Parliamentary questions

Irene Oldfather

1,035 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Royal College of Psychiatry regarding prescribing practises in relation to cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the Royal College of Psychiatry (RCP) specifically regarding prescribing practices in relation to Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Memantine. The RCP is engaging with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (…

18 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Royal College of Psychiatry regarding the National Dementia Strategy.

Answer · Shona Robison: Members of the Royal College of Psychiatry were fully involved in the development of the National Dementia Strategy through its working groups and rounds of consultations and are fully involved in its implementation. This includes their involvement in key are…

18 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to issue new guidance in relation to the prescribing of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine following the issue of the preliminary recommendations on these by the Appraisal Committee of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Answer · Shona Robison: The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) consultation on their Appraisal Committee''s preliminary recommendations in relation to the prescribing of cholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil, Galantamine, and Rivastigmine) and Memantine for A…

14 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has used the increase in the de minimis level of state aid since its introduction.

Answer · Jim Mather: The industrial de minimis threshold was increased from ‚¬100,000 to ‚¬200,000 over a three year, rolling fiscal period under EC Regulation No 1998/2007. The Scottish Government has used the increased threshold to provide direct funding to beneficiaries on 60…

14 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it used the accelerated public procurement procedure under the EU procurement directive in 2009 and has used it in 2010.

Answer · John Swinney: The use of accelerated restricted procedures allows public bodies to reduce the overall time allowed for bidders to respond to contract notices and tender documents. Any decision to reduce the timescales for a tendering exercise has to recognise the value and…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the future of the Argyll to Ayrshire Timberlink log shipping service.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Forestry Commission Scotland, which manages the funding of Timberlink, is currently reviewing the situation before making recommendations on future financing. As part of the review process it has commissioned independent studies of the economic and environmen…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with The Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Ltd following the publication of the options appraisal for the clipper ship, HMS Carrick or City of Adelaide.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I met with representatives of The Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Ltd during their recent visit to Scotland to hear about their recent work on the project. The discussions have been very productive, and already significant progress has been made on the technica…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was allocated for childcare for full-time students in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010.

Answer · Keith Brown: The further education childcare allocations for 2009 and 2010 were</strong Academic Year 2009-10: £8,602,703 Academic Year 2010-11: £8,614,747 Part-time further education students are also able to access their colle…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic impact of Homecoming Scotland in (a) Ayrshire and (b) North Ayrshire has been since January 2009.

Answer · Jim Mather: An independent evaluation of the economic impact of Homecoming Scotland 2009 was done by Glasgow-based EKOS Ltd, a leading independent UK consultancy specialising in economic and social development. EKOS concluded that Homecoming Scotland 2009 generated net a…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many apprenticeship placements have been secured in North Ayrshire as a result of the Adopt an Apprentice scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to the member with the information requested.

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be allocated to the safer streets projects in North Ayrshire in December 2010.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I announced on 18 August 2010 that safer streets funding of £400,000 will be made available to support community safety partnerships between November 2010 and March 2011. This brings our investment in safer streets since 2007 to £3.06 million. As…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: The 2010-11 seasonal flu season is the first year in which pregnant women have been eligible for the seasonal flu vaccination. In previous years pregnant women were only eligible for vaccination if they had a clinical risk condition such as chronic heart or l…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: Social care workers are encouraged to receive the seasonal flu vaccine to protect themselves and the vulnerable people they care for. The vaccination of social work staff is the responsibility of individual employers through occupational health services. Data…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: Care home staff are encouraged to receive the seasonal flu vaccine to protect themselves and the vulnerable people they care for from the flu virus. The vaccination of care home staff is the responsibility of employers, who have responsibility for delivery of…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally as seasonal flu vaccination of NHS staff is the responsibility of individual employers. However a study carried out in 2002 suggested that the level of vaccination uptake amongst health workers was around 20% on average.…

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: Vaccination uptake over the past three years for people under the age of 65 in an at-risk group is shown in the following table. For 2007-08 these figures are based on the estimated monthly vaccine uptake returns submitted to Health Protection Scotland (HPS) …

7 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: Seasonal flu vaccination is offered to all people aged 65 or over. Based on information collected by the Practitioner Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland, uptake in Scotland for those aged 65 and over was 74.1% in 2007-08, 76.3% in 2008-09 and…

1 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: In 2009-10, 2.6% of people receiving a direct payment had dementia. Information on clients with dementia was collected for the first time in the 2010 self-directed support (direct payments) survey. In previous surveys, these clients were inc…

1 Oct 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: In 2009-10, 97 people receiving a direct payment had dementia. Information on clients with dementia was collected for the first time in the 2010 self-directed support (direct payments) survey. In previous surveys, these clients were included…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on exercise and nutrition in assisting older people from fracturing hips.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36050 on 27 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busin…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to care homes to help prevent older residents fracturing hips.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government recognises that falls are a major problem for frail older adults living within care homes and that exercise and nutrition is important in fracture prevention. An AHP Consultant has, therefore, been appointed within the Care Commission …

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many older patients required treatment for a hip fracture in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board, and how many were treated within 48 hours of admission to hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of hospital admissions with hip fractures in patients aged 50 or more in Scotland between 2005 and 2009 by NHS board is provided in the following table. In relation to how many patients were treated within 48 hours of admission to hosp…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of older patients with a hip fracture received surgery within 48 hours of hospital admission in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not available centrally. The current waiting time standard is for 98% compliance with the national maximum wait of 24 hours from admission to a specialist unit for hip surgery following fracture, subject to m…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards regarding waiting times for treating older patients with a hip fracture.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has set a waiting time standard that 98% of patients admitted to a specialist unit for hip surgery following a fracture should undergo surgery within 24 hours, subject to the patient''s medical fitness and during safe operating hours. …

1 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in each target group received an influenza A (H1N1) vaccination.

Answer · Shona Robison: The estimated uptake of influenza A (H1N1) vaccination for those under the age of 65 years and in a clinical at-risk group (including pregnant women) is 52.1%. The estimated uptake of vaccine for those aged 65 years and over in a clinical at-risk group is 56.…

1 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many contacts Scottish Development International has had with potential investors in each year since 2005.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Development International (SDI) does not have a record of the number of individual contacts it makes with each potential investor. However, the number of companies which were considered prospective first time inward investors in each year from 2005-0…

1 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inward investors have located in Scotland in each year since 2005.

Answer · Jim Mather: Of the 306 inward investment projects recorded by Scottish Development International between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2010, 98 were new projects from first-time inward investors. They are broken down by year as follows. <table border=1 cellspacing=…

28 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to providing financial assistance to James Watt College to meet the shortfall in bursary payments to students.

Answer · Keith Brown: Funding of individual colleges is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council and not Ministers. I understand that a resolution of the matter which the Member raises has now been achieved.

28 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with James Watt College following the announcement of a shortfall in bursary payments to students.

Answer · Keith Brown: Ministers have been briefed by the College on this issue but have not otherwise been involved in direct discussions.

28 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to providing additional funding to assist the industrial museums to work more closely in partnership

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Museums Think Tank has been considering the benefits of greater collaborative and partnership working between the industrial museums, and across the museums sector. I welcome this approach and look forward to discussing the group''s recommendations later …