Parliamentary questions
Mrs Margaret Ewing
567 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to it regarding VAT payments made on spectacles for which lenses have been medically prescribed.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has nofunctions in relation to VAT which is a reserved matter.</p>
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists are needed to meet its pledge to provide free dental checks for everyone by 2007.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Implementation of free NHS dental checks will be undertaken by the existing dental workforce and the additional dentists we are putting in place as outlined in the <i>Action Plan for Improving Oral Health and Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland</i>.</…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of NHS dentists to patients has been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is shown in the following table.</p> <p class=BODYOFLETTER>Number of NHS General Dental Practitioners<sup>1,2 </sup>Per 100,000 Population, by Local Authority<sup>3</sup> Area, at 30 September</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellp…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it decided where to deploy recent overseas dental recruits.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In the case of the recent deployment of Polish dentists to support the NHS in Scotland, NHS boards were asked to indicate to the Executive the number of dentists which they could accommodate in their salaried service, provided they had the appropriate facilit…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding its incentive scheme to encourage more practices to treat NHS patients.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has received a number of responses from dentists and others in relation to the new allowances we have provided to dentists committed to the NHS. Some of these express a view about the new system, and others are technical inquiries about its prac…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to attract a significant number of NHS dentists to Moray.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Responsibility for the provision of dental services in the Moray area rests with NHS Grampian. NHS Grampian already employs salaried dentists in the area and are actively seeking ways of increasing this service. To this end NHS Grampian has been the recipient…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Moray do not have NHS dental services and, of these, how many are aged 60 or over.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p><p>Information on NHS dental registrationis available at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=990&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&">http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.js…
28 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the review of NHS genetic services.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The report of the Expert Working Group set up in 2004 to review NHS genetic services and the application of new genetic knowledge in relation to healthcare in Scotland, was submitted to the Executive in December 2005. The Executive is currently considering th…
22 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the provision of services for young runaways.
Answer · Robert Brown: The provision of services for young runaways has not been specifically raised with the Scottish Executive beyond the initiatives we have indicated we are funding in the answer to question S2W-23394 on 3 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questio…
22 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has offered to local authorities to deal with young runaways.
Answer · Robert Brown: A guidance pack, <i>Vulnerable Children and Young People</i>, was issued on 29 July 2003. This contained guidance for all agencies dealing with young runaways and children sexually exploited through prostitution.</p>
22 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have set up protocols to deal with young runaways.
Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not centrally held.</p>
22 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken since the Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution Working Group last reported.
Answer · Robert Brown: The conclusion of the Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution Working Group’s work was the publication of the <i>Vulnerable Children and Young People Guidance Pack</i> on 29 July 2003. Since then the Scottish Executive has provided £121,520 ov…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken, or will take, to ensure that patient information on epilepsy is consistently and uniformly available across Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive recognises theimportance of ensuring that information on epilepsy is available on a consistentbasis no matter where in Scotland the person lives. The epilepsy Managed Clinical Networks,both adult and paediatric, have a key role to play in achiev…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to ensure that relevant information is available to children and adults diagnosed with epilepsy.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive recognises theimportance of patient information in helping people to manage their condition. Theprovision of such information is one of the main functions of the epilepsy ManagedClinical Networks, both adult and paediatric, which the Executive h…
7 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has offered money to local authorities to avoid the need for them to seek compensation from tenants as a result of the abolition of feudal tenure.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has not offered money to local authorities as a result of the abolition of the feudal system. The legislation does not permit them to seek compensation from tenants, but only from property owners who had the status before the act was co…
7 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from interested parties since the abolition of feudal tenure.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has not received anything which it regards as representations since the abolition of the feudal system, although it has received a small amount of correspondence on individual cases.</p>
7 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have claimed compensation from tenants as a result of the abolition of feudal tenure.
Answer · Hugh Henry: We have no information on this matter. The act applies only to owners of property and their former feudal superiors, rather than to tenants.</p>
7 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20414 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 November 2005, how many NHS boards have implemented Agenda for Change and what actions the Executive has taken, or representations it has received, regarding this matter.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Agenda for Change is being implemented in partnership with trade unions and professional organisations in NHSScotland, and significant progress has been made. Over 85% of posts which have been submitted to matching panels have been matched against national pr…
20 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has had from the medical profession regarding mobile phone masts.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No formal representations have been received from bodies representing the medical profession in Scotland.</p>
20 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any non-thermal studies and, if so, what the findings were.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has not undertaken any studies of the non-thermal effects of non-ionising radiation. However, the Executive funds, along with UK Government Departments and industry, the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR).</p>
20 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether 3G mobile phone masts differ from 2G mobile phone masts and, if so, what new guidance it has issued regarding this difference in respect of planning and health.
Answer · Johann Lamont: 3G networks use a different technology from 2G networks. This technology is Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS), which enables data to be transferred at much higher rates than 2G mobile phone systems and allows, for example, access to the inter…
20 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what tests or reports have been undertaken or prepared regarding the effect of new 3G technology phone masts.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Ofcom measures the levels of public exposure to emissions from both 3G and 2G communications systems as part of its on-going audit of base station emissions. For both the 2G and 3G transmitters audited to date, the exposure levels are measured in hundredths, …
19 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to create local NHS 24 call centres.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There are currently five NHS 24 satellite centres based in Ayr, Dumfries, Dundee, East Kilbride and Inverness which were established towards the end of 2005 and which supported the response to the increased call demand over the traditionally busy festive peri…
19 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many routinely monitored calls highlighted the need for further training for NHS 24 staff in each year since the inception of NHS 24.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS 24 has a robust and thorough quality improvement and performance management programme which secures on-going training and development for all staff.</p> <p>All frontline staff are supported by an individual professional development plan, regular call cons…
19 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS 24 call handler staff have not undergone the mandatory three-week training programme since its inception and what the reasons were in each case.
Answer · Andy Kerr: All of NHS 24’s call handler staff have undergone the mandatory training programme. In addition, all staff must be assessed and signed-off as competent in their role by a practitioner educator and senior nurse (team leader) before they are allowed to answer c…
19 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many communications it has had with the Chief Executive of NHS 24 and what topics were raised during those communications.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As is the case with all NHS boards, Scottish Executive Health Department officials have regular meetings, conversations and other communications with the Chief Executive of NHS 24 and other board officers. The most recent topics discussed include the progress…
19 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS 24 staff have made complaints or reported problems in respect of the running or operating procedures of NHS 24 since its inception.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS 24 staff are involved in, and informed of service delivery, development and process change within NHS 24 on an on-going basis. The opportunity is always available to provide useful feedback relating to their experience of using systems and procedures to h…
19 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offices and establishments under its jurisdiction have in place a process enabling emergency calls to NHS 24 similar to that for Bute House and, where these processes exist, how many calls have been made to NHS 24 since its inception.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Bute House is the only Scottish Executive building which has such a process in place supporting access to NHS 24. This reflects the fact that Bute House is the only Scottish Executive building which is categorised as a residence and is used for overnight stay…
12 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many recruits from the (a) police, (b) fire and (c) ambulance services have dropped out of training in each year since 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p>
12 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on royal visits to Scotland, including security arrangements and hospitality, in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive runs and pays for a small number of events most years where members of the Royal Family are in attendance. The information we hold on cost and location is set out below. Security arrangements are handled by the police force for the area…