Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it publishes statistics in relation to licences granted under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Work to gather statistics in relation to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 is currently being undertaken and will be published in due course.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under section 7 of the Alcohol (Scotland) Act 2010, mandatory conditions on premises licenses will apply to all licensed premises on the date the conditions come into force or when individual licences are renewed.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The view of the Scottish Government is that conditions will apply on the date the conditions come into force although ministers could choose to commence a particular condition in such a way that it applied only to licences granted after a specified date.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the implementation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has asked NHS Health Scotland to lead on monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact of current alcohol strategy in Scotland. A study specifically on implementation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 was started in Januar…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will commence section 2 of the Alcohol (Scotland) Act 2010, and the requirement not to sell alcoholic drinks in multiples, where the unit cost is less expensive than purchasing the drinks individually.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Section two of the Alcohol etc (Scotland) Act 2010 will be commenced in full on 1 October 2011.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that local authorities should be responsible for the distribution of local welfare assistance grants.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We are currently consulting on the successor arrangements for community care grants and crisis loans. We will make decisions on future arrangements, including the delivery of those, in the light of the responses.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of local welfare assistance grants will be (a) based on a fixed financial allocation or (b) demand led.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We are currently consulting on the successor arrangements for community care grants and crisis loans. We will make decisions on future arrangements, including the allocation of funding, in the light of the responses.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for local welfare assistance grants and what proportion will be allocated for administration.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We are currently consulting on the successor arrangements for community care grants and crisis loans. We will make decisions on future arrangements, including the allocation of funding, in the light of the responses.
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people claimed community care grants and crisis loans in 2009-10; how many of these claims were successful and how much this cost.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Information on the numbers of applications and awards and total spend for community care grants and crisis loans for Scotland in 2009-10 is published in Annex C, Table 1 of Local support to replace Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans for living expenses in…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held discussions with (a) the UK Government, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) COSLA on the localisation of community care grants and crisis loans and, if so, (i) when these were held and (ii) what matters were discussed.
Answer · Michael Matheson: My officials held frequent discussions with UK Government officials, voluntary organisations and COSLA to prepare for our consultation, Devolution of Community Care Grant and Crisis Loans: Consultation on Successor Arrangements, published on 5 August 2011, av…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will change the National Eligibility Framework for social care to encourage a focus on prevention.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The guidance on National Eligibility Criteria and Waiting Times for the Personal and Nursing Care of Older People includes specific reference to moderate and low level needs and the provision of preventative or other support services is addressed. The guidanc…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set the threshold for means testing for residential care at £100,000, as recommended by the Commission on Funding of Care and Support.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01771 on 5 August 2011. 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/parliamentarybus…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider establishing a national framework for determining charges for social care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the question S4W-02403 answered on 15 September. 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/parliamentarybus…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is variation in local authority practices in determining (a) eligibility and (b) charges for social care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) issued joint guidance on National Eligibility Criteria and Waiting Times for the Personal and Nursing Care of Older People on 28 September 2009. All 32 local authorities have con…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the capping of total lifetime care costs, as recommended by the Commission on Funding of Care and Support and, if so, at what level does it consider that the cap should be set.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01771 on 5 August 2011. 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/MAQASearch…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the findings of the report by the Commission on Funding of Care and Support.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01771 on 5 August 2011. 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/parliamentarybus…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that local authorities should determine the salary levels of provider organisations through the social care procurement process.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government’s guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services states that local authorities should take account of the costs associated with good employment practice and a competent and qualified workforce when analysing the costs involve…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the reported difficulties experienced by provider organisations, whether it will carry out an urgent review of the procurement of social care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government’s guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services recognised the need for commissioning bodies to work in partnership with service providers to make the best use of available funding whilst maintaining the quality of services …
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that cost is not the only factor when procuring social care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government's guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services explicitly states that, when procuring such services, greater emphasis should be placed on quality rather than cost. Compliance with this requirement should mean that decisions…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to local authorities on the procurement of social care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government published comprehensive guidance for local authorities on the Procurement of Care and Support Services in September 2010 after extensive consultation with stakeholders, including service user and carer representative organisations, ind…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in monitoring the practices of local authorities on the procurement of social care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has established a Development Group with responsibility for supporting implementation of its 2010 guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services. The Development Group, which is chaired by the Scottish Government, has agreed …
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children from Scotland have accessed the paediatric congenital heart service in the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Since 1999, 24 children have accessed the paediatric congenital heart service at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. The breakdown per year is as under. 1999-2000 1 2000-01 1 2001-02 3 2002-03 3 2003-04 2 2004-05 1 2005-06 0 2006-07 0 2007-08 …
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to provide paediatric congenital heart services in Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: With the exception of paediatric cardiac transplantation, a full range of paediatric cardiac surgery services is provided in Scotland by Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow. In addition, where it is necessary due to rarity and/or complexity, a very few children may…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out a consultation with Scottish-based individuals and organisations with an interest in the UK Department of Health's review of paediatric congenital heart services, given that some children from Scotland access these services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Safe and Sustainable Programme’s review of paediatric cardiac surgery services in England was subject to full public consultation which took place earlier this year. Interested groups, organisations and individuals from across the UK had the opportunity t…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the possible removal of paediatric congenital heart services from the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, given that some children from Scotland access these services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02389 on 27 September 2011. 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/MAQA…
29 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the Department of Health regarding their review of surgical services for children with congenital heart disease, given that some children from Scotland access these services in England and Wales.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Through representation on the Safe and Sustainable review group we have had the opportunity to ensure that the views of Scottish Government and NHS Scotland are taken into account in the Department of Health’s consideration of the proposals for the future of …
26 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to implement the recommendations set out in Sheriff Duff’s fatal accident inquiry report on the sudden epilepsy-related deaths of two teenagers.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We deeply regret the tragic deaths of Erin Casey and Christina Llia and recognise that measures should be put in place to minimise the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). We are currently working with clinicians, pharmacists, Epilepsy Scotlan…
26 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Sheriff Duff's fatal accident inquiry report on the sudden epilepsy-related deaths of two teenagers, what action it will take to ensure that clinicians make sure that patients with epilepsy, their parents and carers are made aware of the risk of sudden unexpected death in epi…
Answer · Michael Matheson: We expect clinicians to follow Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines in Scotland where clinically appropriate. The guidelines recommend that Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) should be discussed, except in the minority of cir…
26 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many epilepsy specialist nurses there are, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Published information on headcount and whole time equivalent epilepsy nurse specialists broken down by NHS board can be found on the workforce statistics website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health%2DTopics/Workforce/Nursing%2Dand%2DMidwifery/Clinical%20Nu…
23 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is anyone employed by NHS Ayrshire and Arran who has been previously employed as a director of human resources in an acting-up capacity.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the employment history of individual staff working in the NHS is not held centrally. Payment of staff is the responsibility of individual NHS boards.
23 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is anyone employed by NHS Ayrshire and Arran who is on a protected salary and who has been previously employed as a chief executive or human resources manager.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the employment history of individual staff employed in the NHS is not held centrally. Payment of staff is the responsibility of individual NHS boards.