Christine Grahame

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8354 by Susan Deacon on 13 July 2000, what criteria were applied to arrive at the 60% target for immunisation of the over 65 age group from the flu virus this year.

Answer · Susan Deacon: 60% was agreed with representatives of the BMA in Scotland as a Scotland-wide target which is regarded as both achievable and beneficial.

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8351 by Susan Deacon on 13 July 2000, when it last received advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation with regard to the flu vaccination program for the over 65 age group this winter, and whether that body endorsed the 60% targe…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the influenza vaccination programme be extended to those aged 65 years and over in March this year. The JCVI was not invited to suggest or endorse an uptake target for the programme.

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8351 by Susan Deacon on 13 July 2000, who the members of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation are.

Answer · Susan Deacon: As at its meeting in January 2000, the membership of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) was:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Professor Michael Langman (Acting Chairman), Professor of Medicine, University of Birmingham<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Professor Roy…

6 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any estimate has been made of additional funding which will be available to the Scottish Budget as a result of any additional revenue raised through the climate change levy and, if so, what the estimate is for the current and next financial year.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The climate change levy does not come into effect until 1 April 2001. As a result of the levy an additional £3.2 million per year has been made available to the Scottish Budget from 2001-02.

4 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether and how it monitors the use of tranquillising and sedative drugs in the caring of those suffering from dementia and other similar disorders.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-8493.

4 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether and how it monitors the use of "disguised drugs" such as drugs administered in a drink or sandwich in the caring of those suffering from dementia and other similar disorders.

Answer · Iain Gray: General practitioners are responsible for prescribing and monitoring medication of each individual resident. Every nursing home is required by law to maintain a detailed record of every course of treatment administered to each resident from the date of admiss…

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7855 by Henry McLeish on 26 June 2000, when the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council is expected to set up an office in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council will have an office serving Scotland, which will be based in Glasgow. Establishment of the Council will depend on the progress through Westminster of the Utilities Bill.

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs Scottish Enterprise Borders helped to create in the last year.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The information requested is not held centrally. I have asked the Chairman of Scottish Enterprise to reply to the member. A copy of his reply will be placed in SPICe.

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-7781 and S1W-7785 by Henry McLeish on 22 June 2000, how many firms the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office has contacted with regard to the climate change levy and what percentage of Scottish businesses this represents.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The information requested is not available. But as part of an ongoing programme, the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) is endeavouring to make Scottish businesses aware of how the Climate Change Levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate it…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for GPs with regard to the flu vaccine programme for the over 65s this year.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Following discussions with the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the BMA, the Scotland wide target for immunising the over 65 age group has been set at 60% this year.

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths among the over 65s in winter 1999-2000 can be attributed to the influen'a outbreak.

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is not possible to give a precise answer. Even during a major influenza outbreak, it is relatively rare for the underlying cause of death to be classified as influenza because doctors do not often mention influenza on the certificate of cause of death. Pro…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what promotional material will be available to encourage take-up of the flu vaccine by the over 65s this year and how any such material will be made accessible.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Publicity to accompany the flu vaccination programme is currently being considered by Scottish Executive Health Department officials and by the Winter Performance Group, which comprises a range of external professionals and NHS interests. I shall make an anno…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it examines practices elsewhere in Europe in deciding on an appropriate flu vaccine programme for the elderly.

Answer · Susan Deacon: My answer to question S1W-3919 by Duncan Hamilton confirms that the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health which provides advice to the Executive on such matters, holds information on influenza vaccination policies for European countries. <P A…

28 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the shadow Strategic Rail Authority.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I last met the Chief Executive of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority on 26 June.

27 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that alcohol abuse projects which are running successfully do not find their funding at risk after the start-up year, given that for every #1 of central funding, #3 must be sourced elsewhere.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is committed to working with other funders to promote a stable funding environment for the voluntary sector including alcohol misuse projects. The Executive published Good Practice Guidance on funding of voluntary organisations to its D…

27 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much central funding for action against alcohol abuse was made available in each of the last five years to date, in cash and real terms.

Answer · Iain Gray: Funding for tackling alcohol misuse is provided to health boards and local authorities, however the funding is not specifically earmarked for this use and it is up to them to decide how best to meet the needs of their resident population. Details of alcohol s…

27 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote the adoption of workplace policies on alcohol by those public bodies for which it is responsible, given that 25% of accidents at work are alcohol related

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive would expect all employers, including publicly funded bodies, to adopt workplace policies on alcohol. We work closely with key national organisations to ensure good guidance is available.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Health …

27 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive,further to the answer to question S1W-7855 by Henry McLeish on 26 June 2000, how many meetings of the Scottish Utilities Forum have taken place and at how many of those it has been represented.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Utilities Forum has met twice this year, on 21 March and 27 June. The Scottish Executive has been represented at both of these meetings.

27 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive,further to the answer to question S1W-7855 by Henry McLeish on 26 June 2000, whether the Scottish Utilities Forum has any function at UK level in the preparations and negotiations in relation to the application of the climate change levy.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Utilities Forum was established as a means for the Executive and the Scottish Parliament to maintain and develop contact with the utility companies in Scotland. It has no function in relation to the Climate Change Levy, which is a UK taxation mea…

27 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is undertaking to determine what services and educational approach are required in order to combat drinking among Scotland's young people, given that 15% of primary pupils and 75% of secondary pupils drink alcohol at least once per week.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The problems associated with young people's drinking are already well documented and the Executive attaches great importance to tackling the issue. The Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol Misuse is developing a comprehensive new strategy for tackling alcoh…

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committing additional funding to combat alcohol abuse, given the percentage of violent crimes which involve alcohol abuse.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is committed to tackling alcohol misuse and has made an additional £2.5 million available over three years to support national strategic developments.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol Misuse Action Plan and, if so, whether it will place a copy of that response in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Iain Gray: No formal response is available. However, the Scottish Executive has endorsed the Action Plan, and work is already in progress to implement its various strands.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-related deaths there were in 1999 and how many deaths resulted from alcohol abuse, according to the International Classification of Diseases coding, in the same period.

Answer · Iain Gray: There were 340 drug-related deaths and 1,103 alcohol-related deaths in Scotland during 1999.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), drug-related deaths may be coded to a number of categories. Information on a specific grou…

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the current procedure for the suspension of a liquor licence.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans to review the current procedure for the suspension of a liquor licence. The matter of liquor licensing is kept under general review.

26 Jun 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer when a fully searchable database of Scottish parliamentary questions, with the same functionality as is currently available for Westminster parliamentary questions, will be available to MSPs and their staff.

Answer · David Steel: MSPs and their staff can already access a fully searchable database of Scottish parliamentary questions via staff in SPICe. This is currently the House of Commons Library's POLIS database, on to which SPICe staff are indexing Scottish Parliament proceedings. …

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable now is for finalising the boundaries for Regional Selective Assistance and what impact the delay will have on local businesses in Scotland.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Assisted Areas map is a reserved matter for the UK Government.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">This matter is still under consideration by the European Commission and all concerned are seeking an early resolution.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Applications for Regional Selective A…

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4524 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 March 2000, what figures it has for net outward migration from the Scottish Borders for each year from 1996 to date for the age groups 18-30, 31-45, 45-60, and over 60.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Estimates of net migration by age-group for the Scottish Borders consistent with the Registrar General's mid year estimates of population are given in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP">&nb…

12 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is invited to attend meetings between the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Gas Forum in order to ensure that the interests of Scottish business and the Scottish consumer are protected and, if so, whether it will report the progress of any such me…

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has no function in respect to gas production and gas safety. These are reserved matters. However, the Scottish Utilities Forum was formed earlier this year to provide a means for the Executive and the Scottish Parliament to maintain and…

12 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to advise businesses which are likely to be exempt from the Climate Change Levy to apply for licences.

Answer · Henry McLeish: There are no proposals for a system of licences to enable organisations to gain exemption from the Climate Change Levy. To obtain exemption, they will simply need to contract with their suppliers to purchase electricity from qualifying renewable sources, or i…

12 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted on the costs of implementation of the proposed Climate Change Levy to Scotland and whether it will publish these costs.

Answer · Henry McLeish: As a UK taxation measure, the Climate Change Levy is a reserved matter. The UK Government is not able to say with precision what the effects of the levy will be in specific areas, sectors or firms since this will depend upon many factors including take up of …