Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7091 by Susan Deacon on 8 September 2000, whether the occupational health and safety minimum datasets have been issued and when the information to be collected will be made available to the Parliament.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The occupational health and safety minimum dataset is expected to be published to the NHS in Scotland shortly. When published, a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Library and on the "Scotland Health on the Web (SHOW)" site. The first set of infor…
5 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will respond to my letter of 16 May 2000 regarding the retirement age of Scottish Ambulance Service staff.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I replied to the member's letter on 30 June 2000. I have arranged for a further copy to be sent to you.
5 Dec 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made or will make to the conclusion of the 1997 report by the Scottish Ambulance Service Association Pensions and Retirement Age Working Group that "the proportion of front-line staff who are retiring on ill-health grounds is unacceptably high".
Answer · Susan Deacon: The report concerned was produced by the Ambulance Service Association and is based on statistical evidence from Ambulance Services in England and Wales between 1991-92 and 1994-95. In Scotland the occupational health and safety service strategy <I>Towards a …
28 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10485 by Angus MacKay on 20 November 2000, which response to the consultation suggested full implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Long Term Care for the Elderly and which Elderly Forum the answer is referring to.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The response was from a member of the public. Representatives of local Elderly Forums were present at awaydays in Dumfries, Gourock and Aberdeen. The specific point on the Royal Commission was made by the representative in Dumfries.
28 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, representations to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding the reinstatement of the rail line from Edinburgh to Carlisle in the context of any assessment it has made on how the line's reinstatement would fit into the overall expansion of the rail…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: On 28 November the Scottish Executive published its consultation paper on the strategic priorities for Scotland's railways as part of the process of developing directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority on the franchise for passenger rail service…
28 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have vired monies from this year's budget for older people and home care in order to meet other demands, what the amounts involved were and where the money was re-allocated.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The vast majority of Scottish Executive grant support to local government for expenditure on services, including home care and other social work provision for older people, is not ring-fenced or hypothecated. It is for each local authority to establish its pr…
27 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10882 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 16 November 2000, whether it has obtained assurances that jobs at Burtons Biscuits are secure given the intention of Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst to rationalise production across various sites and what its understanding …
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive understands that the company is continuing to consider its future business strategy following the takeover.
27 Nov 2000 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive has any concerns about the level of morale in Scotland's prisons.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We recognise that the Scottish Prison Service is currently facing up to a challenging agenda for change.
23 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Clive Fairweather's evidence to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on 11 September 1999 that the reported average (net present value) #11,000 cost per prisoner place (CPPP) at Kilmarnock Prison was not directly comparable with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) average CPPP…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The total cost of HMP Kilmarnock over the 25-year period of the contract is approximately £130 million in Net Present Value te…
22 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households where the householder is a pensioner currently (a) have central heating and (b) do not have central heating and what criteria it uses to determine whether a household is a household where the householder is a pensioner.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The 1996 Scottish House Condition Survey estimated that 477,000 pensioner households had central heating and 88,000 did not. We estimate that in the four years since the survey was carried out the number without central heating will have fallen to around 70,0…
22 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used in awarding flood prevention grants to local authorities.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: To be eligible for grant, flood prevention schemes must first be confirmed by Scottish Ministers under the provisions of the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961. In addition, councils must demonstrate value for money by submitting an investment appraisal in …
22 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given or plans to give to local authorities regarding applying for flood prevention grants.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Advice on flood prevention grant is given to councils on a scheme-by-scheme basis. When a flood prevention scheme is confirmed by Scottish Ministers under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, advice is issued to the council concerned on the grant applica…
22 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made as to the health risk from animal waste to humans in incidents of flooding.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is not aware of any such formal assessment in Scotland. I understand that the possible significance of flooding for health will be covered in an expert review <I>Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK</I>, which is due to be published by the…
21 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is of its estimate that 70,000 pensioners will benefit from its proposed central heating scheme.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The scheme will give central heating to pensioner households that do not have it: we estimate that 70,000 pensioner households meet this criterion.
21 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10632 by Sarah Boyack on 8 November 2000 and to motion S1M-922 agreed by the Parliament on 1 June 2000, whether it is making or has made any representations to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding funding for full reinstatement of the line b…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: On 10 November I announced an award of £1.865 million to the Scottish Borders Council under the third round of the Public Transport Fund for the cost of securing the necessary permissions for reinstating the railway between Edinburgh and the Central Borders.<…
20 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10798 by Sarah Boyack on 14 November 2000, how many individuals in Scotland will have lost jobs following the relocation of the Seacat from Stranraer to Troon and thereafter from Troon to Belfast.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the company.
20 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10385 by Sarah Boyack on 1 November 2000, whether instructions were given that actual comparative environmental costing of transporting timber by road and by rail be drawn up as part of the Borders Railway Feasibility Study and, if so, whether it wil…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: An extensive analysis of the environmental impacts of transporting timber by rail from the Keilder Forest can be found in Volume 3, Parts 5 & 6 of the <I>Scottish Borders Railway Feasibility Study</I>.
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10377 by Susan Deacon on 1 November 2000, whether local authorities had to specify how any balance of resources which was not required to tackle delayed discharge problems would be spent and whether the details of any proposed redeployments of fundin…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Where local authorities have judged that they can resolve problems of delayed discharge without using all of the resources allocated, they have been asked to redeploy the balance to improve the level and extent of other services, for example those provided to…
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10377 by Susan Deacon on 1 November 2000, what action it will take if local authorities which indicated that problems of delayed discharge could be tackled without using all of the resources allocated for this purpose are not successfully tackling th…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: That is a situation we would not expect to arise but, if it did, we would take appropriate action consistent with effective use of resources both centrally and locally.
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10377 by Susan Deacon on 1 November 2000, whether it will undertake any independent monitoring of whether local authorities' proposals to address problems of delayed discharge are being implemented successfully.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Each local authority is required to provide confirmation in mid-January 2001 that its proposal (or revised proposal) is being acted upon successfully.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>In conjunction, the department will continue to monitor delayed discharge throug…
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10377 by Susan Deacon on 1 November 2000, which local authorities indicated that they could resolve problems of delayed discharge without using all of the resources allocated for this purpose.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Shetland Islands Council is the only such authority.
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10377 by Susan Deacon on 1 November 2000, how it satisfied itself that any resources which local authorities are proposing to deploy elsewhere are not required in order to resolve problems of delayed discharge.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Local authorities were required to discuss and agree their proposals with the corresponding health board(s) and Trust(s). Similarly, proposals to use the resources for other purposes should show that senior health board staff have agreed that the resources ar…
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10377 by Susan Deacon on 1 November 2000, whether any balance of the resources allocated to each local authority to resolve problems of delayed discharge which is not required for this purpose is ring-fenced for the care of the elderly.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Where local authorities have judged that they can resolve problems of delayed discharge without using all the resources allocated, they have been asked to deploy the balance to improve the level and extent of other services, for example those provided to olde…
14 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any research in Scotland with regard to the administering of drugs by concealing them in food or drinks in residential and nursing homes.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any current research in this area.<P>Arrangements are in place for the regular announced and unannounced inspections of all care homes, the medical records kept and the procedures followed for the safe administration of …
12 Nov 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has regarding the continued provision of consultant-led specialisms at the Borders General Hospital.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Borders General Hospital is an essential part of healthservice provision in the Scottish Borders and it continues to provide highquality consultant-led services. In recent months new consultants have beenappointed in anaesthetics, radiology and haematolog…
10 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1933 by Iain Gray on 7 October 1999, what role day care centres play in assisting older people to reside in their homes for as long as practicable, in providing respite for carers and in preventing isolation.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive recognises that day care centres can play a valuable role in assisting older people to reside in their own homes, in providing respite for carers and in preventing isolation.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 require…
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2183 by Iain Gray on 16 November 1999, how many elderly people have attended day care centres, broken down by local authority, in the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-date.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The following table details the number of people attending day centres primarily intended for older people in 1997 and 1998. 1998 is the latest year for which data are available as this census is now conducted on a triennial basis. The methodology used in 199…
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to encourage the development of day care centres.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to my response to question S1W-11128.
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many day care centres there are in total and broken down by local authority.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The table below details the number of centres and places available in centres for all adult client groups in 1998, the latest year for which figures are available.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Day Centres for Adults<SUP>1</SUP>, 1998<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDI…
9 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reconsider its recommendation in Regulating Care and the Social Services Workforce that day care services be included in a national regulation framework and ensure that the provision of such services by day care centres is a statutory requirement on local autho…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It remains our intention to include day care services in the new national regulation framework. We have no plans to make the provision of such services by day care centres a specific statutory duty for local authorities.