Christine Grahame

19 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8813 by Susan Deacon on 14 September 2000, how the remainder of #135 million end of year balance was applied to Executive-wide, health-related projects; what these projects were and what funding was allocated to each.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Of the £135 million carried forward under the end year flexibility arrangements from 1999-2000, £101 million has been allocated to health boards and Trusts or has been earmarked to meet slippage in the capital programme. As announced by the Deputy First Minis…

19 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9394 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 14 September 2000, whether probationary teachers were ever used as markers previously and, if so, when and how many.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The recruitment of markers is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. However, I understand from SQA that they are unaware of any probationary teacher having been used as a marker prior to the 2000 exam diet.

15 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children (a) were involved in and (b) died in accidents in rivers, the sea and other waterways in (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97, (iii) 1997-98, (iv) 1998-99, (v) 1999-2000 and (vi) 2000 to date.

Answer · Jim Wallace: No information is collected centrally on non-fatal or fatal accidents specifically associated with rivers, the sea or other waterways. The following table presents available information covering all deaths from drowning or submersion, and from water transport…

14 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities provide swimming lessons for primary children as part of the curriculum.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally.

14 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it gives to the teaching of swimming in primary schools and whether it has any plans to introduce a national programme of teaching primary children to swim.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: In Scotland the curriculum is not prescribed by statute and it is for local authorities and schools to decide on the allocation of resources for particular areas of the curriculum. <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Expressive Arts 5-14 guidelines state that it is genera…

4 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make the provision of day care for older people a statutory service.

Answer · Iain Gray: Under section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, local authorities are required to promote social welfare by making available advice, guidance and assistance on such a scale as may be appropriate for their area and to provide or secure provision of su…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-4682 by Iain Gray on 25 April 2000, what plans it has to (a) collate information about local authority funding for the training of (i) lip readers and (ii) teachers of lip reading and (b) provide for the funding of such training in the future.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Iain Gray's response on 25 April 2000 to Mr Duncan Hamilton informed him that no funding would be available from the Scottish Executive in the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01 to train (a) lip readers and (b) teachers of lipreading. The Scottish Executive did not …

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8788 by Sarah Boyack on 21 August 2000, (a) which organisations, individuals and businesses were asked to give evidence to the Scott Wilson study into the impact on tourism in the Borders of the re-instatement of the northern part of the Borders rail…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Borders Railway Feasibility Study examined a wide range of social and economic factors affecting the viability of the project, including tourism. To this end, the study took account of a report by the Scottish Borders Tourist Board (SBTB) on the potential…

30 Aug 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any evidence exists of age discrimination in the NHS in Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: Christine Grahame has drawn attention in her motion S1M-1116 to a number of reports on the subject. These continuing allegations of discrimination within the NHS on grounds of age are a source of concern. The Scottish Executive is clear that clinical decision…

22 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to train and retain young people in the textiles industry.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Training for young people in Scotland is delivered by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise through the Enterprise Network. Co-ordinated activity is channelled through the Scottish Textiles Network, a body funded and supported by Scottish E…

22 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #10 million textile aid package announced in June for the textiles industry was or will be invested in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave on 5 September to question S1W-8931.

22 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the agenda is which it has been developing through the Scottish Textile Forum to suit the particular needs of Scotland referred to in its press release SE 1630/2000.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive's main agenda to support the textile industry was outlined in SE Press Release 1687/2000 of 12 June. The Scottish Textile Forum met today to discuss how this and the action plan announced by the DTI on 6 June can be developed further.

22 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who are the four champions of the textile industry referred to in its press release SE 1630/2000.

Answer · Henry McLeish: I announced the names of the four textiles champions on 12 June in SE Press Release 1687/2000. They are Belinda Robertson (Belinda Robertson Ltd), Michelle Mone (MJM International), James Sugden (Johnstons of Elgin) and Jim Thomson (Hawick Cashmere Company Lt…

21 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recourse an individual has in terms of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 sections 1, 12, 12A and 13A if a local authority delays providing permanent care in a nursing home once that individual has been assessed as requiring such care.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: If an individual believes that a council is not meeting any of its obligations adequately, he or she can pursue the matter through the local authority's complaints procedure with the council's Monitoring Officer or the Local Government Ombudsman, or ultimatel…

18 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was spent in 1999-2000 in supporting older people in (a) residential and nursing homes and (b) their own homes, broken down as follows by source of funding; (i) NHS, (ii) local authority social services budgets and (iii) local authority housing budgets.

Answer · Iain Gray: The provisional outturn expenditure of local authority social work budgets in 1999-2000 in supporting older people in residential and nursing homes was £239.6 million and in other settings was £186.2 million. In addition the NHS is estimated to have transferr…

16 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people are currently (a) in hospital or (b) at home who have been assessed as suitable for a nursing or residential home but whose placement has been deferred due to lack of funding, broken down by health board area.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information requested is not currently available centrally; however, comprehensive consistent information on those in hospital awaiting discharge will be published for the first time later this year by the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in…

16 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when arriving at targets for immunisation of the over 65s from the flu virus, any comparison is made with other European countries and, if so, what the comparable targets are.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Neither the Scottish Executive Health Department nor the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health is aware of the application of uptake targets in other European countries. Similarly, the Department of Health in England has no information in thi…

16 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8864 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 August 2000, which parties are being formally consulted in the Scottish Prison Service review of the prison estate, when the review will be completed and whether the detailed review will be made public.

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">No formal consultations are being carried out in what is an internal SPS business review, though informal discussions have been…

16 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7782 by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2000, whether any specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of a possible 100% tariff on the Border's cashmere industry and, if so, what that assessment is.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Estimates of the potential impact of US tariffs on the cashmere industry in the Borders were made by the industry in June, when a US announcement was expected, and were based on the industry's order book at that time. The immediate impact of US action, now or…

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors local authority provision of nursing home or residential care.

Answer · Iain Gray: Statistics on the local authority provision of residential care are<B> </B>collected annually and analyses are published<B> </B>in statistics information notes. We do not currently have arrangements to monitor standards but we will be bringing forward legisla…

14 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what primary and secondary indicators are taken account of in local authority funding settlements.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The information requested is given in <I>Grant Aided Expenditure 2000-01</I>, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 7912).

11 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority funding for care of the elderly in (a) residential homes, (b) nursing homes, (c) respite care and (d) Care in the Community is ring-fenced.

Answer · Iain Gray: Local authority funding for the categories of care for the elderly listed is not ring-fenced.

11 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are obliged to complete form SWSG 2/97 in terms of the Community Care Plans (Information) Directions.

Answer · Iain Gray: The form referred to is at the Schedule to the Community Care Plans (Information) Directions 1997, which compares projected costs of residential care for older people in council homes and independent sector care homes. Local authorities are required to includ…

11 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funds were allocated by it to (a) residential homes, (b) nursing homes, (c) respite care and (d) Care in the Community and what were the actual funds disbursed, broken down in each case by each local authority, in 1999-2000.

Answer · Iain Gray: The grant aided expenditure allocated to each local authority for services for home-based elderly, residential accommodation for the elderly and for other social work services for 1999-2000 is listed in the Scottish Executive document <I>Grant Aided Expenditu…

10 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the recommendation in the recent report into poverty in Scotland by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee that it should consider the appointment of a Minister for the Elderly in Scotland and whether it intends to act upon this recommendation.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care has ministerial responsibility for older people in Scotland.

8 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3125 by Susan Deacon on 17 December 1999, whether the recent report by Pat Grant, a consultant at Glasgow Western Infirmary's accident and emergency department, regarding age discrimination in accident and emergency units provides evidence that the a…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The continuing allegations of discrimination within the NHS on grounds of age are a source of concern. The Scottish Executive is clear that clinical decisions must not be taken solely on the basis of an individual's chronological age. A range of mechanisms is…

2 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5734 by Mr Jim Wallace on 24 July 2000, what effect the security requirements of the number of VIP visits to Edinburgh since 1 July 1999 have had on policing in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The deployment of resources and the setting of operational priorities are matters for the Chief Constable.

2 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will be established; who the members of the commission will be, and when the commission will be expected to report.

Answer · Iain Gray: Subject to the necessary legislation obtaining Parliamentary approval, we expect the Commission to be established in October 2001. Appointments to the Commission will be made by Ministers in line with the public appointments procedures on the basis of open co…

27 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4278 by Iain Gray on 23 February 2000, whether the target dates for implementation of the four recommendations in the Scottish Health Advisory Service report referred to have been met, and what the current status is of the Health Improvement Plan for…

Answer · Iain Gray: Responsibility for implementing the recommendations of the SHAS report lies with Highland Health Board and Highland Primary Care NHS Trust. I understand that these bodies are implementing the recommendations in line with the proposed target dates.<P ALIGN="JU…

27 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when I will receive a reply to my letter of 22 March 2000 to the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care regarding my proposed Al'heimer's and Dementia Care Bill.

Answer · Iain Gray: I issued a reply to your letters of 22 March and 28 March on 28 April. I have arranged for a copy of my letter to be sent to you.