Parliamentary questions
Helen Eadie
919 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what statistics it collects on (a) demographic, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment information held at prosthetics service centres.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not collected centrally.
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average caseload is for health visitors dealing with under-fives.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not collected by the Scottish Government at this time, however the community nursing workload measurement tool will be able to supply indicative information by spring 2013.
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided for research into myasthenia gravis in each year since 1999 and what information it has about funding by the UK Government in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government funds medical research through the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) which has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and healthcare needs in Scotland. CSO has not directly funded any research into myasthenia gra…
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce methadone abuse and how many deaths have been attributed to methadone overdose in (a) Edinburgh and (b) Scotland in each year since 2000.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s national drugs strategy The Road to Recovery is clear that methadone is only one component in a package of care, treatment and recovery that can be offered to individuals to help them recover from problem drug use. To prevent abuses…
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is in Fife for treatment for ovarian cancer.
Answer · Alex Neil: The latest official statistics published by NHS Information Services Division (ISD) for Quarter 2 (April - June) of 2012, show that the median waiting time to treatment for patients with ovarian cancer included in the 62 day cancer access standard, is 45 days…
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the NHS expenditure was per person in (a) Fife and (b) Scotland in 2010-11.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS expenditure per person by the Fife Health Board in 2010-11 was £1,635. The average spend by territorial health boards across Scotland was £1,759 per person.
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many cochlear implant procedures have been carried out for (a) adults and (b) children in each year since 2000.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The following table shows the number of cochlear implant procedures that have been carried out for (a) adults and (b) children in each financial year since 2000-01. Number of cochlear implant procedures performed in Scottish hospitals. Adults and Children - …
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether EU nationals resident in Scotland who are in receipt of a pension and whose healthcare costs could be paid for by their home country under regulation (EC)883/2004 are required to show a European Health Insurance Card and have the information recorded when registering with a GP.
Answer · Alex Neil: The European Health Insurance Card entitles people who are ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area and Switzerland to access state provided healthcare that is necessary in the event of illness or accident during short term visits to Scotland, for ex…
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is using a number of methods to raise the public’s awareness of screening programmes (for bowel, breast and cervical) and the early signs and symptoms of cancer to encourage people to seek help earlier. The early detection of cancers i…
9 Nov 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people convicted of murder in each year since 1990 had received specialist mental health care services in the 12 months prior to their conviction.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what body is responsible for granting fish farms that are located at least three nautical miles off-shore the authority to discharge waste and chemicals.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Under Part IV of The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, Marine Scotland is the body responsible for granting fish farms that are located at least three nautical miles off-shore the authority to discharge waste and chemicals.
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what sites have been given planning permission to be developed under the Town and Country Planning (Marine Fish Farms Development) Order 2011, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Town and Country Planning (Marine Fish Farms Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 2011 does not give sites planning permission to be developed. It grants planning permission for the operation of existing marine fish farms in the areas specified in the …
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what economic impact assessment has been made of the proposals in the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill is published on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/11/6007.
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is developing protected sites for eel and implementing eel management plans.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Historically, Scotland had limited commercial eel fisheries and some low-level recreational fisheries. As a measure to conserve the species, Scotland’s Eel Management Plan includes the prohibition of eel fishing throughout Scotland except under licence; this …
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to production initiatives in salmon farming that offer environmental benefits.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Support is available under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) to production initiatives in salmon farming that offer environmental benefits. The European Fisheries Fund is a 7 year programme which provides support to the sea fishers, processing and aquacultur…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that there is a link between an increase of sea-lice in wild fish stock and fish farms and the decline of wild salmon and, if so, what evidence it has to support this.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government considers the evidence of a link between sea-lice in wild fish stocks and fish farms and the decline of wild salmon is not proven.
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many salmon have escaped from fish farms and bred with wild salmon since 1999.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Reported escapes from fish farms in Scotland are published on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/18364/18692/escapeStatistics. The Scottish Government holds no information on how many escaped farm fis…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many salmon have returned to Scottish waters in each year since 1999; what information it has on returns from 1952 to 1998 and whether there has been a reduction since 1952.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Returns of salmon to Scottish waters are estimated annually by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) as part of its assessment of salmon stocks in the North Atlantic. Returns are estimated from reported catch, adjusted to take accou…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what independent research it has commissioned since 2004 on the environmental impact of finfish farms.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government have commissioned the following independent research projects since 2004 relating either directly or indirectly to aquaculture. Project Title Date Project Start Date Project End Development of high level indicators to assess deliv…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much income has been generated by aquaculture and (a) salmon and (b) freshwater fisheries in each of the last eight years, also broken down by exports.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The estimated farm gate value for Scottish aquaculture since 2000 is shown in the following table. Scottish Government does not collect data on sale of freshwater fisheries, beyond that contained in the following table: Scottish aquaculture, farmgate product…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will act as an arms-length independent regulator of the proposed farm management areas.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Government has no plans for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to act as an arms-length regulator of farm management areas.
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received advice that synchronised sea-lice treatments by fish farms might lead to resistance and what scientific investigations it has carried out on the impact of the practice.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Government has not received advice that synchronisation of sea-lice treatments by fish farms might lead to resistance, and has not carried out scientific investigations on the impact of the practice.
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether Chilean salmon is being dumped on fish markets and any impact of this on the economy.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: While Chilean production of farmed salmon would appear to have returned to levels seen prior to its near collapse 2-3 years ago, and production costs are lower than in Scotland and Norway, at this time the Scottish Government has no information on whether sal…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will convene a summit of salmon producers to exchange information on the challenges and opportunities for the industry.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government’s Ministerial Group on Aquaculture (MGA) meets regularly to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the aquaculture industry, and to undertake programmes of work to overcome these challenges and deliver these opportunities. Thi…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it has given to the salmon industry since 2007.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Government has a policy and regulatory framework in place to support the sustainable economic growth of the Scottish aquaculture industry including farmed Atlantic salmon. This was set out in A Fresh Start - the renewed Strategic Framework for Scotti…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding salmon production with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has not held discussions with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations regarding salmon production. The Scottish Government is aware that the FAO has stated the importance of aquaculture in feeding a growing world p…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to negotiate an international treaty on salmon fishing with specific product quality and environmental mandates.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scotland, as part of the European Union, is already a signatory to the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic and is an active member of its implementation through the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO).
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with all stakeholders to address the concern that salmon stocks are far below their conservation levels and to develop stock rebuilding programmes.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: In Scotland we do not currently have established conservation limits, nor corresponding estimates of spawning escapement, to manage salmon stocks. We currently do, and will continue to work with appropriate stakeholders to address concerns across a broad rang…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it attended the summit, Salmon at Sea: Scientific Advances and their Implications for Management, in October 2011 and, if so, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre any report that it received from the summit.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Yes. The Scottish Government, through representation by Marine Scotland, was in attendance at the International Symposium on Salmon at Sea. The report of the summit was published in November 2012 as part of the International Council for the Exploration of the…
30 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has made of the SALSEA-Merge Project.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The SALSEA-Merge Project represents the European contribution to the wider international SALSEA project and was funded by the North Atlantic Conservation Organisation (NASCO). The outputs from the project will support both our work in the rivers within Scotla…