Angela Constance

17 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensed security guards there have been in each year since 2001.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Security IndustryAuthority (SIA) regulates the private security industry in Great Britain. Regulation began in England and Wales during 2004 and was extended to include Scotland in 2006. It will become mandatory here on 1 November 2007. The following tabl…

17 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what access the voluntary sector will have to future European Social Fund provision.

Answer · Jim Mather: Voluntary sectorbodies are one of the three main categories of eligible organisations able toregister, apply and compete for European Social Funds (ESF) under the 2007-13Lowlands and Uplands (LUPS) and Highlands and Islands (H&I) programmes.These main cat…

17 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review section 64 of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, particularly in respect of the issues associated with moving people from hospital to nursing homes.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Section 64 of theAdult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 amends the Social Work (Scotland)Act 1968 (the 1968 act) to make explicit that where a local authority has, followingan assessment of an adult’s needs, concluded that the adult requires any com…

17 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes and developments are planned for neuroscience health services.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Neuroscience ImplementationGroup is taking forward detailed work on planning the service model set out in <i>Buildinga Health Service Fit for the Future</i>. The group will submit its proposals tothe Scottish Government by the end of December 2007.</p>

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with respect to a catchment area review of acute hospitals in the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I understand fromNHS Lothian that the board is preparing a plan to change the current catchmentareas (zones) for emergency medical admissions. NHS Lothian have confirmed thatthey expect to implement the plan in early 2008.</p>

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to change from a level 3 to a level 2 provision of intensive therapy unit services anywhere in the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Service changeproposals are a matter for NHS Lothian. I am not aware of any such plans. Anyproposal for major service changes would have to be subject to fullconsultation with the public and would require ministerial approval.</p>

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for intensive therapy unit services in the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lothian hascritical care capability on all three acute hospital sites - Royal Infirmary ofEdinburgh, Western General Hospital and St John’s - to ensure safe, high-qualitycare for patients receiving acute care on these sites. I understand from the boardtha…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for colorectal surgery services in the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Current plansapproved by NHS Lothian Board include the relocation of colorectal surgery fromthe Western General Hospital to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to concentrateall general surgery on one site and to ensure compliance with the EuropeanWorking Times …

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans for the relocation of any acute health services in the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3797 on 18 September 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there any plans for the redesign of acute health services in the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter forNHS Lothian. I understand that the board set out its plans for the redesign of acutehealth services during a public consultation in 2004 entitled “Improving Care, Investingin Change”. I further understand that most of the action flowing fr…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it would define an acute district general hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no precise definitionor definitive description of an acute district general hospital. Acute hospitalsprovide a wide range of specialist care and treatment for patients. These serviceswill vary depending on geographical location, proximity to other ac…

30 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support the centralisation of health services resulting in one acute hospital serving the Lothians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lothian providesservices to patients from three acute hospital sites - the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh,St John’s at Livingston and the Western General Hospital. NHS Lothian has publicly committed to retaining these three sites as acutehospitals and has a…

26 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide additional resources to local authorities to assist with the financial costs of instigating legal action against companies that breach sections 33(1) and 33(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Executive isexamining all funding for future years as part of the spending review process.</p><p>In this context I note thatmost of the range of offences which may be committed against the provisions ofSection 33 of the Environmental Protection A…

26 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that current levels of fines imposed on companies that breach sections 33(1) and 33(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended, are a sufficient deterrent.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-2512 on 7 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can befound at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…

26 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that current levels of fines imposed on companies that breach sections 33(1) and 33(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended, are adequate.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The levels of fines imposedon companies which breach the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act1990 are a matter for the courts, which consider the circumstances of eachcase, including the value of a deterrent, individually.</p><p>A company which brea…

26 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce legislation to strengthen the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s powers to investigate companies that knowingly pollute and contaminate the environment.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Executiveis not aware of any problems with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s existingpowers to investigate operators who may be polluting the environment. There are,therefore, no plans to introduce any additional legislation.</p>

13 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Government will respond to the anticipated Green Paper from the United Kingdom Government regarding the care of veterans.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Independent ScrutinyPanel will be appointed soon.</p>