Mrs Margaret Ewing

24 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facilities are available to patients in the Grampian Health Board area; where these facilities are located; how long they have been in place, and how the current provision compares to the provision of MRI facilities in the periods (i) 1996-97, (ii) 1…

Answer · Susan Deacon: In August last year the Scottish Executive announced a £16 million investment in new imaging equipment to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in Scotland. That sum included £5 million for the provision of MRI scanners.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>…

24 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the level of availability of the BCG vaccination for schoolchildren is sufficient.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The routine schools programme was restarted in the London area on 19 July 2000 following some limited improvement in the supply of BCG vaccine. The programme will recommence in schools elsewhere in the UK when a secure supply of sufficient vaccine is assured.…

23 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on research into the treatment of and possible cures for mesothelioma in (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99 and (iii) 1999-2000 and how much is expected to be spent in 2000-01 and 2001-02.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Details of expenditure on all research into the treatment and possible cures for mesothelioma are not held centrally.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging a…

23 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each health board spent on the treatment of those suffering from mesothelioma in (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99 and (iii) 1999-2000.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Information is not available in the format requested. My response to question S1W-11268 provides the background to funding decisions by health boards.

23 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were diagnosed with mesothelioma in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000, broken down by health board area

Answer · Susan Deacon: The numbers of newly diagnosed cases of mesothelioma registered for each health board, for the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 (the most recent years for which completed information is available) are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=512><…

16 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence of tuberculosis was in each health board area in each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Information and Statistics Division (ISD) of the Common Services Agency has provided the table which sets out the annual numbers of tuberculosis notifications from Scottish health boards for the period 1997-99:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WID…

16 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current availability of the BCG vaccination is in health board areas and whether the targets of the Scottish Executive on availability are being met.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: BCG vaccines, as with all childhood vaccines, are distributed through a control facility in Cumbernauld to 18 holding centres (normally located in hospital pharmacy departments) across Scotland. Vaccines are then distributed to hospitals and community health …

16 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in the 12 to 13 age cohort received BCG vaccinations in 1998, 1999 and 2000 in each health board area and what percentage this figure represents of the school population in this age cohort.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Health Board</TD><TD WIDTH="67%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">Numbers vaccinated</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VAL…

7 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4886 by Susan Deacon on 1 December 2000, how many school age children are registered as having autism, either as their main or a subsidiary difficulty in learning, in each local authority area and what the total school-age population is in each area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is provided in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=525><TR><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=17><P>Local Authority</TD><TD WIDTH="38%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=17><P ALIGN="CENTER">No. of Pupils with Auti…

7 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4886 by Susan Deacon on 1 December 2000, whether it will present the information in the table alongside the total school population of children under the age of 12 in each local authority area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Further to the answer to question S1W-4886, statistics from the September 1999 School Census have become available. The information requested is therefore provided in the tables below for 1998 and 1999.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">1998 Autism Table<TABLE BORDER CELLSPA…

7 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4886 by Susan Deacon on 1 December 2000, why the figure for the whole of Scotland is 658 when the figures given for each local authority add up to 701 and whether the total figure for the whole of Scotland is intended to include pupils with autism in…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information contained in the table for the answer to question S1W-4886 was incorrect. An amended table is provided below with the addition of the figures for 1999. The total figure for Scotland does include the figures which have been suppressed in order …

5 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10421 by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2000, who undertook the independent peer-review of the independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency to investigate a possible association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and autism.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The peer review of the independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) to investigate a possible causal association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism was undertaken by <I>The Lancet</I>. Details of <I>The Lancet's</I> …

5 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10421 by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2000, whether the independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency to investigate a possible association between measles mumps and rubella vaccination and autism found any evidence to refute claims o…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency and published in <I>The Lancet</I> in June 1999 found: no increase in autism associated with the introduction of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in 1988; no difference in age of d…

22 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has on a regular basis with the Chest, Heart and Stroke Association Scotland Ltd., what money will be made available to the NHSiS and voluntary organisations to ensure the fullest support for those with heart and stroke related conditions, and how any such funding wil…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive welcomes requests for meetings from voluntary organisations such as Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. The most recent such meeting took place shortly before CHSS launched its stroke strategy on 6 December.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The section 16B schem…

22 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10423 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 October 2000, what contact it has had with Her Majesty's Government seeking information about the principles, methods and effectiveness of the Higashi school for autistic children in Boston, USA.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: No formal discussions have taken place. The Executive, however, has obtained a copy of the DfEE Research Report No 77, <I>Educational Interventions</I> <I>for Children with Autism: A Literature Review of Recent and Current Research</I>, which recorded studies…

22 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6888 by Susan Deacon on 2 June 2000, whether any research proposals which were not of a sufficiently high standard involved research into autism.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department is the main departmental funder of NHS-related research. To date the CSO has not received any proposals for research into autistic spectrum disorders, but it would be prepared to…

22 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10141 by Susan Deacon on 24 October 2000, whether there are any publicly funded studies, either on a Scottish or a UK basis, being undertaken to record the level of incidence of autism since 1980.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Within the Scottish Executive Health Department, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research to improve both the health of the people in Scotland and the services provided by the NHS. CSO is aware of 166 UK stud…

20 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to respond to the report from the Highlands and Islands Learning Grid with particular reference to its identification of a need for publicly supported initiatives in information and communication technologies.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has received a copy of the Highlands and Islands Learning Grid report and will be considering it alongside the report on broadband communications for schools prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

20 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to recommend that high hedges such as leylandii are included in future legislation controlling planning regulations.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The subject of high hedges is currently under consideration by the Executive. A consultation paper was issued on 12 January 2000, seeking views on the extent of problems they cause; and on whether existing remedies are sufficient to deal with any problems exp…

16 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the First Minister on 9 November 2000 (Official Report, col. 1573), what the total resources allocated for flood prevention applications by local authorities will be for the next three financial years.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Resources allocated for confirmed flood prevention schemes and approved coast protection schemes to supplement the local authority non-housing capital programme over the next three years are:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="5…

16 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in the development of the Highland and Islands University project.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: UHI is responsible for developing the University of the Highlands and Islands Project.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">UHI has made good progress in tackling the issues that emerged from consultation on its application for designation of the proposed new institution UHI as…

10 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the First Minister on 9 November 2000 (Official Report, col.1573) what issues are to be reviewed in relation to approval for flood alleviation schemes and over what time-scale.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The statutory requirements for ministerial approval of flood prevention schemes are there to safeguard the rights of individuals who may be adversely affected by proposed schemes. The Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 requires councils to notify those conc…

10 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the First Minister on 9 November 2000 (Official Report, col. 1572), what the "consequentials" are from the #50 million announced by John Prescott in relation to the flooding relief in England and Wales and what the impact will be in Scotland.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I announced on 17 November that Scotland will receive £5.2&nbsp;million, spread over the period 2000-04, as a consequence of John Prescott's announcement of additional resources for flood prevention being made available for England and Wales. We are actively …

10 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the First Minister on 9 November 2000 (Official Report, col. 1572), what the date of the proposed meeting with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is and whether representatives of local councils and the Parliament will be invited to attend.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: My officials intend to meet the Scottish Environment Protection Agency soon to review the current flood warning arrangements in Scotland. This will include consideration of any improvements that could be made to the dissemination of information on flooding to…

9 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people have been refused examination performance reports and in which subjects.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The provision of performance reports is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the Chairman to reply to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in SPICe.

9 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Ministerial Statement on the Strategic Roads Review on 4 November 1999, what progress has been made on the development of plans for the Fochabers bypass route and when work on the bypass will commence.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Substantial progress has been made on developing detail plans for the Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass. I expect my consultants' work on these plans to be finalised early in the New Year and thereafter draft orders will be published to seek public opinion of …

2 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist companies and organisations in the private and public sector and householders to eradicate asbestos in buildings.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The recommendation of the Health and Safety Commission, based on current medical advice, is not to remove asbestos that is in good condition. Slightly worn material should be sealed or enclosed intact. Only badly worn, damaged or very fibrous materials are re…

2 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Director-General of the Cancer Research Campaign to bring in clinical trials on drugs to combat mesothelioma to Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I and officials from my department have met with Cancer Research Campaign Director General on a number of occasions to discuss matters of common interest.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>As far as clinical trials are concerned, the Scottish Executive encourages p…

2 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died from mesothelioma in each year since 1980, broken down by health board area.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information is not available centrally in the format requested. It is not possible to identify separately the cases where mesothelioma was the underlying cause of death. The table below gives the numbers of deaths where mesothelioma was mentioned on the d…

1 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust regarding the retention of paediatric services at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin and other hospitals serving rural communities.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The planning and provision of paediatric services are matters for health boards and NHS Trusts. I understand from Grampian Health Board and Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust that there is no intention to withdraw the paediatric service provided to the p…