Parliamentary questions
Marlyn Glen
917 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of an accident and emergency ambulance incident.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The average cost of ambulance activity is published annually in the ISD Scotland Cost Book. This information can be found at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/costs-overview.jsp?pContentID=3726&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&…
9 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many emergency ambulance incidents there were in NHS Tayside in the last year for which information is available.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service have advised that in 2008-09 there were 27,825 emergency ambulance incidents in NHS Tayside. This is made up of 10,872 category A calls (life threatening) and 16,953 category B calls (serious but not life threatening).</p>
3 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it reviewed the local housing strategies for 2004 to 2009 produced by local authorities for evidence that equalities issues had been addressed and, if so, what information was obtained regarding the specific housing needs of Gypsies/Travellers.
Answer · Alex Neil: Communities Scotland assessed all local housing strategies submitted in 2004 for evidence that the particular needs of key groups in the community were being addressed and sought a further update from local authorities on progress in assessing and meeting the…
3 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30167 by Alex Neil on 14 January 2010, what the timetable is for reviewing each local housing strategy to assess whether equalities issues have been addressed.
Answer · Alex Neil: The submission of local housing strategies is expected to be staggered between the middle of 2010 and the end of 2012 depending on the local authority''s timescale for preparing their development plan. Each local housing strategy will be reviewed following su…
26 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage of full-time first degree entrants from (a) state schools or (b) colleges has been at each higher education institution in each of the last three years for which information is available and what the respective benchmarks were.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) annually publishes higher education performance indicators for all higher education institutions in the UK, including the percentage of entrants from state schools or colleges combined. The most recently published…
26 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage of students not continuing full-time first degree courses beyond the first year has been at each higher education institution in each of the last three years for which information is available and what the respective benchmarks were
Answer · Michael Russell: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) annually publishes higher education performance indicators for all higher education institutions in the UK, including the percentage of students not continuing following year of entry. The most recently published …
26 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage of full-time first degree entrants from national statistics socioeconomic classification groups 4, 5, 6, and 7 combined has been at each higher education institution in each of the last three years for which information is available and what the respective benchmarks …
Answer · Michael Russell: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) annually publishes higher education performance indicators for all higher education institutions in the UK, including the percentage of entrants from low socioeconomic classification groups. The most recently publ…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30406 by Shona Robison on 19 January 2010, whether the figures on alcohol consumption in other countries quoted in its news release of 21 February 2010, Scotland’s drinking habit, are adjusted to reflect the alcohol abstention rate.
Answer · Shona Robison: None of the figures (for Scotland or other countries) quoted in the news release of 22 February 2009 were adjusted to reflect the alcohol abstention rate.</p>
19 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated non-disabled life expectancy is at (a) birth and (b) age 65 in each local authority area, also broken down by gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: Estimates of non-disabled life expectancy (disability-free life expectancy) are not available for local authority areas within Scotland, but estimates at birth and at age 65 for the country as a whole are available from table 1, page 78 in <i >Health Statisti…
19 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated healthy life expectancy is at (a) birth and (b) age 65 in each local authority area, also broken down by gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: Estimated healthy life expectancy (HLE) is not available for Scotland at local authority level. However (HLE) estimates split by age and sex for each community health partnership (CHP) within Scotland are available on the Scottish Public Health Observatory we…
19 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated non-disabled healthy life expectancy is at (a) birth and (b) age 65 in each community health partnership area, also broken down by gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: Estimates of disability-free life expectancy (non-disabled healthy life expectancy) are not available for community health partnership areas but estimates for the whole of Scotland are available in table, page 78 in Health Statistics Quarterly no. 40, winter …
19 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated healthy life expectancy is at (a) birth and (b) age 65 in each community health partnership area, also broken down by gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: The latest information on estimated healthy life expectancy (HLE) at birth and age 65, for males and females, in each community health partnership (CHP) area is produced and published by Information Services Division Scotland on the Scottish Public Health Obs…
18 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives employed by NHS Tayside are aged 55 and over, also expressed as (a) full-time equivalents and (b) a percentage.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information on the number of midwifery* staff employed by NHS Tayside aged 55 and over expressed as a whole-time equivalent (WTE) is available from National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland from the website link:</p> <p ><a…
18 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives who graduated in Scotland in the last three years are now working in England.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Once they have graduated, newly qualified midwives are free to apply for and take up posts wherever they wish. The Scottish Government does not track where newly qualified midwives obtain posts.</p>
18 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives have graduated from the University of Dundee in each of the last three years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the number of midwives who graduated from the University of Dundee in each of the last three years:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=111 > <tr > <td width=71 valign=top > <p align=right >2006-07</p> </…
18 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the attrition rate for midwifery students has been in each of the last three cohorts for which information is available (a) at the University of Dundee and (b) in Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the latest information available about midwifery student attrition rates for the University of Dundee and for Scotland.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=74 valign=top > <p align=c…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimated percentage is of smokers in Scotland, also broken down by gender, and what information it has on how these figures compare with the corresponding information for Sweden.
Answer · Shona Robison: The following information is available on smoking prevalence in Scotland and in Sweden.</p> <p >For Scotland, the most recent information available is from 2008, when 25.2% all of those aged 16+ smoked. By sex the figure was 24.9% and 25.4% for males and fe…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent on smoking cessation services and related tobacco control activity in each year since 2006-07, also (i) expressed in real terms and (ii) broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The following table contains a breakdown by Health Board of smoking cessation allocations/spend. </p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=96 rowspan=2 valign=top > <p >Health Board</p> </td> <td width=72 …
6 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual consumption of pure alcohol per litre per head of population of people aged 16 and over would be where this figure took into account the estimated alcohol abstention rate, broken down by gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: Data on consumption of pure alcohol are not available. Data on alcohol sales are often used as a proxy for consumption but it should be noted that this does not necessarily measure the same thing.</p> <p >The following table provides data on annual sales of …
6 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated alcohol abstention rate is, broken down by gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: According to the 2008 Scottish Health Survey, 10% of men and 13% of women reported that they have never drunk alcohol or no longer drink alcohol.</p>
6 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual consumption of pure alcohol per litre per head of population of people aged 16 and over has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) age group and (b) gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: Data on consumption of pure alcohol are not available. Data on alcohol sales are often used as a proxy for consumption but it should be noted that this does not necessarily measure the same thing.</p> <p >The following table provides data on annual sales of …
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of its funding streams available to local authorities have been under-subscribed in the last two years.
Answer · John Swinney: The vast majority of the funding provided by the Scottish Government to local authorities is provided by means of a block grant. Local authorities retain any under spend associated with this block grant. The remainder of the funding is provided by means of ri…
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses local authority homelessness and social housing policies for compliance with section 106 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, particularly in relation to Gypsies/Travellers.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) inspects the housing and homeless services of local authorities. The SHR always assess landlords'' approaches to diversity and equality on inspections and through a range of other regulatory engagements. The SHR undertook …
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors reference to the circumstances and needs of Gypsies/Travellers in local housing strategies, in accordance with planning guidance.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government and COSLA will jointly review each local housing strategy and, as part of the review, will examine whether there is evidence that equalities issues have been addressed, including the specific housing needs of Gypsies/Travellers.</p>
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the prevalence and duties of local authority-based Gypsy/Traveller liaison officers.
Answer · Alex Neil: The appointment of Gypsy/Traveller Liaison Officers is the responsibility of individual local authorities and the Scottish Government does not routinely monitor this.</p>
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors take-up of the model tenancy agreement for Gypsies/Travellers developed by the former Advisory Committee on Scotland’s Travelling People.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government does not routinely monitor the take-up of the model tenancy agreement developed by the Advisory Committee on Scotland''s Travelling People.</p>
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the needs of Gypsies/Travellers are taken into account in policy development.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government Race Equality Statement, published in December 2008, highlights the needs of Gypsies/Travellers as a priority in race equality work.</p> <p >We are working to make sure that the policies we develop and the activities we undertake can …
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) revenue and (b) capital resource outturn has been for NHS Tayside in each year since 2001, also expressed in real terms and showing the percentage change.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The revenue outturn and percentage change of NHS Tayside since 2001, expressed in absolute and real terms has been:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td nowrap rowspan=2 valign=bottom > <p > </p> </td> <td nowrap valign…
30 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of treating a preventable case of Clostridium difficile infection in hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29446, on 8 December 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…
30 Nov 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of treating a case of preventable MRSA infection in hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29446, on 8 December 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <u><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/…