Parliamentary questions
Margaret Smith
931 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what increases in neurology consultant posts have been agreed in the last twelve months and what future plans exist.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Responsibility for employing consultants rests with health boards, who in collaboration with their Trusts and planning partners are best placed to determine the health needs for their area.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The number of consultant neurologists has increased…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10558 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 6 November 2000, whether it intends either to carry out or to commission research into the economic impact of the increase in heather beetle levels on moorland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I recognise the possible economic impact of substantial and repeated outbreaks of heather beetle on heather moorland. The Scottish Executive, following discussions with Scottish Natural Heritage, intends to commission research to investigate the potential eco…
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what policies and targets it has in relation to the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of bowel cancer.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Cancer in all its forms is a priority for the NHS in Scotland.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">To secure continuing improvements in early detection, diagnosis and treatment for cancer, the Executive has invested £5 million for MRI scanning equipment and £11 million for rad…
23 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been undertaken of the economic impact of any increased incidence of heather beetle on moorland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: No detailed analysis has been carried out on the economic impact of heather beetle on moorland.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Heather Beetle (<I>Lochmaea</I> <I>suturalis</I>) has been increasing throughout the UK moorlands since 1995; the warm spring and summer of this …
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a contractor has been selected to recommence repair and maintenance work on the Forth Rail Bridge and, if so, when work is expected to start and what contact the Executive and Historic Scotland have had with Railtrack to discuss the future of the Bridge.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The appointment of a contractor for the Forth Rail Bridge maintenance and refurbishment programme is a commercial decision for Railtrack and not a matter in which the Scottish Executive has any locus. I understand that the contract for the Forth Rail Bridge w…
17 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Advanced Higher course materials expected in June will be delivered to schools.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: SQA have already published the majority of National Assessment Bank (NAB) materials for the highest priority subjects. The Higher Still Development Unit will be writing to schools and colleges immediately to clarify the situation and explain arrangements for …
21 Jun 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for Scottish women of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's appeal decision regarding the use of taxanes in the treatment of breast cancer.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Taxanes are available on the NHS. The use of these drugs in the treatment of breast cancer depends on the clinical judgement of clinicians taking account of the advice of their local Drug and Therapeutic Committee.
14 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on mobile cardiac laboratories as a means of reducing waiting lists and times for coronary heart disease diagnosis.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Coronary Heart Disease Task Force will be addressing this issue as part of its report, which is expected in the autumn.
17 May 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government, Glasgow City Council or the Scottish Football Association about the possibility of Mike Tyson fighting in Glasgow this year.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Minister for Justice conveyed to Home Office Ministers the strong feeling in Scotland that Mike Tyson should not be granted entry clearance for the purpose of the boxing match planned for Glasgow next month. The Minister for Children and Education conveye…
16 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6425 by Peter Peacock on 15 May 2000, when it is proposed that the extra money for schools to assist in raising standards announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget will be available.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Following discussion with COSLA my Department has recently written to all authorities advising them of how these resources will be allocated. A copy of the letter has been placed in SPICe.
28 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6087 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 April 2000, whether and how the complaints against senior police officers listed have been addressed.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Complaints against senior police officers are dealt with by the police authority for the force concerned. Questions about how particular complaints have been handled should be addressed to the appropriate police authority.
28 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much extra money has been allocated for textbooks in schools and when it will be available.
Answer · Peter Peacock: In general, education authorities and schools make the detailed decisions on spending, including spending on textbooks for schools from within their general education budgets. Additional resources for schools were announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer …
28 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new teaching jobs will be created in the next three years, broken down by year and by nursery, primary and secondary sectors, and how they will be funded.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Programme for Government target is to recruit 1,000 additional teachers by 2002. The Executive expects that these posts will be found in all sectors but have not disaggregated the target across all sectors or years. It will be for education authorities as…
26 Apr 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the initiatives outlined in the Partnership Agreement have been implemented.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Partnership Agreement, Partnership for Scotland, is a policy agreement between the Executive parties. The Programme for Government, published last September, turned that policy agreement into a programme of work for the Scottish Executive.<P>The Executive…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, for each police force, the number of complaints made against senior police officers by members of the public for the period 1 May 1999 to 31 March 2000.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Complaints against senior police officers i.e. assistant chief constable and above, are dealt with by the police authority for the force concerned. The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%"…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of the public nuisance which can be caused by fireworks, whether it plans to make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the introduction of further limits on the sale of fireworks, allowing local authorities to limit their sale through the use of local bylaws…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive recognises the concerns about the misuse of fireworks. However, the UK Government undertook a comprehensive review of the controls on fireworks in 1996 which led to the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997, introducing controls on the su…
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new Food Standards Agency will have a role in monitoring malnutrition.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency Scotland will share responsibility with the Scottish Executive Health Department for ongoing surveillance of the nutritional status of the population. The agency will also be responsible for monitoring the nutrient content of food an…
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any currently available guidelines on the identification, treatment and management of malnutrition in the community.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no guidelines specifically targeted at malnutrition in the community. In 1999, the Scottish Executive Health Department set out an action plan for nursing homes requiring them to assess the nutritional status of residents and provide for dietary nee…
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to make routine nutritional screening an integral part of patient care.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no plans for a formal screening programme. Doctors, nurses (including district nurses) and health visitors routinely take nutritional factors into account as part of medical and nursing examinations in hospital or primary care settings. GPs can pres…
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any assessments of any savings which the NHSiS could make by ensuring that all malnourished patients receive adequate nutrition intervention.
Answer · Susan Deacon: No assessments of this kind have been made.
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role nutrition plays in public health planning.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Improving the diet and nutritional status of the Scottish population is a key element of the Executive's public health strategy. The White Paper, <I>Towards a Healthier Scotland</I>, sets out that strategy, which was endorsed by the Scottish Parliament last S…
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how nutrition policy, both for under and over nutrition, is co-ordinated between its different agencies and departments.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive's commitment to a co-ordinated approach to dietary improvement is being taken forward through the comprehensive framework provided by the Scottish Diet Action Plan, <I>Eating for Health</I>, and within the wider policies and structures …
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the prevalence of malnutrition is for people (a) under 15; (b) between 16 and 45; (c) between 46 and 65; (d) between 66 and 75 and (e) over 75 years, broken down by health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not available in the form requested. I would, however, refer you to my answer to your question S1W-5850.
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assess the prevalence and tackle the problems of malnutrition in hospitals and in the community.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Research on malnutrition in hospitals has been carried out over a number of years. It has had to take account of the complex effect of illness on nutritional status and distinguish between malnutrition caused by lack of nutritious food and that caused by the …
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Scotland are malnourished due to disease.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not available.
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people admitted to hospital in Scotland in each of the last five years have had some degree of malnutrition.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not available in the form requested. Malnutrition can mean both over-nourishment and under-nourishment. The 1995 Scottish Health Survey showed that, while only 6.9% of Scots in the 16-64 age group were classed as underweight, 51.4% were cl…
1 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to salvage the 540 jobs to be lost at the Grampian Country Foods plant at Newbridge, and what support is being offered to the Newbridge community to help it recover from these job losses and from the recent closure of the Continental Tyres factory.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Following Grampian Country Food's announcement on 29 February, I met trade union and company representatives the following day to discuss the reasons for the decision and to ensure that all possible support would be provided to those affected. A team of publi…
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4098 by Susan Deacon on 15 February 2000, whether the minimum datasets established by the working group relating to health and safety of NHS staff will be published.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Occupational Health and Safety minimum datasets will be issued to the service through a Management Executive Letter (MEL). The MEL will be placed on the Scottish Health website at www.show.scot.nhs.uk/.
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4098 by Susan Deacon on 15 February 2000, whether it intends to use the datasets established by the working group in order to audit centrally the number of attacks on staff in the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The minimum datasets will be used on a cascading basis to inform and enable local management at Practice and Trust level, health boards and the Scottish Executive to monitor, amongst other things, accidents and incidents to staff.
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4098 by Susan Deacon on 15 February 2000, when it anticipates that the working group to identify the minimum datasets relating to the health and safety of NHS staff will be able to report back.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Our target is to establish the minimum occupational health and safety datasets by the end of April this year.