Margaret Smith

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office with regard to the provision of housing services for asylum seekers once they have left any accommodation centre at RAF Turnhouse.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26525.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office with regard to the provision of transportation services for asylum seekers at any accommodation centre at RAF Turnhouse.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26525.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office with regard to the provision of on-site social work services for asylum seekers at any accommodation centre at RAF Turnhouse and whether any such discussions have considered any continuing need for such services for those granted asylum aft…

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26525.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office with regard to the provision of on-site education services for asylum seekers at any accommodation centre at RAF Turnhouse and whether any such discussions have considered any continuing need for such services for children granted asylum af…

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to S1W-26525.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office with regard to the provision of on-site health services for asylum seekers at any accommodation centre at RAF Turnhouse and whether any such discussions have considered any continuing need for such services for those granted asylum after th…

Answer · Margaret Curran: No decision about whether an accommodation centre should be located at the site of the former RAF Turnhouse has yet been taken. Discussions are continuing with the Home Office about arrangements for the provision of on-site services at any accommodation centr…

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the results of the current drug driving campaign will be assessed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: A drug drive television advert, produced by the Scottish Road Safety Campaign with funding from the Scottish Executive, was launched on 20 May. The advert, which demonstrates techniques used by the police to detect drug drivers, is intended to raise awareness…

24 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a centre for the care of young chronically sick people in the Lothians.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no plans to establish a centre for the care of the young chronically sick people in the Lothians. Any such plans would be for NHS Lothian in partnership with local authorities and the voluntary sector, and I am aware that there have…

1 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to set guidelines on when a dentist can refuse to treat a patient.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: No. A dental practitioner may decline to provide treatment under general dental services to a patient whom he or she has not accepted for care and treatment under capitation or continuing care arrangement or has de-registered from such an arrangement in accor…

25 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current annual pay bill and amount paid in employers' National Insurance (NI) contributions is for each NHS board and what its estimate is of the total cost of employers' NI contributions to be paid by each such board in 2003-04, following the changes announced in the UK Budget 2…

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.

24 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the next stage in developing its sexual health strategy will be complete.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive is carrying out further preliminary work on the development of a sexual health strategy. No date has yet been set for completion.

17 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bed days were taken up by the treatment of hospital-acquired infections in 2001-02.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been done to identify the local and national implications of the potential asylum seekers' centre at RAF Turnhouse.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is engaged in regular and continuing dialogue with the Home Office about their proposals for establishing accommodation centres and the implications which any decision to site such a centre in Scotland would have for devolved services. …

20 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is promoting breakfast clubs.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive supports the development of breakfast clubs in a number of ways. <P>Childcare Strategy funding (£16.75 million in 2002-03) is allocated to local authorities who, with Childcare Partnerships, make decisions on its disbursement to meet lo…

27 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the #20 million allocated in January 2002 to NHS boards to tackle delayed discharge will be used specifically for bed blocking.

Answer · Hugh Henry: We are targeting this additional money to ensure that local authority and health board partnerships use it only for the reduction of delayed discharges. The funding will be released against joint local authority/NHS board action plans, which will include loca…

27 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by local authority of the #10 million allocated in July 2000 for delayed discharge and whether it will detail any audit carried out in respect of these funds.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This has been distributed to local authorities, on a recurring basis, as part of their general Grant Aided Expenditure uplift. It has been subject to no specific audit. Monitoring of trends, causes and duration of delays, as well as of performance in individu…

20 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council in regard to funding for the Edinburgh International Festival.

Answer · Mike Watson: The Executive wishes to ensure, in partnership with other funding bodies, that the Edinburgh International Festival maintains its reputation as one of the world's premier cultural events. It provides a showcase of artistic excellence to Scottish audiences and…

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive against what measures it assesses the effectiveness of materials used in its breast cancer awareness campaign.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-23168 and S1W-23169 today.

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of materials used in its breast cancer awareness campaign.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23168 today, specifically as it refers to health promotion and health education activities within NHSScotland and the responsibilities of NHS and Health Education Board for Scotland.

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether materials used in its breast cancer awareness campaign draw attention to the increased risks of susceptibility reported in the British Journal of Cancer on 13 February 2002.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23166 today. <P>I would add that health promotion is the responsibility of NHS boards, who would be happy to provide information about local activities and campaigns. Contact information for NHS Board Chi…

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to respond to research on breast cancer published in the British Journal of Cancer on 13 February 2002.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23166 today. <P>I would also add that the Health Department's Chief Scientist Office (CSO) is responsible for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within NHSScotland a…

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will re-evaluate its breast cancer awareness publicity in the light of research published in the British Journal of Cancer on 13 February 2002 suggesting that women are more susceptible to breast cancer if they have their first child later in life or if they commence menstruati…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This is an important study which adds to the breast cancer research and evidence base.<P>On its own, however, it does not warrant a change in the advice given to women of all ages that they should be breast aware and ensure that if they notice any changes of …

6 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the responsibilities of community pharmacists.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Our plans for enhancing the role of community pharmacists are set out in <I>The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland</I>.

30 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government's Department of Health on the planned research by the World Health Organi'ation on travel related deep vein thrombosis.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22526.

30 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to the World Health Organi'ation with regard to its planned research into travel related deep vein thrombosis.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22526.

30 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of planned research by the World Health Organi'ation into travel related deep vein thrombosis

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is aware of the research planned by the World Health Organisation into travel related deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, the cost of this large epidemiological study is great (over £4.8 million) and at present funding for this study h…

23 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent the reductions in pupil performance at Secondary 1 and Secondary 2 level as detailed in Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education report Standards and Quality in Primary and Secondary Schools 1998-2001 and to increase parents' confidence that all pupils will…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The report emphasises that there is much to be proud of in our schools. Standards are improving year on year. However, several areas for improvement are identified. We are already taking action to deal with them through a range of policies, the framework for …

23 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what part water fluoridation will play in its dental strategy.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This will be part of the consultation we propose on children's oral health.

23 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a new offence of aggravated assault where the victim is a public sector worker, for example a health sector worker who is assaulted in the course of their duties.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no such plans. Individuals who are assaulted in the course of their duties are already treated as the victims of an aggravated assault. Procurators Fiscal treat such assaults as being more serious due to the employment status of the victim. The punish…

23 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support front line public sector workers, such as police and social workers, who are assaulted or threatened at work.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has provided backing for the Association of Directors of Social Work in launching and developing their programme of Support for Front-line staff. One of the programme's primary aims is to improve information about assaults or threats at work and…

23 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve Secondary 1 and Secondary 2 subject courses and standards of attainment at those schools where such action is necessary.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Education authorities and headteachers are responsible for the quality of courses and standards of attainment in individual schools. <P>The Scottish Executive is taking a range of action which will improve the quality of provision nationally in S1/S2. We have…