Parliamentary questions
Dorothy-Grace Elder
645 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to investigate any environmental and health and safety implications of the Royal Navy's announcement on 8 September 2000 that a "serious reactor problem" had been discovered in the nuclear submarine HMS Sceptre during its current refit at Rosyth.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Operational matters relating to nuclear submarines are a matter for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). I understand, however, that all work on the nuclear reactors and associated systems of nuclear submarines are conducted in accordance with stringent safety rule…
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the contents displayed on, and the design and location of, road and motorway signs to achieve greater safety and clarity, especially in relation to usage by tourists.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The legislation and associated guidance relating to the design, content and location of road and motorway signs is reserved. There are occasions when the Scottish Executive becomes involved in investigations on related issues, usually in its capacity as the t…
31 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated the cost of the collection of the licence fee payable by retail butchers.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that the collection of the £100 fee itself would not incur any significant costs to local authorities. The fee is intended to cover the costs of processing each licence application.
31 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of retail butchers it expects to be fully licensed by the end of December 2000.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that 84% of butchers who have applied for a licence have been approved. With 7% still undetermined, this figure is likely to be higher by the end of December 2000.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is for local authorities to deter…
27 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the response from the Scottish Ambulance Service to A Service for Life by the National Audit Office and whether this response will be made public.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service gave evidence to the Audit Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 7 March 2000. This was one of a number of evidence taking sessions held by the Audit Committee in its consideration of <I>A Service for Li…
27 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died in each of the past five years in Glasgow while (a) waiting for an ambulance and (b) in an ambulance and en-route to a hospital.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The<B> </B>information requested is not held centrally<B>.</B>
27 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the findings of the review by the Scottish Ambulance Service of accident and emergency services.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The review of the accident and emergency services is due to conclude early in 2001. I will then consider the findings and recommendations.
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what precautions are being taken, during the creation of more non-emergency operations centres for ambulances, to ensure that patients are not subject to any delays in treatment as a result of being transferred to another location or hospital in order to receive expert treatment.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer Dorothy-Grace Elder to the answer I gave to question S1W-10605 on 7 November.
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what precautions are being taken, during the creation of more non-emergency operations centres for ambulances, to ensure that patients are not subjected to non-expert diagnosis.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A key element of the Scottish Ambulance Service's Operations Rooms Review is the separation of the Non-Emergency Service control function from the Accident and Emergency function. Non-Emergency Service controls will in future operate from an increased number …
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for members of the public in Glasgow who call an ambulance to their home in an emergency situation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The average response time to an emergency call in Glasgow is 9.9 minutes.
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how old equipment in Glasgow ambulances is on average.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Accident and Emergency ambulances carry consumables, such as drugs and dressings, and equipment. Consumables are replaced as they are used. Equipment is replaced when necessary.
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the minimum required level of equipment is in ambulances in Glasgow and how many Glasgow ambulances meet those requirements in terms of functioning equipment.
Answer · Susan Deacon: All new Accident and Emergency ambulance vehicles are commissioned into service fully equipped to the specification current at the time of procurement. Operational arrangements are in place to maintain the ambulances to the specification standard. There are n…
24 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, following the Health and Community Care Committee's Report on Influen'a Vaccination, what the target is for the vaccination of all vulnerable people, for example asthma sufferers.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scotland-wide target for immunising those aged 65 years is 60% of the age group. This target was agreed with representatives of the BMA in Scotland and is regarded as both achievable and beneficial. For those under 65 years with chronic illnesses such as …
23 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding any damage caused to Scottish manufacturing due to international companies relocating their production centres as a direct result of the level of the pound.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues and ensures that the Scottish perspective is conveyed at all times. The MPC sets interest rates for the UK economy as a whole but it takes into account a wide range of regio…
23 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to prevent international corporations relocating their manufacturing away from Scotland as a result of the level of the pound.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Investment decisions by international companies are influenced by a range of factors of which exchange rate competitiveness is only one. The Executive understands the concerns of businesses, and particularly manufacturers trading with Europe, about the value …
23 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it plans to take to ensure that OKI Data Corporation in Cumbernauld offers maximum support to the 240 full-time and 80 part-time employees who will lose their jobs as a result of the company relocating its production lines.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: OKI (UK) Ltd, with assistance from Locate in Scotland, SE Lanarkshire and the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE), will offer maximum support for those staff who will lose their jobs.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The various partners involved have alread…
20 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what counselling is offered to people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There is no distinction between counselling and other support services offered to people suffering from differing forms of cancer. Referral to the appropriate services would normally be made by medical staff after discussion and agreement with patients.
20 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the research being carried out by Professor Herbie Newell, Professor of Cancer Therapeutics at the Cancer Research Campaign Unit, into the development of a combination of carboplatin and MTA, whether it has any plans to fund independent research in Scotland in this area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist's Office of the Scottish Executive is largely a response mode funder of research and this role is well advertised throughout the medical and academic community. As such, it has no plans to fund research into the development of a combinatio…
20 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by Professor Julian Peto, Senior Epidemiologist at the Cancer Research Institute in London, that there are now more deaths from mesothelioma than cervical cancer, what plans it has to ensure that Scottish hospitals participate in all future clinical trails relate…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive encourages patient entry into clinical trials but has no locus in setting these up.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland's core principles for cancer care, against which cancer services will be assessed, includes …
20 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to liaise with the Medicine Control Agency and the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee to ensure (a) the continuation of the research into solid tumour treatments being conducted by Professor Moira Brown of Glasgow University and (b) that a phase one trial for encolytic viru…
Answer · Susan Deacon: None. However, the Scottish Executive continues to be informed, and to have the opportunity to comment if it so wishes, about the work of the Medicine Control Agency and the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee, both of which are non-devolved bodies whose work inc…
20 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in (a) the Greater Glasgow Health Board area and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Figures for the period 1993 - 1997 (the most recent year for which completed information is available) are as follows: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="76%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><FONT…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address any increase in the number of violent attacks against Scottish NHS workers as reported by UNISON.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Occupational Health Strategy for NHS in Scotland staff made clear that employers must risk-assess all tasks and activities and develop local policies based on risk, aimed at reducing violent incidents in the workplace. Policies could include measures such…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by hospital of all settlements, in or out of court, which have been made further to legal action being taken against hospitals in the Greater Glasgow Health Board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The following tables provide details of settled medical negligence claims for the Trusts in the Glasgow area for 1994-95 - 1998-99 (pre-Trust reconfiguration) and for the period 1999-2000.<P>Pre- Trust Reconfiguration 1994-95 - 1998-99<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACIN…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ensure that the National Gallery of Scotland retains the loans of works of art currently belonging to the estate of the Duke of Sutherland.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The future of the paintings on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland is entirely a matter for the heirs of the late Duke of Sutherland.
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many private care homes for the elderly currently exist in (a) Greater Glasgow Health Board area and (b) the rest of Scotland.
Answer · Iain Gray: The following table details the number of private nursing homes and private residential care homes for older people as at 31 March 1999.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement on 3 October 2000 by the Financial Services Agency, whether it has any plans to address any economic difficulties faced by homeowners who have been sold endowment mortgages which on maturity will fail to pay the outstanding loan.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Responsibility for the regulation of the mortgage market is a reserved matter, but I understand that the Financial Services Agency is issuing a new consumer factsheet, explaining how endowment holders should take up any complaints with the firm which sold the…
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it plans to make to the concerns raised in the report of 3 October 2000 on the Glasgow housing stock transfer for Glasgow City Council regarding a possible increase in bureaucracy and potential risk for deprived people and pensioners.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Policy on housing benefit is a reserved matter which is the responsibility of DSS.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">CoSLA wrote to the DSS in April about the implications for a possible stock transfer in Glasgow of the requirement, in certain circumstances, to refer rent in…
5 Oct 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer why 4,000 square metres of corridors have been added to the plans for the Holyrood building and for what purpose this additional space will be used.
Answer · David Steel: The architects advised Project Management in August 1999 that the gross area of the building was 4,000m<SUP>2</SUP> greater than had been advised previously. An explanation was requested for this, and initial indicators were that the area was largely in plant…
5 Oct 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer how much will be spent on bomb-proofing the new Parliament building.
Answer · David Steel: I understand from the Convenor of the HPG that bomb-proofing requires increased performance standards for construction methods used on the new Parliament building, and for materials which must be typically stronger, thicker, or denser than for standard uses. …
4 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate concerns about the lack of availability of a transcript of proceedings in the forthcoming hearing in relation to the Lord Advocate's reference made in respect of the Trident case ruling by Sheriff Gimblett in October 1999.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The extent to which the proceedings should be transcribed has been considered by the High Court of Justiciary on three occasions. The transcripts which are available are those ordered by that Court and which it considers necessary for its consideration of the…