Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that all cases of clostridium difficile in the Vale of Leven Hospital from December 2007 to June 2008 have now been identified.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Yes, I am advised by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that this represents a complete record of all laboratory confirmed cases.</p>
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why there was a delay in reviewing cases of clostridium difficile during the outbreak in the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The independent review which I announced on 18 June 2008 will examine this key issue. The review team’s report will be published by the end of July 2008.</p>
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps should be taken and in what timescale for (a) notifying and (b) controlling the outbreak of infection in hospitals.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The exact steps required in the control of an incident or outbreak is an issue for each local incident management team. These will vary depending on the circumstances and the organism concerned. The Chief Nursing Officer wrote to NHS Scotland in November 2007…
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for dealing with the outbreak of infection in hospitals.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The management of outbreaks in hospitals is set out in Annex 4 of the 2003 interim guidance document <i>Managing Incidents Presenting Actual or Potential Risks to the Public Health: Guidance on the Roles and Responsibilities of Incident Control Teams</i>, whi…
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing held discussions with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde about the outbreak of clostridium difficile in the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the statement I made to the Parliament on 18 June 2008.</p>
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates NHS Scotland held discussions with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde about the outbreak of clostridium difficile in the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The first formal discussion between Health Protection Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde about this outbreak took place on 21 May 2008.</p>
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when NHS Scotland was first informed about the outbreak of clostridium difficile in the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland was first informed about this outbreak on 21 May 2008.</p>
13 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing was first informed about the outbreak of clostridium difficile in the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the statement I made to the Parliament on 18 June 2008.</p>
5 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether MPs are given advance notification of ministerial visits by Scottish ministers to their constituencies.
Answer · John Swinney: Yes. Advance notification of a ministerial visit is issued by ministerial private office staff to MSPs and MPs for the relevant Scottish and UK parliamentary constituencies.</p>
5 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a change in protocol since May 2007 regarding the advance notification of constituency and list MSPs and MPs of ministerial visits by Scottish ministers.
Answer · John Swinney: There has been no change in protocol.</p>
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of abuse of the Blue Badge scheme have been reported in each of the last five years and what enforcement measures have been taken.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The information is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual local authorities.</p> <p >However, the member may be interested to learn that Audit Scotland recently published details of possible fraud on the Blue Badge Scheme in their report on the …
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what future plans it has to amend the Blue Badge scheme to cut down any abuse of the scheme.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13741 on 9 June 2008.</p> <p >Powers exist under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 available to local authorities to make all disabled parking bays legally enforceable.</p> <p >All answers to written parli…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to tackle any abuse of the Blue Badge scheme.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are existing powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 available to local authorities to make all disabled parking bays legally enforceable.</p>
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of development funding for housing (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The development funding programme is now know as the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AIHP). The grant allocation figures for AIHP for 2007-08 by local authority area is set out in the following table. Planned expenditure for 2008-09 by local authorit…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the Private Sector Housing Grant (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Private Sector Housing Grant allocations for 2007-08 and 2008-09 are as detailed in the following table.</p> <p >The baseline allocations include the Scottish Government’s contribution towards Care and Repair running costs of approximately £2.4 million a yea…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit in West Dunbartonshire (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The information on average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit for West Dunbartonshire for 2007-08 and 2008-09 is not available. The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all releva…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total Housing Association Grant allocation in West Dunbartonshire (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to Housing Association Grant, this includes grant mechanisms …
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit in Argyll and Bute (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The information on average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit for Argyll and Bute for 2007-08 and 2008-09 is not available. The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant el…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total Housing Association Grant allocation in Argyll and Bute (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to Housing Association Grant, this includes grant mechanisms …
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average Housing Association Grant per unit (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The average Housing Association Grant per unit for 2007-08 was £80,410.</p> <p >There are no figures available for 2008-09 as these are compiled at the end of the financial year once projects have been approved.</p> <p >Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish …
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned that a claim of bullying and harassment has been submitted to NHSScotland against senior management of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government takes very seriously all claims of bullying and harassment.</p> <p >However, it is important that such claims are dealt with thoroughly and appropriately by the board of the Scottish Ambulance Service as the employer, ensuring that d…
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all ambulances from the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Arrochar are double-crewed.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service has confirmed that all traditional Accident and Emergency Units (AEUs) are rostered to be double crewed. However, in exceptional circumstances, such as short notice sickness absence, a single manned unit AEU may be deployed.</p>…
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all ambulances are double-crewed, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Shona Robison: The service operates a range of vehicle types deployed according to the clinical condition of the patient. Rapid Response Vehicles tend to be single responders, accident and emergency units should be double crewed, as should mid tier and urgent tier units.</p…
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of temporary and agency staff in the Scottish Ambulance Service for 2007-08 and what it is for 2008-09.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that the final budget for temporary and agency staff in 2007-08 was £96,800. The current planned budget for 2008-09 is £85,500 though this figure is subject to revision over the course of the year.</p>
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the overtime budget was for the Scottish Ambulance Service for 2007-08 and what it is for 2008-09.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that the final overtime budget in 2007-08 was £2.615 million. The current planned overtime budget for 2008-09 is £3.247 million though this figure is subject to revision over the course of the year.</p>
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the response times were for ambulances attending patients in (a) Dumbarton, (b) the Vale of Leven, (c) Helensburgh and (d) the Rosneath Peninsula set against national targets, in each of the last six months.
Answer · Shona Robison: The national response time target for category A calls (life threatening) across mainland Scotland is that, by March 2009, 75% of all incidents should be reached within eight minutes.</p> <p >The national response time target for category B calls (serious bu…
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances have been unable to be deployed on shifts at the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Arrochar stations due to staff sickness during the last six months, also broken down by month.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is not possible to provide the information in the format requested. However, the Scottish Ambulance Service has provided the following table which sets out all shifts not covered. These may be seen in the context of more than 2,000 rostered shifts across t…
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many paramedics are rostered on each ambulance across each shift pattern in the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Arrochar stations.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that crews are rostered to achieve at least one paramedic on each double crewed shift, as well as to provide the paramedic cover required for the shifts operated by the rapid response vehicle operating out of the Val…
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulances are available on each shift pattern in the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Arrochar stations.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service has provided the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=103 valign=top > <p >Station</p> </td> <td width=183 valign=top > <p >Resource</p> </td> <td …
27 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations attended the First Minister’s National Conversation event in Brussels on 23 April 2008.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A list of the organisations represented at the National Conversation event in Brussels on 23 April 2008 is provided below:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td nowrap valign=bottom > <p align=left >European Commission</p> </t…