Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how any new fast track diagnostic and treatment centres will be funded.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-147 on 1 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite. The search facility for which can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fast-track diagnostic and treatment centres will be built; where such centres will be built, and what the estimated cost is of building each centre.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We will work closely with NHSboards to ensure that the NHS provides responsive, efficient services that put patientsfirst and ensure that they are treated as quickly as possible. As part of that,and in line with our manifesto commitment, we will be considerin…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use the “Quality Adjusted Life Year” method to measure health benefits when determining future investment in the NHS.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Quality Adjusted Life Year(QALY) is one of a number of methods which can be used to measure health benefitswhen deciding on priorities for expenditure in the NHS. Different approaches arerelevant in different circumstances.</p><p>TheQALY provides an estim…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will measure outcomes in relation to investment in the NHS.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Executive has a range ofmeasures which reflect the outcomes generated by investment in the NHS. These includelong-term, high-level measures such as changes in Health Life Expectancy and levelsof health inequality, as well as a range of operational measure…
17 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether every patient will be given a legally binding waiting time guarantee to see a (a) psychologist and (b) psychiatrist.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We will be consulting on ourproposals.</p>
17 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a timetable has been set for reversal of the decisions to downgrade accident and emergency provision at (a) Monklands Hospital and (b) Ayr Hospital and, if so, what the timetable is.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: An announcement setting out howwe will fulfil the commitment made in our election manifesto will be made shortly.</p>
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines and advice have been prepared for funeral operations in the event of an avian flu outbreak.
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Burial and Cremation Review Group is due to report to ministers and when the group's proposals will be put out to consultation.
21 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the range of consultees involved in the development of local authority local housing strategies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to reply. Her response is asfollows.</p><p>Communities Scotland guidanceproduced for use by local authorities on the preparation of Local HousingStrategies lists a range of peopleand orga…
21 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug addicts who have been assessed and prescribed methadone are waiting to be allocated a methadone dispensing pharmacist, broken down by NHS board area.
20 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ban on smoking in public places would apply to delayed-discharge patients who require to remain in hospital due to a lack of local authority funding to support their return home where they could smoke.
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what appropriate professional help will be made available to people with drug and alcohol addiction if they have needs the service cannot meet, as stated in Standard Statement 7 of Consultation on Draft Quality Standards for substance misuse services.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The draft National Quality Standardsfor Substance Misuse Services, Statement 7, advocates that an individual’s assessedneeds should be met, even if a particular service cannot provide these, by seekinga referral to a service designed to meet those specific ne…
15 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the information provided under the Standard Statements set out in Consultation on Draft Quality Standards for substance misuse services will include options for detoxification and rehabilitation.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The draft National Quality Standardsfor Substance Misuse Services describe the quality of provision expected from servicestreating people with alcohol or drug problems, including services offering detoxificationand rehabilitation.</p>
10 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ash from waste incinerators poses any health risks in relation to its transportation and placement in landfill sites.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The UK Health Protection Agency’sCentre for Radiation, Chemical andEnvironmental Hazards has produced a <i>Position Statement on Municipal Solid Waste Incineration</i> which concludes that “The incineration process can result in three main sourcesof emissions…
10 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what health monitoring takes place of people living in the vicinity of waste incinerators.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive HealthDepartment is not aware of any specific health monitoring currently in place forpeople living in the vicinity of waste incinerators. This position is in keepingwith the view of the Scottish Executive Health Department that emissio…
10 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any known health risks for people living in the vicinity of a waste incinerator and, if so, whether it will outline the risks involved.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Incinerators emit pollutantsinto the environment and some of these pollutants are known or are considered likelyto cause or exacerbate the symptoms of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.Others, such as dioxins and furans are known or suspected human carc…
2 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22762 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 March 2006, how it plans to extend secure accommodation by 29 places.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A shortlistof five current and potential providers selected was selected on 20 December 2002. They were invited to provide moredetailed proposals and costs to deliver the 29 place increase and modernise thesecure estate overall. Distribution of the additional…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to financially support mountain rescue teams in order to ensure stability of funding and a reliable voluntary service.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23327 on 7 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the diabetes framework and the managed clinical network for diabetes have benefited patients with diabetes in each NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Managed clinical networks for diabetes and the Scottish Diabetes Framework have made significant progress in developing and improving the standards of diabetes care in Scotland. The networks bring together health care professionals throughout an area to plan …
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether managed clinical networks are effective in delivering care in a local context.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Managed Clinical Networksfor cardiac services, stroke, cancer and diabetes are showing their effectivenessin taking forward the local implementation of our national strategies for each ofthese conditions. The gains at present are largely in terms of the i…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether managed clinical networks have ensured equitable provision of, and equitable access to, high quality, clinically effective services throughout Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Equity of provision of and accessto services is one of the fundamental aims of all Managed Clinical Networks(MCN). The national networks are able to promote this aim for patients regardlessof where in Scotland they are resident.</p><p>Where there are networks…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which managed clinical networks are planned for future development, in accordance with its circular, HDL (2002) 69.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As <i>Delivering for Health</i>makes clear, we will be producing new guidance aimed in general at strengtheningthe authority of Managed Clinical Networks (MCN) and increasing their influenceon the way in which resources are allocated for services. A key aspec…
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in each year of the last five years, broken down by infection type.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot held centrally. Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are treated in a numberof locations in addition to genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics. These locationsinclude family planning clinics and primary care settings. Data from …
1 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to reduce the level of sexually transmitted infections.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer question S2W-23504 on 6 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
23 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21459 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 December 2005, whether planning gain supplement will be implemented in Scotland on the basis of a scaling-back of the scope of planning obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As part of the UK Government’sconsultation paper on planning gain supplement, the Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister has indicated that it will introduce regulations to scale back the scopeof planning obligations in England under section 106 of the Town and C…
23 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether revenues collected by HM Treasury through planning gain supplement will be allocated to Scotland under separate arrangements to the current financial settlement under the Barnett formula.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Discussions are on-going withHM Treasury on a number of aspects of the proposals for a planning gain supplement,including re-distribution of the revenues raised. No firm conclusions have yet beenreached on what the most appropriate distribution mechanism woul…
23 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill will affect the level of planning gain arising from the difference between current use value and planning value with full planning permission.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We do not expect there to beany identifiable effect on land values, and consequently planning gain, as a consequenceof the Planning Bill.</p>
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support local voluntary organisations in the Highlands, given that no uplift in funding is being provided by the Highland Council.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive provideslocal voluntary organisations with support through a wide range of initiatives,including in the area covered by Highland Council. However, the majority of grantfunding for local voluntary organisations is provided by local agenc…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline how the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations supports voluntary organisations.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The SCVO is the national body representing the voluntary sector in Scotland and seeks to advance the values and shared interests of the sector by fostering co-operation, promoting best practice and delivering sustainable services.</p> <p>The SCVO organises it…
21 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish Executive funding supportfor the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations over the last five years isdetailed in the table below. This does not include resources which SCVO distributeto other agencies on behalf of the Scottish Executive.</p><tabl…