Questions · Mary Scanlon

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to establish whether there is an adequate number of centres with the facility to recruit gametes donors and whether these cover a reasonable geographical spread across Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-17619 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the relevant UK authorities to review the existing donor anonymity arrangements, in light of any current donor gametes shortages.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-17625 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/webapp/…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with health departments in the rest of the United Kingdom regarding any shortage of donor gametes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Legislation on the licensing and governing of fertility centres is reserved to Westminster. Scottish Executive officials have discussed with the Department of Health the implementation of the new legislation to ensure suitable publicity for Scotland. In addit…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with patient user groups in the last two years regarding the availability of donor gametes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-17619 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with infertility treatment centres regarding the any shortage of donor gametes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: refer the member to the question S2W-17619 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/we…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase awareness of the possibility of donating gametes amongst the general public.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-17625 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/webapp/…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the future availability of donor gametes in Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-17619 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/webapp/…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it estimates that there has been any change in the availability of donor human gametes in Scotland since the introduction of the new donor anonymity arrangements on 1 April 2005.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the question S2W-17619 answered on 1 August 2005. 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/…

27 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the availability of human gametes for donation in Scotland since the introduction of the new donor anonymity arrangements on 1 April 2005.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has made no formal assessment or estimate of the availability of human gametes since the donor anonymity arrangements were introduced on 1 April 2005. Nor have we made an assessment of future availability. Over the past six month…

23 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many heart transplant operations have been carried out in the NHS in each of the last four years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The number of Scottish patientshaving a heart transplant operation in each of these years is set out in the table:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> 2001-02 </td> <td> 2002-03…

22 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider a bypass for Nairn as part of the future motorway and trunk roads programme.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12278 on 30 November 2004. All answers 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/webap…

20 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the tax and benefit implications would be for Caledonian MacBrayne employees if offshore employment contracts for seafarers were to be introduced.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Should Caledonian MacBrayne decideto move to offshore employment contracts there would be no effect on employees’tax liabilities. Employees would continue to pay Income tax and National InsuranceContributions in the UK. As a result, there would be no effect o…

20 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has invited Caledonian MacBrayne to bring forward offshore employment contracts for its employees.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We advised CaledonianMacBrayne in April that we would be content were the company to decide tointroduce offshore crewing on the basis that this is normal practice within theUKshipping industry. It is for the company to decide whether to proceed on thisbasis.<…

20 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why women over 35 in NHS Argyll and Clyde are not allowed to receive fertility treatment.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Expert Group on InfertilityServices in Scotland (EAGISS) set out recommendations for national criteria forNHS-funded infertility treatment. One of these recommendations was that the femalepartner should be aged less than 38 at the time of treatment. NHS b…

17 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes are being made to the eligibility criteria for the warm deal programme.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We will consider eligibility among other issues when considering the future of the programme once the current programme end in 2006.

17 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take action to ensure that there is a single point of access in respect of applications for grants under the warm deal programme.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We will consider points of access alongside other issues when considering the future of the warm deal and the central heating programme once the current programmes end in 2006.

17 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to end fuel poverty by 2016.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: To date we have installed over 52,000 central heating systems and insulated over 200,000 homes across Scotland through our programmes. Research on the first year of the central heating programme showed that, of the clients who were fuel poor, nearly nine out …

16 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17054 by Rhona Brankin on 14 June 2005, whether the two or more inspections of 99% of care homes during 2004-05 included an unannounced inspection.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-17054 on 14 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be foundat <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to prevent Crohns disease.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Chief Scientist’s Office (CSO) is currently funding three research projects relating to Crohn’s disease at a total cost of £334,000. Two of the projects, namely, “Gene-environmental interactions in inflammatory bowel disease” and “An investigation of the …

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to reduce the level of Johnes disease in cattle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executiverecognises the importance of Johne’s disease to the livestock industry andfunds a significant programme of research into the disease epidemiology,bacteriology and immunology at the Moredun Research Institute and the ScottishAgricult…

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cause is of Crohns disease.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, although it is common for more than one member of a family to suffer from the condition, and therefore there may be genetic factors involved. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17324 on 24 June 200…

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the presence of Mycobacterium Avium subspecies Paratuberculosis in (a) raw milk, (b) pasteurised milk and (c) water poses any health risk to humans.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: A link between Mycobacterium Avium subspecies Paratuberculosis (Map)and human illness has not been establishedon the basis of current evidence.Food Standards Agency officialsare not aware of any developments to suggest its advice on the drinking of mil…

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any proven link between Mycobacterium Avium subspecies Paratuberculosis and Crohns disease.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Experts worldwide differ in theiropinion on whether Mycobacterium Avium subspeciesParatuberculosis (Map) causes Crohn’s disease.The Department of Health’s Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens has on twooccasions (1992 and 1998) concluded that a link coul…

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people suffer from Crohns diease, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Estimated number of people with Crohn’s disease at the end of 2004 based on hospital admissions between 1981 and 2004 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> NHS Board of Residence</td> <td> <p …

14 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether drug testing and treatment orders are available in every local authority area and, if not, in which areas such orders are not available.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Drug Treatment and Testing Orderswill be available in all but three criminal justice social work groupings by thestart of July 2005.The exceptions are Dumfries and Galloway, theArgyll, Bute and Dunbartonshires grouping and the Forth Valley groupingwher…

10 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16847 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 June 2005, why NHS Western Isles received497 per person more than NHS Orkney in 2004-05.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Arbuthnott formula allocates resources to health boards in Scotland by determining their relative need for funding. The formula is based on a board’s population but adjusted for factors that determine relative need for health care. These factors are the a…

9 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase the focus on mental well-being and self esteem in primary and secondary school education.

Answer · Peter Peacock: In the schools context the Executive is working to improve the mental and emotional well-being of pupilsas part of a whole school health promotion agenda which seeks to connect workon mental and emotional well-being, diet and physical activity into a cohesive…

9 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16686 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 June 2005, whether the level of funding for NHS Argyll and Clyde will be calculated under the existing Arbuthnott formula or will be re-assessed to take account of the 26 islands in the board area, prior to any responsibili…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The level of funding allocatedto a health board by the Arbuthnott formula reflects the board’s relative needfor health care. The Arbuthnott formula includes an adjustment to take intoaccount the additional costs of delivering health care in remote and ruralar…

9 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is for its estimate of a housing need figure of 15,000 per annum, in light of Homes for Scotlands calculation that the current level of building of 24,000 new homes per annum is insufficient to meet demand.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The figure of 15,000 does not represent a Scottish Executive estimate for total housing supply requirements, and is not comparable with the house building figures quoted by Homes for Scotland. Fifteen thousand is a working estimate of the number of new…

9 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many empty local authority houses there are in each local authority area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Numbers of local authority dwellings vacant as at 31 March each year are published in the Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin (Housing Series): the most recent published figures as at 31 March 2004 are shown in table 19 of HSG/2004/4 Housing tre…