Mrs Margaret Ewing

13 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of treatment for autism was to the NHSiS in each year since 1989-90 and what the projected cost is for 2000-01.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally.

13 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the efforts of local authorities and local health bodies in relation to the early diagnosis and assessment of children with autism.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Learning Disability Review acknowledged the disparity across Scotland in assessing and diagnosing, and providing services to those with, autism.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The review report, published in May, provides a new lead. It recommends that the Scottish So…

13 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the work of the Higashi school for autistic children in Boston, USA and, if so, whether it intends to make any changes to educational provision for autistic children in Scotland.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: No such examination has been carried out.

13 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of sufferers of Asperger's syndrome (a) below and (b) above the age of 18 years, and what the equivalent figures were in (i) 1990 and (ii) 1995.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not available in the form requested.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Incomplete information only is available and does not record the true prevalence of Asperger's Syndrome. In many cases Asperger's Syndrome will be the underlying condition of a patient …

13 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek the release by the study's authors of the data on which the epidemiological study of a possible association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and autism, commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency and published in The Lancet in June 1999, is based.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The epidemiological study published in <I>The Lancet</I> in June 1999 was an independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency to investigate a possible association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and autism. The study found no evi…

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of educational support services provided for children with autism.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Her Majesty's Inspectors will, as part of the overall school inspection process, comment on the provision of educational support services for children with autism on a school-by-school basis.

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities use music therapy as a way of treating autistic children.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally. The Executive is, however, currently supporting two voluntary organisations, The Drake Music Project and Islay and Jura Music Therapy for Young People, who work with children and young people with special education…

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to investigate the use of the drug Secretin for treating sufferers from autism.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Within the Scottish Executive Health Department, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within NHSScotland and, as such, is the main Departmental funder of NHS-related …

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what records it collates on the number of people with autism and possible future numbers in order to ensure the adequate provision of resources to meet the health and educational needs of people with autism.

Answer · Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-10140.

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of sufferers of autism (a) below and (b) above the age of 18 years and what the equivalent figures were for (i) 1990 and (ii) 1995.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not collected centrally. The 1998 School Census, however, recorded a total of 998 Scottish school children with autistic spectrum disorder as their main difficulty in learning.

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to organisations and public bodies catering for the needs of adult sufferers of autism.

Answer · Iain Gray: Most services for adults sufferers of autism are provided by health boards and local authorities based on the assessment of needs within their respective areas, and are funded through their general funding allocations from the Scottish Executive. In 2000-01, …

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6049 by Susan Deacon on 4 May 2000, how it plans to assist the study of autism announced by the Medical Research Council on 3 April 2000 and whether this study will provide information on the number of children under the age of 10 who have been diagn…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive will be happy to provide, so far as possible, whatever help the research team may seek.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The study will not provide information on the number of children under the age of 10 who have been diagnosed with autism since 1980.<P ALIG…

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5159 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 5 April 2000, whether it plans to collect centrally information on the number of children under the age of 10 in each local authority area who have been diagnosed with autism in each year since 1990.

Answer · Iain Gray: The school census records the number of pupils with special educational needs, of which autism can be separately identified from 1998 onwards. This only covers children of school age.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The other source of information on people with autism is …

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the annual school census will include a separate category to record the number of autistic pupils.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The annual school census has included since September 1998 a separate category to identify pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder as the main difficulty in learning.

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities currently provide separate facilities for the secondary education of autistic children, specifying in each case in how many locations such provision is available and how many full-time equivalent teachers are employed at each such facility.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Data collected in the 1999 School Census does not include information on the type of special educational needs catered for in separate facilities or the numbers of full-time equivalent teachers employed in them. However the numbers of autistic pupils with Rec…

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received on the need for separate secondary education facilities for autistic children and what proposals it has to ensure that local education authorities have the resources required to make such provision.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: No such representations have been received. It is a matter for local authorities to determine provision within the Grant Aided Expenditure of £178 million allocated for special educational needs.

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the European Written Declaration on the Rights of People with Autism, as adopted by the European Parliament on 9 May 1996; what plans it has for its implementation and what the estimated cost is of implementation.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has noted the European Written Declaration on the Rights of People with Autism. Current policies on inclusion are very much in line with the aims of the Charter. The report of the review of services for people with learning disabilities…

7 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to counteract any effects of the phasing out of transitional relief for water and wastewater charges on community halls and community associations which serve rural communities.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Relief on water and sewerage charges has already been withdrawn in the case of some premises and the water authorities have consulted on withdrawal in further cases. Where relief is being withdrawn, this is being phased over five years to ease the immediate i…

7 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to assisting riparian landowners and farmers in the replacement of obsolete and broken field drains.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Capital grants for land drainage projects have been phased out over the years. Restoration of capital grants for this purpose was not regarded as a priority in the responses to extensive consultations by the Executive in respect of the implementation of the E…

7 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many flood alleviation schemes are currently awaiting approval, broken down by local authority and indicating the level of capital expenditure required within each local authority's capital programme.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Presently, there are two flood prevention schemes submitted by local authorities being considered for confirmation by Scottish Ministers. One is from Perth and Kinross Council estimated to cost £190,000, and the other from Renfrewshire Council estimated to co…

7 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is held centrally regarding expenditure by local authorities to promote flood alleviation schemes within the context of the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: None.

4 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has played in assisting Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust to deal with any backlog caused by any lack of consultants in the Oral and Maxillofacial Department of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Provision of oral and maxillofacial services in Grampian is a matter for Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust and Grampian Health Board. The Scottish Executive has however substantially increased funding to health boards this year with a view to securing a…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of orthodontic treatment per person is in each health board area when the treatment is provided by (a) the NHS and (b) private practices.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The average cost of orthodontic treatment per patient when provided under NHS arrangements, by health board area for the year ending 31 March 2000, is shown in the table below. The costs may appear low as orthodontic treatment includes orthodontic examination…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients requiring orthodontic treatment attend private practices in each health board area.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on private orthodontic treatment is not available.

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to tackle any lack of orthodontic provision.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The provision of dental services in general is kept under review by health boards, Acute Trusts and Primary Care NHS Trusts which work in co-operation to ensure availability of and improvements in services. In relation to primary care orthodontic services, Pr…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS orthodontic practices there are in each health board area.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Many General Dental Practitioners undertake some form of orthodontic treatment. The information contained in the table below provides at 31 July 2000 the number of practices in each health board area which provide, under NHS arrangements, only orthodontic tre…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the two consultants required by the Oral and Maxillofacial Department of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary have now been appointed and, if so, when these appointments were made.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer given today to question S1W-9525.

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements have been made to the provision of oral and maxillofacial services at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary since 6 March 2000.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed a consultant to fill a vacancy in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He is expected to take up post shortly.

30 Aug 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering asking the Scottish Qualifications Authority to return marked examination scripts to schools and further education establishments.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Qualifications Authority has had under consideration for some time the issues which would be involved in a decision whether to take such action in future years.

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next attend a meeting of the British-Irish Council, what issues will be discussed and whether it will report to the Parliament after the meeting.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Following the restoration of devolution to Northern Ireland on 22 May, member administrations of the British-Irish Council are currently engaged in making arrangements for the next council plenary session. That meeting will take place in Dublin later this yea…