remit in full. The report confirms that there is no proven scientific link between the MMR vaccine and autism or Crohn's disease. The Executive has no plans to change the current immunisation programme. The report describes the consequences of pursuing an alternative vaccination policy to MMR. It is clear that none of the alternatives provides comparable protection
- for the population or individual children
- against measles, mumps and rubella. In principle, the Executive is happy to accept all the recommendations that fall to the Scottish Executive for action. A more detailed response will, however, be prepared, and published, in due course.The expert group report cogently focuses on the need for improvements in the range and quality of services for those affected by autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), endorsing the recommendations of the Public Health Institute of Scotland (PHIS) Needs Assessment Report on ASD. The Executive recognises the importance of appropriate services to support individuals affected by autistic spectrum disorder, and their families and carers, and has today announced its response to the Needs Assessment Report that the Executive commissioned from the PHIS.The Scottish Executive is committed to reform and to improving services. Much work is under way. Autistic spectrum disorders are already included in The same as you?, the Report of the Review of Services for People With Learning Disabilities published in May 2000. Its aim is the same as the PHIS report
- to ensure that services are co-ordinated and seamless. Change Funds have been provided to local authorities
- £36 million over the three years to 2003-04, and £16 million in each year thereafter. This is for learning disability, but individuals with autistic spectrum disorders benefit too. Similarly children with ASD will benefit from the changes resulting from the consultation on Assessing our children's educational needs: The Way Forward, and the Changing Children's Services Fund
- £27 million in 2002-03
- which is focussed on the delivery of integrated health, education and care services for vulnerable and deprived children. Also, under the Innovation Grants Programme, announced yesterday, £697,000 is being made available over two years to enable local authorities and voluntary agencies to work together to develop new services for children with ASD and their families.We will also work with researchers in Scotland to develop proposals for innovative, high quality research to underpin improvements in treatment and care for people with ASD.The Scottish Executive will continue to build on that foundation and work towards the ideal described by PHIS. The Executive is focussed on delivering sustainable, long-term improvements in the range and quality of services for those affected by autistic spectrum disorders across Scotland as a whole, in partnership with local service providers and users. Further steady and lasting progress will be based on mapping work currently being carried out by the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society. The Executive's view, consistent with PHIS, is that early priorities must include involving individuals with ASD and their families or representatives, early assessment, integrated joint planning, and a coherent approach to training and workforce development.
- for the population or individual children
- against measles, mumps and rubella. In principle, the Executive is happy to accept all the recommendations that fall to the Scottish Executive for action. A more detailed response will, however, be prepared, and published, in due course.The expert group report cogently focuses on the need for improvements in the range and quality of services for those affected by autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), endorsing the recommendations of the Public Health Institute of Scotland (PHIS) Needs Assessment Report on ASD. The Executive recognises the importance of appropriate services to support individuals affected by autistic spectrum disorder, and their families and carers, and has today announced its response to the Needs Assessment Report that the Executive commissioned from the PHIS.The Scottish Executive is committed to reform and to improving services. Much work is under way. Autistic spectrum disorders are already included in The same as you?, the Report of the Review of Services for People With Learning Disabilities published in May 2000. Its aim is the same as the PHIS report
- to ensure that services are co-ordinated and seamless. Change Funds have been provided to local authorities
- £36 million over the three years to 2003-04, and £16 million in each year thereafter. This is for learning disability, but individuals with autistic spectrum disorders benefit too. Similarly children with ASD will benefit from the changes resulting from the consultation on Assessing our children's educational needs: The Way Forward, and the Changing Children's Services Fund
- £27 million in 2002-03
- which is focussed on the delivery of integrated health, education and care services for vulnerable and deprived children. Also, under the Innovation Grants Programme, announced yesterday, £697,000 is being made available over two years to enable local authorities and voluntary agencies to work together to develop new services for children with ASD and their families.We will also work with researchers in Scotland to develop proposals for innovative, high quality research to underpin improvements in treatment and care for people with ASD.The Scottish Executive will continue to build on that foundation and work towards the ideal described by PHIS. The Executive is focussed on delivering sustainable, long-term improvements in the range and quality of services for those affected by autistic spectrum disorders across Scotland as a whole, in partnership with local service providers and users. Further steady and lasting progress will be based on mapping work currently being carried out by the Scottish Society for Autism and the National Autistic Society. The Executive's view, consistent with PHIS, is that early priorities must include involving individuals with ASD and their families or representatives, early assessment, integrated joint planning, and a coherent approach to training and workforce development.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-25472 by reference.