Parliamentary questions

Nanette Milne

1,264 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to the UK Government to discuss the amendments to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 proposed in Schedule 7 of the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and what representations it plans to make on the matter before it is voted on.

Answer · Shona Robison: The content of the Bill, including the amendments, is reserved. The amendments, while relating to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, are consequential to the reserved purpose of the Bill and do not, therefore, require a Legislative Consent Motion…

6 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a national strategy to prevent begging in public places.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Aggressive begging can already be dealt with under the criminal law, through the common law offence of breach of the peace, and statutory measures under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004. We have no plans to develop a national strategy on begg…

6 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to local authorities to prevent begging in public places.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Local authorities already have powers under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, such as antisocial behaviour orders, to prevent aggressive begging. They can also submit proposals for begging related byelaws to the Scottish Government for consid…

6 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers in respect of bye-laws to prevent begging in public places have been given to or removed from local authorities.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Local authorities can submit proposals for byelaws to prevent begging in public places to the Scottish Government for consideration. No detailed submissions have been received by the Scottish Government.

6 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what bye-laws have been put in place by each local authority to prevent begging in public places.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are no byelaws in place to prevent begging in public places in any local authority area in Scotland.

23 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake of school meals by primary pupils has been in each year since the introduction of the Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland initiative, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Adam Ingram: This information is published in table 13 of School Meals in Scotland 2007, which is available on the Scottish Government website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/04134749/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publication…

23 Apr 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake of school meals by secondary pupils has been in each year since the introduction of the Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland initiative, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Adam Ingram: This information is published in table 19 of School Meals in Scotland 2007, which is available on the Scottish Government website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/04134749/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications…

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in implementing the diabetic retinopathy screening programme across Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The national overview follow-up report published by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and Diabetes UK Scotland in March 2008 of boards'' performance against the diabetes clinical standards confirmed that a national diabetic retinal screening programme is avail…

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received annual diabetic retinopathy screening in each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: 2005“06 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=bottom > NHS Board </td> <td colspan=2 valign=bottom > Recorded within Last 15 Months </td> <td colspan=2 valign…

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long the diabetic retinopathy screening targets are for (a) level 1, (b) level 2, (c) level 3 and (d) slit lamp grading in each NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The NHS QIS clinical standard for reporting is A minimum of 80% of people screened are sent the result in writing within four weeks (20 working days) of the photograph being taken.

14 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients undergoing diabetic retinopathy screening are waiting for slit lamp examination in each NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On 7 April 2008 the total numbers of people who are due to be examined by slit lamp over the next 12 months and do not currently have an appointment was as follows (by NHS board of residence): <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td …

13 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients undergoing diabetic retinopathy screening are waiting for formal reporting for (a) level 1, (b) level 2 and (c) level 3 grading in each NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On 8 April 2008 the total numbers of examinations awaiting reporting from grading for each NHS board was as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td nowrap valign=bottom > NHS Board </td> <td nowrap …

29 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of estimations that 1 in 20 people carry the thrombophilia gene and that around 3,000 people die of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in Scotland each year, there are any plans to increase the level of information available to doctors and patients on the risks of DVT.

Answer · Shona Robison: As an interim measure until the revised SIGN guideline is available, the Chief Medical Officer and the Chairman of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland have written to NHS boards asking them to ensure that consistent and accessible patient information on the prev…

29 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review and change assessment guidelines for deep vein thrombosis.

Answer · Shona Robison: SIGN is reviewing its guideline 62 on prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism, and will use the opportunity to incorporate recommendations on the diagnosis and management of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The first meeting of the guideline develop…

29 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to record figures on deep vein thrombosis.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland routinely collects information on deep vein thrombosis, provided the condition is recorded when a patient comes into contact with the NHS.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases taken on by claims companies have been settled out of court in each year since 1999.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The information requestedis not held centrally.

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports have been made to procurators fiscal about people from claims companies pretending to be solicitors in each year since 1999.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: Since 2002, procuratorsfiscal have received four reports in respect of cases involving a charge undersection 31(1)(a) of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 (i.e.pretending to be a solicitor when not having the relevant qualification). One casewas reported in …

3 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the UK Government to regulate claims companies under the Companies Act 2006.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Claims companies inEngland and Wales are regulated by the Secretary of State under the Compensation Act 2006,pending the establishment of the Legal Services Board under the Legal Services Act2007. There is no equivalent regulatory structure in Scotland, but t…

22 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to increase the level of recruitment of neonatal nursing staff.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Nurse recruitmentis a matter for Health Boards. Neonatal nurses in NHSScotland, in associationwith the Nursing and Midwifery Workload and Workforce Planning Programme Teamhave, over the past year, developed, piloted and validated a nursing workloadtool. This …

22 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many training places have been available in each year since 1997 for post-registration specialist qualifications in neonatal nursing.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information onthe number of training placesthat have been available in each year since 1997 for post-registrationspecialist qualifications in neonatal nursing is not available centrally.Howeverprovisional informationprovided by NHS Education for Scotla…