Parliamentary questions

Dorothy-Grace Elder

645 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether cost or quality will be the principal factor in assessing tenders for the general medical practice for the Scottish Prison Service.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:Both cost and quality will be factors.

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage difference is between the rates of remuneration for doctors practising in the Scottish Prison Service and NHS general practitioners and why there is a difference in rates of remuneration for these two groups of doctors.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a matter for the Scottish Prison Service who say that the remuneration of Prison Medical Officers in Scotland compares favourably with that of NHS General Practitioners.

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the review of medical services in the Scottish Prison Service which was carried out over the summer of 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows;The Scottish Prison Service does not intend to publish their review, as it is an internal management document containing comme…

28 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the advertisement to provide general medical practitioner services for the Scottish Prison Service was not placed in both the British Medical Journal (BMJ) General Practice edition and the BMJ Clinical Research edition.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:There was no requirement to advertise for this service and the SPS chose to do so only to stimulate interest from potential bid…

15 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with other bodies or organisations in relation to the effect on local shops of the proposed bus corridors in Shettleston, Glasgow and elsewhere.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: None. As I said in reply to Ms Sandra White's question on 24 February this is a matter for the Council as local roads authority.

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding any potential damage to the environment and wildlife of the Cape Wrath area from recent bombing exercises by foreign navies and, if so, when it will make such representations and whether it will make details of suc…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Ms Elder to the answer I gave her on Thursday 16 March (Official report, column 788). The Scottish Executive does not intend to make any such representations to Her Majesty's Government.

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite appropriate agencies to monitor and report on any sea and land pollution following the shelling of the Cape Wrath environment by the US Navy and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to seek compensation from the United States Government, …

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Ms Elder to the answer I gave her on Thursday 16 March (Official Report, column 788). The Scottish Executive does not intend to make any such representations to Her Majesty's Government.

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many small shops have closed in each of the last 20 years.

Answer · Henry McLeish: It is not possible to provide information on the number of small shop closures specifically, as these data are not collected. The best official guide to the pattern of business closures are VAT de-registrations data. These provide an annual assessment of the …

10 Mar 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what is the current estimated budget for the purchase of artwork within the new Parliament building.

Answer · David Steel: There is currently no specific budget for the purchase of artwork. Newspaper reports that we had cancelled a £700,000 arts programme are false. No such programme had been considered. Art is integral to the architecture and design of the Holyrood building and …

10 Mar 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will consider holding a schools competition and using the artwork of children from schools throughout Scotland for the new Parliament building in order to encourage child art and to provide artwork without great cost.

Answer · David Steel: I have passed this suggestion to the client side who will arrange for it to be considered by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body at an appropriate stage.Last October I unveiled the site hoarding decorated with artwork by Primary 6 chi…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-1265 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 March 2000, whether it will indicate the total cost of the police presence at the Faslane Nuclear Base on 14 February 2000.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Strathclyde Police have estimated the cost of policing the anti-nuclear demonstration at Faslane on 14 February at £34,000.

7 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government requesting that representatives of the Scottish fishing fleet be kept fully informed about the investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Board into the sinking of the Solway Harvester and, in particular, that copies…

Answer · John Home Robertson: SERAD officials are keeping in touch on the sinking with DETR officials, who have been advised of this interest.I understand MAIB are subject to regulations which govern the conduct of investigations and the release of information. However,…

6 Mar 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what environmental and agricultural damage, if any, was caused by US Navy Ships shelling the Cape Wrath coast last week.

Answer · Donald Dewar: The Ministry of Defence land at Cape Wrath is used by all NATO forces and has been in use as a bombing range since at least 1933. I understand from the Ministry of Defence that the use of the range by US Navy ships last weekend was part of the normal activity…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4117 by Susan Deacon on 15 February 2000, whether it will specify the exact number of prostitutes in Glasgow who inject drugs and are HIV positive.

Answer · Iain Gray: Since women are not required to identify themselves as prostitutes, precise information is not available.

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3820 by Sarah Boyack on 16 February 2000, whether, if the pilot projects using relatively inexpensive engineering measures show such measures to be ineffective, it will consider funding more expensive measures designed to reduce road deaths.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides local authorities with a block allocation for expenditure on a number of services. It is for each council to consider the priority to be given to the installation of traffic-calmed 20mph zones, in terms of all the services for …

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3820 by Sarah Boyack on 16 February 2000, which local authorities are currently implementing pilot projects evaluating the effectiveness of 20 mph pilot schemes not including expensive engineering measures and whether it will place this information i…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Ms Elder to the reply I gave her to questions S1W-4975 and S1W-3820.

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The local authorities listed below have implemented pilot 20 mph schemes. These are being evaluated by the Scottish Executive.Aberdeen City CouncilAberdeenshire CouncilArgyll & Bute Council<P ALIGN=…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4204 by Jackie Baillie on 18 February 2000, what specific measures it intends to take in order to improve service provision for the victims of domestic abuse; what total new investment is being committed to this area; how many new phone lines will be…

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The terms of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund provide for expenditure of £8 million over two years for projects which will improve service provision for women suffering domestic abuse. I expect to announce details by the end of March of how the mon…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4251 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, when the group announced in Learning Together will convene; what matters other than support for the newly qualified nurses this group will consider, and how the group's findings, conclusions and recommendatio…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The working group on nurses' careers is scheduled to be convened this year and will consider all aspects of the nursing career structure including:<DIR><DIR>the implementation of nurse consultant posts across the NHS in Scotland, taking acc…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4249 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, whether it intends to start gathering information on the costs of filing vacant nursing posts centrally and, if not, why not.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We have no plans to require Trusts to identify and report the average cost of advertising, recruiting and providing induction training per newly-recruited nurse. The cost of gathering such information in isolation would be prohibitive and would certainly be d…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4249 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, whether it will provide an address and contact details, for the relevant department of each health board and NHS Trust, where details of the costs involved in filling vacant nursing posts may be obtained.

Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally in the detail required. The names and addresses of all health boards, Special health boards and NHS Trusts are available on the Scottish Health on the Web (SHOW) site at www.show.scot.uk.

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4248 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what issues other than nursing staffing will be investigated in the Chief Medical Officer's study; when the study will be completed, and when the results will be made available to the Parliament.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The group will look at various aspects of the administration and professional management of ITUs and HDUs throughout Scotland and will pay particular attention to:<UL><LI>The appropriate use of ITU and HDU;</LI><LI…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4248 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, when the Chief Medical Officer will commence his study into the capacity and flexibility of high dependency and intensive care provision.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Work on the study has now begun.

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4247 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, whether it will provide an address and contact details, for each health board, where details of the number of registered nurses who left the profession in each of the last four years may be obtained.

Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally in the detail required. The names and addresses of all health boards are available on the Scottish Health on the Web (SHOW) site at www.show.scot.uk.

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4246 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what measures are being taken to encourage trained nurses and midwives who have left the NHS to return to their jobs and to specify how many nurses have (a) left the NHS and (b) returned to work in the NHS, i…

Answer · Susan Deacon: Recruitment of staff in the NHS in Scotland is essentially a matter for local health board and NHS Trust managers. Initiatives at local level such as return to practice courses and flexible salary arrangements have been successful in encouraging trained nurse…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4245 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what specific measures are used by health boards to ensure that nursing agency staff are qualified in the speciality to which they are assigned.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Nursing Agencies are currently licensed to operate by the Nursing Home Registration and Inspection Unit of health boards.While detailed operational procedures differ for each health board, all boards require nursing agencies to ensure that …

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4244 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what specific steps it is taking in conjunction the Scottish Partnership Forum and NHS Trusts in order to ensure that further improvements are made in relation in the use of bank and agency nurses.

Answer · Susan Deacon: All Trusts should currently be reviewing their practices concerning the employment of bank and agency nurses and be taking steps to ensure their policies and practices are in accord with the Accounts Commission Report. The Scottish Partnership Forum (SPF) has…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4244 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what practices are in the process of being introduced by those NHS Trusts responsible for the heaviest use of bank and agency nurses in order to reduce such usage.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The heavier users of bank and agency nurses are adopting practices which ensure authorisation for requests for such nurses is considered and made at senior nurse level. They are also seeking to recruit to unfilled posts on a permanent basis, rather than use b…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4244 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, by how much it intends to reduce the use of bank and agency nurses in the NHS.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I fully expect NHS in Scotland Trusts to review locally their current practices and procedures on bank and agency nurses and to follow the recommendations for the appropriate use of bank and agency nurses set out in the Accounts Commission report.

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2386 by Susan Deacon on 30 November 1999, whether it will specify the number of people who suffer from multiple sclerosis and have received beta interferon treatment in each of the past four years.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer Ms Elder to my answer to her question S1W-2734.