Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the absence of a signed application form for registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords removes the prospect for any form of prosecution in respect of the scheme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The absence of a signed applicationform does not remove the prospect for prosecution in respect of the scheme. Undersection 83(4) of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 it is an offenceknowingly to provide false information or fail to provide th…
21 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all applications for registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords require to be made on a signed application form.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Applicants to the National RegistrationScheme for Private Landlords can apply online or can request a paper applicationform from their local authority. Both online and paper applications require applicantsto declare that the information provided is correct. P…
21 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many landlords have been prosecuted for providing false information in applications for registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: No landlords have been prosecutedfor providing false information in applications for registration under the NationalRegistration Scheme for Private Landlords.</p>
21 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many landlords have registered under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The following table shows thenumber of applications for registration by private landlords and letting agentsreceived by each local authority and the number of applications approved, as at7 January 2008. Landlords and agents are required to register in eachaut…
21 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it can be assured of the validity and accuracy of electronic data in applications relating to the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Both online and paper applicationsrequire applicants to declare that the information provided is correct. Applicantsare also informed that it is a criminal offence to give false information in anapplication for registration.</p><p>If an applicant is found to …
21 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many landlords have been refused registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government recognisesthat the vast majority of landlords operate lawfully. No applications for registrationhave been rejected yet, but several local authorities are taking enforcement actionwhere there are concerns. This may involve the landlord …
18 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the A96 between Inverness and Nairn will be upgraded to a dual carriageway.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Aberdeen to InvernessMulti-Modal Transport Corridor Study, and the outcome of a design study for a dualcarriageway improvement of the A96 between Inverness and Inverness Airport willfeed directly into the Strategic Transport Projects Review.</p><p>The nex…
16 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that all pregnant women are given a second trimester anomaly scan.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is workingclosely with NHS boards to develop the pregnancy screening programme to includethe anomaly scan as a matter of routine right across the country. The introductionof fetal anomaly scans however has significant implications for …
16 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice should be given to young children and adults using mobile phones in response to Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme Report 2007.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The 2007 report of the MobileTelecommunications Health Research (MTHR) programme, found no association betweenmobile phone use and any biological or adverse health effects. Advice from the UK governmentson mobile phone use is provided in their leaflet on Mobi…
16 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which residential establishments treat (a) bipolar disorder and (b) depression as part of drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not heldcentrally. However, all NHS in-patient mental health services provide treatmentfor bipolar disorder and depression along with drug and alcohol detoxification.This treatment may be provided as part of an acute general adult inpatien…
16 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to identify and address the risk of suicide in the treatment programmes for people with drug and alcohol addiction.
Answer · Shona Robison: Commitment 7 in Delivering for Mental Health states that “Key frontline mental health services, primarycare and accident and emergency staff will be educated and trained in using suicideassessment tools/suicide prevention training programmes. 50% of target st…
11 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions will be placed on local authorities that fail to achieve the targets set in their single outcome agreements.
Answer · John Swinney: The single outcome agreementswill contain measures and a mechanism for addressing under performance. These measuresand mechanism will be determined by the group overseeing the process towards theimplementation of the single outcome agreements.</p>
11 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all mental health patients who are assessed as requiring a community-based care package are guaranteed to receive this service under local authority single outcome agreements.
Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities have a dutyto assess the needs of an individual where it appears to them that the individualmay be in need of community care services. In the light of that assessment, thelocal authority should then provide or arrange for any required servic…
11 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with an eating disorder in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Shona Robison: The latest available informationis shown in the following tables.</p><p>Estimates, from a sample of generalpractices considered broadly representative of the Scottish population are givenin the following table. These data are not available by NHS board area:<…
11 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what residential facilities are available for people suffering from eating disorders.
Answer · Shona Robison: There are established referralarrangements with the private sector to meet the needs of NHS patients likely tobenefit from in-patient eating disorder care. In all cases quality and continuityof care are paramount for both the referring and receiving clinician…
11 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans “ending private involvement in the national health service” as stated by the First Minister on 10 January 2008 (Official Report c. 4937).
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the questionS2W-7857 on 15 January 2008. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">ht…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish a telephone helpline for young people with mental health and emotional problems.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government currentlyhas no plans to establish a telephone helpline specifically for children and youngpeople with mental health and/or emotional problems.</p><p>Childline already provides afree, confidential 24-hour helpline across the UK for chi…
10 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in allocating a named mental health link person in every school and basic mental health training for all those looking after children and young people in care.
Answer · Shona Robison: We remain on target for deliveryby the end of 2008. In some areas Primary Mental Health Care workers are alreadyperforming this role, while others are considering how best to fulfil the commitmentobjectives. A national event is planned for March this year to …
9 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation has been paid to families whose relatives died from septicaemia following infected pressure ulcers, as identified by the Care Commission report, Pressure for Change.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Care Commission report refersto three fatal accident inquiries following the death of residents from septicaemiaassociated with an infected pressure ulcer. Of the inquiries, one found that deficienciesin the care home had contributed towards a resident’s …
9 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why 11 enforcement notices were served by the Care Commission when it states that, of the 62 care homes involved in its Pressure for Change review, “in every care home we reviewed, we found serious failings in the standards of care”.
Answer · Shona Robison: Under the Regulation of Care(Scotland) Act 2001 the Care Commission has a wide range of measures available toit where it sees the need for a care home to make improvements. It can make recommendations,place requirements on the care home or serve an improvemen…
9 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken in response to the Care Commission report, Pressure for Change, to address “serious failings in the standards of care” in every care home reviewed, as referred to by the commission when the report was published.
Answer · Shona Robison: the Scottish Government accepts the findings of the Care Commission’s report Pressure for Change, which includes important recommendations for care providers,NHS boards and local authorities.</p><p>We are keen to ensure a nationalapproach in responding to thi…
9 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the use of anti-psychotic drugs in care homes for elderly people is audited and monitored.
Answer · Shona Robison: The National Care Standards forCare Homes for Older People require providers to have in place comprehensive policies,procedures and systems for ordering medication and for its safe storage and administration,and for the safe disposal of unused medicines. The …
9 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of stroke victims have access to a CT or MRI scan within (a) three and (b) 24 hours, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The data requested is notheld centrally in the form requested.</p><p>The latest Scottish Stroke Care Audit monitors performanceagainst the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland clinical standards for stroke. Itsnational report includes data describingthe quality o…
8 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what screening is offered to detect signs of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Answer · Shona Robison: The National Screening Committee,which advises the UK health departments on issues related to screening programmes,has recommended the introduction of a population-wide vascular risk management programme.This is very much in keeping with the approach set out …
8 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to help prevent aneurysms.
Answer · Shona Robison: There are a number of risk factorsassociated with aneurysms, including smoking and raised blood pressure. Allhealth improvement measures which encourage smoking cessation and reducing raisedblood pressure will reduce the risk of an aneurysm. In addition, we a…
8 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that wheelchairs are provided to meet the medical, postural and social needs of users in as short a time as possible.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2005 the Scottish Governmenthas provided almost £3 million in additional interim funding to improve NHS wheelchairwaiting times. The funding has been used to purchase additional wheelchairs andto employ additional staff in the five rehabilitation centre…
7 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to train health professionals to assess and treat obesity.
Answer · Shona Robison: Assessment and treatment of obesityis included in the training of health professionals. However, the Scottish Governmentis aware that there may be a need for further training opportunities for healthprofessionals in this priority area, particularly in managin…
7 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what standardised method is used for assessing obesity.
Answer · Shona Robison: The most commonly used methodof assessing obesity is body mass index (BMI). The GP Quality and Outcomes Framework(QOF) specifies using BMI to identify patients for practice obesity registers.</p><p>BMI is calculated by dividingan individual’s weight in kilogr…
7 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether health checks for 40-year-olds, as proposed in the SNP manifesto, will include obesity assessments.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are currently examining howbest to design these health checks to ensure the maximum benefits for patients,building on the success of the Keep Well programme. We shall announce decisionson implementation in due course.</p>
7 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how children and adults with obesity problems will be assessed, monitored and directed to treatment.
Answer · Shona Robison: Treatment needs are assessedand managed on a case by case basis, including through discussion between the individual,their family and health professionals.</p><p>Boththe NICE and the SIGN obesity guidelines provide advice for GPs and healthboards to assess th…