Parliamentary questions
Helen Eadie
919 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Forsteo (teriparatide) for the treatment of severe osteoporosis is now uniformly available across each NHS board area, in light of its announcement that unique category drugs recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) will be made available uniformly across Scotland wi…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are expected totake account of advice from the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and ensurethat recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need. Inthe case of Forsteo (teriparatide), the SMC has advised that it “is accept…
28 Apr 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making with its cancer strategy.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are remaining challengesto address but implementation of the cancer strategy is making good progress with£25 million recurrent investment in equipment, staffing and new ways of workingto improve services for patients.</p>
26 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to examine the long-term sustainability of health services in Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The White Paper, <i>Partnershipfor Care</i>, discussed the importance of partnership, integration and redesignin the health service in Scotland. It emphasised the need for sustainable specialist servicesallied to a wider range of services provided in communit…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it attaches to Scotland's coast and seas and what steps it is taking to develop a more coherent approach to the sustainable management of Scotland's marine environment.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive istaking a strong lead in setting a vision for Scotland’s marine environment andidentifying how best to deliver the sustainable development of our valuablemarine resources. </p><p>Scotland has a marine environment to be proud of. Our ma…
14 Apr 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met COSLA to discuss the work of district courts.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Scottish Executive Justice Department officials last met with COSLA on 22 June to discuss the work of district courts.</p>
14 Apr 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the MTV awards in Edinburgh, what action it is taking to promote Scotland as a host nation for other international cultural events.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Our visionis for Scotland to become one of the world’sforemost events destinations by 2015. We established EventScotland in May 2003to do this by taking forward our major events strategy, Competing on aninternational stage. EventScotland offers financial supp…
24 Mar 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent announcement by the Home Secretary that additional funding will be made available to the police to tackle terrorism, whether Scottish police forces will receive any additional funding.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Just as theHome Secretary has increased funding for police forces, to tackle terrorism, wehave also provided additional funding to Scottish forces in recent years.</p>
11 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated total cost is of the Holyrood Inquiry.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2F-170 on 11 September 2003 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search">http://www.scottish.parliament.…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the 33rd report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Doctors and DentistsReview Body (DDRB) have today published their 33rd report of the Review Body onDoctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration. I am grateful to the chairman and membersof the review body for their hard work.</p><p>This year’s report dealsprimaril…
27 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to resolve any anomalies in the implementation of the Data Protection Act 1998 that prevent professionals, volunteers and members of the public from performing their normal roles, with particular reference to prevention of lay members of the church from undertaki…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Implementation of the Data ProtectionAct 1998 is the responsibility of each individual NHSScotland organisation. Allstaff, students, volunteers, and contractors must endeavour to meet the standardsoutlined in the <i>NHSScotland Code of Practice on Protecting …
22 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to establish the ex-gratia payment scheme for people with Hepatitis C through blood and blood products.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We have announced today thatthe <i>ex-gratia</i> payments will be administered through a UK-wide schemewhich will operate on the same basis as the Scottish scheme previouslyannounced. A copy of the full press release has been posted to each MSP andalso placed…
14 Jan 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of skin cancer have been treated by the photodynamic therapy unit at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, and what percentage of those cases has been treated successfully.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This is amatter for NHS Tayside as the information requested is not held centrally.</p>
12 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on Care Commission fee levels for 2004-05.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive is todayissuing a consultation paper on Care Commission fee levels for 2004-05. It isbeing sent to a large number of interested parties, including local authoritiesand care providers.</p><p>The financial memorandum tothe Regulation of Care (Scot…
21 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all services dealing with vulnerable and at risk children are working in co-operation with each other to avoid such children falling through the net of support.
Answer · Peter Peacock: In line with therecommendations in the <i>For</i><b> </b><i>Scotland’s Children</i> report, weare working with agencies to ensure better co-ordination across all servicesfor children and young people, in particular for those who are vulnerable ordisadvantaged…
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many conferences have been organised by Scottish Enterprise to promote freight transport from Rosyth to Zeebrugge and vice versa.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Enterprise.</p>
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on promoting to local education authorities and head teachers use of the Rosyth to Zeebruge Ferry for school trips.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The promotion of the Rosythto Zeebrugge link is a matter for Superfast Ferries.</p><p>Education authorities andschools involved in arrangements for school trips abroad will take a wide rangeof factors into account in considering routes and mode of travel.</p>
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Scottish Enterprise concerning the promotion of return freight business from mainland Europe to Scotland.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I am not aware of anyrepresentations made to the Scottish Executive by Scottish Enterprise onreturn freight business from Europe to Scotland.</p>
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many community councils have appealed to the Court of Session against local planning decisions in each of the last five years.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: We do not hold the informationyou have requested on appeals by community councils. The publication <i>Civil JudicialStatistics Scotland</i> (link to the latest edition of this publication <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/cjst-00.asp">http:/…
8 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the establishment of a task force to review advertising and recruitment of staff in the NHS, having regard to any relevant EU directives.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A short-life working group wasset up in December 2002 by the Executive following the publication of <i>Workingfor Health – the Workforce Development Action Plan</i>. The outcome from this group’swork was a mapping exercise of careers, recruitment and retentio…
10 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether VisitScotland holds joint strategy discussions with ScotRail to secure maximum capacity on trains for tourists travelling with bicycles to top tourist areas.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no locus over meetings held between VisitScotland and ScotRail. However, in recognition of the benefits of integrating cycling with rail travel, I understand that VisitScotland works to influence transport providers to become more b…
10 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether tourists travelling with bicycles on trains are provided with appropriate paperwork to confirm travel arrangements.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for the train operating companies.
10 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a national system for booking bicycles onto trains as part of the tourism strategy and, if so, whether the system is well co-ordinated with any local systems.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I understand that there is no national system for booking bicycles onto trains as part of the tourism strategy. However, in Scotland ScotRail operate a booking system for bicycles through a telesales subsidiary of its parent company National Express Group.
7 Jul 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff, and staff of the former Scottish Office, worked on early education and childcare policy issues in (a) 1997, (b) 1999, (c) 2001, (d) 2002 and (e) 2003 to date.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Exact numbers of staff who have worked on early education and childcare policy issues are not available. It is, however, possible to provide the number of staff who have worked in the division of that name since its inception in 2000.<P>The information is giv…
27 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many after-school care clubs have been established in the (a) Fife Council area and (b) (i) Dunfermline East, (ii) Dunfermline West, (iii) North East Fife, (iv) Kirkcaldy and (v) Central Fife constituency under the New Opportunities Fund.
Answer · Euan Robson: The New Opportunities Fund does not hold this information, as its Out of School Hours Childcare programme was aimed specifically at the creation of new child care places and not the creation of new child care clubs. The total number of places created to date …
11 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to build a 400-megawatt natural gas-fired generating station at Westfield in Fife.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I can announce that the Scottish ministers have granted consent on this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Additionally this consent carries deemed planning permission in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
11 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what strategic planning is taking place on co-ordinating public transport access to hospitals.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is primarily a matter for the National Health Service, along with local authorities and local public transport operators. The Scottish Executive expects NHS boards and local authorities in Scotland to take account of national frameworks on green transpor…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to communicate information on the European Year of Disabled People 2003 to disability groups that were not represented on the Scottish Steering Group for the European Year of Disabled People.
Answer · Des McNulty: A national newspaper supplement about the European Year of Disabled People was published on 23 January. Information about the year is also available on the Scottish Executive's website at <A HREF="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/eydp">www.scotland.gov.uk/eydp</A>.…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what autism groups have been allocated funds as part of the European Year of Disabled People 2003.
Answer · Des McNulty: The funding programme for the European Year of Disabled People 2003 is a UK programme run by the Department for Work and Pensions and funded by the European Commission and the UK Government. There were no autism groups among the 22 organisations in Scotland w…
6 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult the Scottish Society for Autism, the National Autistic Society and other autism groups regarding the European Year of Disabled People 2003.
Answer · Des McNulty: Representatives from the disability sector have been fully involved in developing proposals to mark the European Year of Disabled People in Scotland. A steering group of disability organisations and others with an interest was established during 2002 and has …
27 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, at times of congestion at the ticket office in Glasgow Queen Street Station, passengers may buy tickets for the rail service to stations in Fife on the train and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is an operational matter for ScotRail.