Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to the findings of A Report of the Review of Infertility Services in Scotland, published in March 2007.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executiveis working with stakeholders to gather the data necessary to inform the next stageof the process.</p>
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for fertility treatment in each NHS board area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data is not routinelycollected however, the <i>Report of the Review of Infertility Services in Scotland</i>provided average waiting times for 1988-2005 and can be accessed via the attachedlink, <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/173213/0048365.p…
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the 70,000 backlog of applications for the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords to be processed and approved.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The registration of private landlordsand agents is a matter for local authorities.</p><p>The Scottish government is disappointedwith the overall progress so far and is determined to see faster progress in someareas. We are working with local authorities to im…
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in processing and approving applications to the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Landlord registration has beena substantial new initiative for local authorities to handle. Procedures and staffhave had to be put in place for:</p><p>confirming application detailswith landlords and agents;</p><p>invoicing those landlords oragents who have n…
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are required to apply to Disclosure Scotland for checks on people who apply for registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords and, if so, whether local authorities are required to pay the Disclosure Scotland fee in these circumstances.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Local authorities are not requiredto seek disclosure checks on applicants to the landlord registration scheme. However,authorities may wish to apply for standard disclosures in relation to applicantsand registered persons in some cases. It is for the local au…
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information the police are required to give, and in what circumstances, in relation to the suitability of landlords applying to register under National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The police are not required togive information in relation to the suitability of landlords applying to register.It is a matter for the local authority to determine whether an applicant (landlordor agent) is a fit and proper person. In assessing whether an app…
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether information relating to spent convictions has been taken into account in approving registered landlords under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The local authority can takeinto account all convictions – spent or unspent – in considering whether an applicantis fit and proper to be letting houses.</p>
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is required to determine who is a suitable landlord for registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: In assessing whether an applicant(landlord or agent) is a fit and proper person, local authorities must take accountof the information prescribed in section 85 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act2004.</p><p>Paraphrased, section 85 covers:</p><p>an…
29 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance will be given to local authorities to implement the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish government willcontinue to work closely with local authorities to implement landlord registration.This includes providing funding, training events and regular meetings to discussimplementation issues.</p>
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a Scotland-wide managed clinical network for ME/chronic fatigue syndrome.
Answer · Shona Robison: The ScottishGovernment is very supportive of plans to develop a managed clinical networkapproach to services for those with CFS/ME. The health directorates have beenin discussion with some of those developing such proposals, and will provideadvice on the proc…
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the development of a Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) clinical guideline for the care and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Answer · Shona Robison: SIGN’s work programmeincludes the publication of a guideline on Parkinson’s Disease in 2009.</p>
28 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all people with Parkinson’s disease have access to a nurse specialist.
Answer · Shona Robison: There are now 13 specialistnurses dealing with Parkinson’s Disease across NHS boards.</p><p>Staffing arrangements are amatter for NHS boards, but they are asked to consider the role of bothspecialist nurses and nurses with a broader remit working in the commu…
27 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire stations in use in the Highlands and Islands are considered to be unfit for purpose.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The last inspectionof Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service by theFire Services Inspectorate did not identify any stations that were considered unfitfor purpose. Provision of equipment and facilities is a matter for the Fire Boardin the first instance…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist Highlands and Islands fire services to build or refurbish any stations that are currently considered to be unfit for purpose.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: All Fire and RescueServices are provided with annual allocations of capital and revenue funding whichare based on an assessment of need. The government will continue to consider anybids for capital support received from Highlands and Islands and will be proac…
26 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the number of fire brigade control rooms.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Following an analysisof responses to an earlier consultation exercise in respect of the future of firecontrol rooms, the Minister for Justice of the previous Executive announced on 1 June 2006 that the matter should be further considered as partof a wider rev…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering issuing guidance similar to the Department of Health’s paper, Initial guide for the commissioning of in-patient and residential rehabilitation drug and alcohol treatment interventions as part of treatment systems.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has commissionedan update of <i>Integrated Care for Drug Users</i>, first published by the EffectiveInterventions Unit in 2002. The new document will cover planning and delivery oftreatment for both drug and alcohol misuse.</p>
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on drug and alcohol rehabilitation in each year since 2000-01, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Allocations to NHS boards from2000-01 to 2007-08 for alcohol and drug treatment services is in document <i>NHSBoard alcohol and drug treatment allocations 2000-2001 to 2007-2008</i>, a copyof which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for drug and alcohol (a) inpatient and (b) residential rehabilitation services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information specifically on theaverage waiting time of clients for particular treatment interventions, by healthboard is not held centrally.</p><p>A national waiting times informationframework was implemented in April 2004, to enable Alcohol and Drug Action T…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are waiting for drug and alcohol (a) inpatient and (b) residential rehabilitation services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A national waiting times informationframework was implemented in April 2004, to enable Alcohol and Drug Action Teams(ADATs) and local services to monitor waiting times for drug treatment and carein their local areas. Information on waiting times for alcohol r…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with type 1 diabetes use an insulin pump to control their diabetes, broken down by NHS board, and whether people with diabetes who meet National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) criteria are provided with the funding and clinical support to enable them t…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-673 on 14 June 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations paid for by the NHS have taken place in the private sector in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Reliable informationon the number of NHS patients treated in private hospitals is not available centrally.However, the Information and Statistics Division of NHS National Services Scotlandis working with the Scottish Government, NHS boards, and the independen…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of NHS dentists undertake some private work.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information aboutthe number and percentage of dentists who undertake some private work is not held.</p>
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much is paid annually by the NHS to (a) pharmacists, (b) GPs and (c) non-salaried dentists.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Expenditure on NHScommunity pharmacy and NHS non-salaried dentists is available on the website, atthe following addresses.</p><p>Community pharmacy– up to financial year 2006-07:</p><p><ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=2239&p_app…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all pregnant women are offered the number of routine scans recommended in NHS Quality Improvement Scotland guidelines.
Answer · Shona Robison: The NHS Quality ImprovementScotland publication <i>National Overview – January 2007 Maternity Services </i>reportedthat following their review of their Clinical Standards for Maternity Services (carriedout between November 2005 and June 2006), 10 out of the t…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended number of ultrasound scans is for women during pregnancy.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Framework forMaternity Services in Scotland and the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland healthtechnology assessment report recommend two ultrasound scans for all pregnant women.</p>
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total legal costs of processing compulsory treatment orders were in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Legal Aid Board(SLAB) collect data about mental health costs under the generic category of “MentalHealth”. Accordingly, the levels of expenditure provided by SLAB cover all mentalhealth issues, although a significant amount of that cost will cove…
22 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of applications for compulsory treatment orders are processed to completion at (a) first, (b) second and (c) third tribunal.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Tribunal’s best current estimatefor period 5 October 2005 to 3 July 2007 for proportion of Compulsory Treatment Order applicationsprocessed to completion by way of:</p><p>(a) first hearing is 51%;</p><p>(b) second hearing is 35%;</p><p>(c) third hearing i…
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the mental health needs of deaf and hard of hearing people.
Answer · Shona Robison: Our policy is to promoteapproaches for deaf and hard of hearing people to have unhindered access to mainstreamand specialist mental health services. We recognise the need for service improvementand keep all arrangements under review.</p><p>We are funding rele…
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant posts there are for audiologists.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Governmentcontinues to monitor audiology student numbers and the future workforce needs of NHSScotland. The latest information available indicatesthat there are currently 14.6 whole-time equivalent vacancies for audiologists.</p>
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many BSc audiology students will graduate in 2007.
Answer · Shona Robison: There are two audiologycourses available in Scotland, offered by Queen Margaret University. The BSc inAudiology and the two-year Graduate Diploma, for existing science graduates, bothstarted in August 2005. The first 11 Graduate Diploma students are due to co…