Christine Grahame

22 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of antisocial behaviour orders granted to local authorities have been breached in each year since 1999.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Tentative data on breaches of antisocial behaviour orders granted in local authority areas is available for 2003-04. During this period, 213 orders were in force and 144 (67%) were allegedly breached during the year. However, the independent researchers who c…

22 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what visits were made by each minister and deputy minister between (a) 22 March and 5 May 2003 and (b) 22 March and 5 May 2004 and what visits are scheduled to take place between 22 March and 5 May 2005, stating in each case the (i) name of the minister and (ii) purpose and place of visi…

Answer · Tom McCabe: I have placed the information on visits carried out by Scottish ministers between 22 March and 5 May 2003 and between 22 March and 5 May 2004 in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 36567). During these periods, Scottish ministers also attended Parl…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many records of need were opened in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002, (d) 2003 and (e) 2004, in total and broken down by local authority.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The number of Record of Needs opened in 2000-05 in total and broken down by local authority is not held centrally.</p> <p>However, we do collect statistics within the school census on the numbers of Records of Needs which exist currently within each local aut…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent salaried GPs were required to provide the service level previously provided by GPs who have since opted out of out-of-hours provision under the new contractual arrangements for GPs in each year since the arrangements were established, in total and broken down…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information to support an answer to this question is not held centrally.</p>

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what protocols exist in respect of clinicians' and carers' assessments of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Clinicians have access to standard diagnostic criteria and a multitude of assessment tools for the diagnosis of dementia. These include consideration of intellectual and behavioural functions. Updated best practice clinical guidelines on dementia will be publ…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been commissioned to identify people who might benefit from (a) donepezil, (b) rivastigmine, (c) galantamine and (d) memantine.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine are licensed for the treatment of mild to moderately severe dementia in Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>In 2001, the then Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) (now part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland), commented…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns of Alzheimer Scotland regarding National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations anent the continued use of donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and, if so, how it will respond to these concern…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive is aware of the concerns expressed by Alzheimer Scotland about the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) preliminary recommendations on the use of donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's dis…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses have been submitted to the review of community hospitals and from whom such responses were received.

Answer · Andy Kerr: A total of 37 completed and unique replies were received to the Executive’s questionnaire on the current and future role of community hospitals. Replies were received from the following organisations:</p> <p>NHS Borders</p><p>NHS Grampian</p><p>NHS Highland</…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of community hospitals will be concluded.

Answer · Andy Kerr: It is planned that a draft strategy on the future of community hospitals will be circulated for consultation during Summer 2005. The final version will be available in April 2006.</p>

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13509 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 February 2005, how many, and what percentage of, calls to NHS 24 failed the call back target for (a) priority one and (b) priority two calls in each year since the establishment of NHS 24, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: At all times, all clinically urgent calls are dealt with immediately by NHS 24 nurse advisers. During peak times, less clinically urgent calls are prioritised and receive a call back by a nurse adviser within a specific timescale. All callers who are categori…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17332 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 August 2001, how many salaried GPs there were in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15090 on 17 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any complaints regarding the operation of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, in particular with regard to mixed wards and attendant lack of privacy.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is committed to eliminating mixed sex wards in all NHS hospitals, and very good progress has been made. All NHS hospital wards in Scotland comply with current guidelines, with the exception of certain areas within the Royal Edinburgh Ho…

11 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6083 by Susan Deacon on 26 April 2000, how many deaths as a result of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy there have been in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested is given in the table.</p> <p>Deaths from Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy ¹, Scotland, 1999-2004</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=right>1999</p></td> <td>…

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider reopening applications for the additional support needs advocacy services scheme, given that the deadline for applications was 6 December 2004 and the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 has not yet come into force.

Answer · Euan Robson: Consideration of applications under the one-year additional support needs advocacy pilots scheme is now complete. Successful applicants have been informed and the exercise will not be reopened. For details of these organisations and awards, I refer the member…

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations applied for funding under the additional support needs advocacy services scheme; which were successful, and how much was awarded to each successful organisation.

Answer · Euan Robson: Seven organisations applied for funding under the one-year (2005-06) additional support needs advocacy pilots scheme. The five successful organisations are Children in Scotland (£129,881), Edinburgh Youth Social Inclusion Partnership (£36,000), Partners in Ad…

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the position is in respect of funding for the additional support needs advocacy services scheme pending the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 coming into force.

Answer · Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-15099 and S2W-15100 on 22 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p><ahref="http://www.scottis…

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 will come into force.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is anticipated that the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 will be commenced in late 2005.</p>

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25670 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 May 2002, how much public funding Enquire received in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05 and how much it is projected to receive in future.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Enquire received (a) £254,421 in 2002-03; (b) £321,963 in 2003-04, and (c) will have received £367,361 between April 2004 and March 2005. The agreed grant for 2005-06 is £326, 951. No decisions have been taken on funding beyond 2005-06.</p>

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25669 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 May 2002, how many enquiries have been received by Enquire in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Enquire received (a) 2,516 enquiries in 2002-03; (b) 3,064 enquiries in 2003-04, and (c) 2,291 enquiries between April 2004 and January 2005 (figures for February to March 2005 are not yet available).</p>

9 Mar 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform has received from Scottish Borders Council regarding additional funding to improve the road network.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Finance ministershave not received any direct representations from Scottish Borders Council regardingthe funding of the road network but the Executive has increased provision for RoadsMaintenance by £60 million in the local government finance settlements for …

8 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17332 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 August 2001, how many salaried GPs there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The following table shows the number of salaried GPs in General Medical Services (GMS) practices at April in each of the years 1999-2004, and also salaried GPs in Personal Medical Services (PMS) practices in April 2003 and 2004.  </p><p>Salaried GPs at April<…

8 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what complaints have been received regarding the standard of service cover and delivery since the introduction of NHS 24 to the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Borders and NHS Dumfries and Galloway are responsible for providing family practitioner service out of hours within their board areas, with support from NHS 24, which triages calls to ensure that patients receive the care appropriate to their needs. As a …

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30484 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002, how many guardianships have been (a) applied for and (b) awarded under vulnerable adults' procedures in each year since 2002-03, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Figures provided by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), indicate that the number of guardianship orders (a) applied for and (b) awarded under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 for each year since 2002-03, broken down by local authority are a…

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30485 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 29 October 2002, whether it now has information on how many vulnerable adults are currently awaiting referral to a social worker, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: There is no statutory or operational requirement for the Executive to collect such information, and we have no plans to seek it from local authorities. </p><p>However, in light of the findings of the SWSI and Mental Welfare Commission investigations into the …

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what data collection procedures it has in place to track the number of assaults on vulnerable adults.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not collected centrally.</p>

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what extra-parliamentary representations it has received regarding progress on a Vulnerable Adults Bill.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: To date, extra-parliamentary representations regarding progress on a Vulnerable Adults Bill have been received from a range of organisations and individuals, and as a result of the Help the Aged’s New Years Resolution campaign. </p><p>We will take all such re…

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29715 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 October 2002, whether it now collates cases of elder abuse centrally and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: There is no precise legal definition in Scots law on what constitutes elder abuse, nor is there a statutory or operational requirement for the Executive to collect such information.</p><p>In developing our proposals for additional protections for vulnerable a…

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the claim by Citizens Advice Scotland that 79% of forms issued by the Department for Work and Pensions as a consequence of the reorganisation of job centres refer clients to their local citizens advice bureau and increased pressure on bureaux, what additional funding the Exec…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is aware of the excellent work done by Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland. Core funding for Citizens Advice Bureaux is a matter for local authorities, who are best placed to decide on the allocation of resources according to the ne…

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the introduction of a tenancy deposit scheme to provide protection to tenants from landlords where there is a dispute, giving both parties access to redress to ensure that tenants of private landlords are able to retrieve deposits without recourse to court action.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are various possible models for tenancy deposit schemes and we are examining their merits before considering the form of such a scheme in Scotland.</p>

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14474 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 March 2005, why giving the police costs requested could compromise the security of the royal family.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: To disclose the additional costs of a police operation would divulge the extent of that operation and enable those, who might wish at a future date tointimidate or cause harm to members of the Royal Family, to work out the degreeof security and protection pro…