Parliamentary questions

Mary Scanlon

4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

21 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being considered to address the fact that 70% of tooth decay in five-year-olds is untreated.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A wide-ranging document on children's oral health will seek views on fluoridation of public water supplies, as well as other options such as fluoride tablets and fluoridated drinks.The early years enhanced capitation scheme has been introdu…

20 Sep 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its report on haemophiliacs and hepatitis C will be published.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I hope to be in a position to publish the report "Hepatitis C and the Heat Treatment of Blood Products for Haemophiliacs in the mid-1980s" very shortly.

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the current measures in place are sufficient to protect children who are known to be at risk of harm from their parents or guardians.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 provides for a range of measures which, if used appropriately and timeously, should protect children who are known to be at risk of harm from their parents or guardians.

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence of new variant Creut'feldt Jakob Disease ever being passed on as a result of blood transfusion.

Answer · Susan Deacon: No. However, as announced by the then Health Minister Sam Galbraith in August 1998, significant action is already being taken to reduce the theoretical and unquantifiable risk of transmitting variant CJD through the blood supply:<UL><LI>on …

18 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support the campaign to reduce deaths from road accidents being run from January 2001 by Highland Health Board, Highland Council and Northern Constabulary.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides funds to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign for the development of road safety educational materials and publicity initiatives. The campaign organises national road safety education initiatives and publicity campaigns as well as…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to address the increase in under age drinking reported in the Chief Medical Officer's report 1999 Health in Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is aware of these worrying trends and is committed to tackling the problem of under age drinking. Current action couples enforcement to reduce availability of alcohol to under 18s with targeted alcohol education to encourage a sensible …

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to promote healthy diets amongst young people in response to the increase in the daily consumption of chips, sweets and fatty foods for young children reported in the Chief Medical Officer's report 1999 Health in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive's drive to improve the diet of young people is being taken forward in line with the Scottish Diet Action Plan, "Eating for Health". A wide variety of action is underway at both national and local level, ranging from healthy ea…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take action in relation to the increase in the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases reported in the Chief Medical Officer's report 1999 Health in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I have already announced my intention to develop a sexual health strategy for Scotland, which will have as one goal the improved sexual health of young people in Scotland.Presently, work is under way on a number of fronts to promote good se…

1 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to reduce the number of girls who smoke, following the rise in the percentage of young girls who smoke from 12.4% to 18.6% reported in the Chief Medical Officer's report 1999 Health in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is taking forward a range of measures which seek to reduce the levels of smoking by young people in Scotland. Although aimed at young people generally, aspects relating specifically to girls are addressed. The measures include health ed…

31 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to use human papilloma virus testing as part of the cervical cancer screening process.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Department of Health propose to pilot the use of HPV testing for women with borderline or mildly abnormal smears as part of the Cervical Screening Programme at three sites in England. The pilot is due to start in late spring 2001. The UK National Screenin…

28 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8452 by Iain Gray on 17 July 2000, what the most up-to-date figure for the amount of delayed discharges is following the census on 20 June 2000.

Answer · Iain Gray: Comprehensive national and local information will now be published in November. This is later than the intended publication date given the absence from one health board of complete national data within the first quarter census returns.

14 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a study is taking place into the incidence of new cases of hepatitis C in short-term and remand prisons.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:A study to look at the incidence of hepatitis C within such groups would be likely to be of limited value given the long in…

14 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what preventative measures are in place to alleviate the spread of hepatitis C in prisons.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:The availability of health education and sterilising tablets help to prevent the transmission of blood borne viral infectio…

14 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to deal with the consequences of prison related transmission of hepatitis C.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:Those prisoners identified as suffering from hepatitis C infection are cared for by prison health care staff, in partnershi…

1 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to developing youth interest in curling; if so, what strategy it has to achieve this and whether there are any plans for curling development officers.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are committed to supporting the development of curling at all levels including youth. sportscotland works closely with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club and provides funding to the sport through various programmes. In partnership with a number of lo…

1 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any resources available to help upgrade existing ice rinks.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Resources are available from the Lottery Fund administered by sportscotland to help upgrade existing ice rinks. There is much competition for funding and awards are made to those projects and communities which are considered to be most in need.

1 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider, in the light of experience with the current associate GP scheme, amending the NHS regulations to allow single-handed GP practices to be supported by a full-time equivalent associate GP.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We have no such plans.

31 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many osteoporosis sufferers are receiving treatment to prevent further bone loss in each health board area.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally. However, it is estimated that around 18,000 people in Scotland were seen by General Practitioners in respect of osteoporosis in 1999.

31 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-7831 and S1W-6761 by Susan Deacon on 17 July and 7 June 2000, and with reference to the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme report on osteoporosis published in 1997, what structures are in place to monitor and evaluate programmes to reduce the incid…

Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no formal structures at the national level to monitor and evaluate programmes to reduce the incidence of falls amongst those with low bone density. There are, however, a number of local projects aimed at reducing falls amongst those most at risk. Re…

31 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to the recommendations of the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme report published in 1997, what measures are in place to collect information at (a) health board and (b) national level on the subject of osteoporosis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive does not hold details of measures in place at Health Board level to collect information on osteoporosis.Information is gathered centrally from those General Practitioner practices participating in Continuous Morbidity Recordin…

31 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6762 by Susan Deacon on 7 June 2000, which health boards now operate specific primary care initiatives in relation to osteoporosis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Local initiatives are in place across Scotland to help with the prevention of osteoporosis (including alcohol, smoking and diet initiatives). In addition, many specific primary care initiatives are in place. Detailed information on individual initiatives is a…