Nanette Milne

23 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many dog microchip reading machines (a) Police Scotland has and (b) local authorities have and where they are located.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

23 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Gypsy/Traveller sites it estimates are needed, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government does not estimate the number of Gypsy/Traveller sites to be provided by local authorities. However Scottish Planning Policy requires local authorities to consider the accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers through their, Housing Needs…

23 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it provides to local authorities regarding the setting up of Gypsy/Traveller sites.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The most recent guidance on establishing Gypsy/Traveller sites is set out in the Guidance Notes on Site Provision for Travelling People, issued in 1997 by the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Scotland Travelling People. A copy of the guidance notes …

23 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many by-laws regarding camping in public places have been introduced in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Informal camping is a legitimate activity wherever statutory access rights apply, subject to responsible behaviour and any restrictions resulting from other legislation, including byelaws. Byelaws can also be used to restrict access rights in specific areas. …

23 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many Gypsy/Traveller sites have been set up in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government does not collect specific information on the number of Gypsy/Traveller sites set up each year since 1999. However from 1998 to 2009 the Scottish Government collected twice yearly data on the number of Gypsy/Traveller sites, their occup…

3 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on prescribing the medicinal cannabis compound, Sativex, and whether it plans to carry out research on its effectiveness in the treatment of people with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) fibromyalgia.

Answer · Alex Neil: The manufacturer of Sativex has not provided a submission to the Scottish Medicines Consortium. Therefore, Sativex is not currently recommended for use within the NHS in Scotland. The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government has responsibi…

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been raised from the sale of school buildings in each in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Michael Russell: The ownership of school buildings in Scotland lies with the local authorities. The Scottish Government does not own school buildings, therefore, it does not hold any information relating to the sale of school buildings.

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Data on sexually transmitted infections broken down by NHS Board is publically available from Health Protection Scotland. Information on genital herpes simplex, genital chlamydia and gonorrhoea can be found in the following published documents: http://www.doc…

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a report following its consultation on promoting responsible dog ownership.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The consultation ‘Promoting responsible dog ownership in Scotland: microchipping and other measures’ closed on 31 March 2014 with in excess of 2,000 responses received. All responses will be analysed and thoroughly considered and it is expected that an analys…

27 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the police have spent on kennelling dogs in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

27 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many dog wardens there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 requires that every local authority appoints at least one authorised officer. An authorised officer is required to be skilled in the control of dogs and to have the capacity to instruct and advise others in matters rela…

27 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ministerial car journeys have been to Yes Scotland meetings, broken down by (a) minister, (b) distance and (c) cost of journey.

Answer · John Swinney: Ministers are entitled to use government car service services for all journeys which have as their principal purpose the performance of their ministerial duties; this includes journeys to or from Government business. In the period to 27 March 2014, there was…

25 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19720 by Kenny MacAskill on 24 February 2014, on what day the summit will be held.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government’s Responsible Dog Ownership Summit was held in Edinburgh on Thursday 27 March 2014. There were over 50 representatives in attendance from organisations including the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Guide Dog…

19 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill in relation to ensuring an integrated approach to the handling of complaints.

Answer · Alex Neil: Integration joint boards will be required by the regulations underpinning the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act to set out their complaints procedures for integrated services.

13 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and which GP surgeries in each NHS board have operated full patient lists in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19244 on 29 January 2014 and S4W–20023 on 13 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facili…

13 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work to ensure that the meningitis B vaccine is made available to all children across the country.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended a meningitis B vaccination programme for infants. I am delighted that the JCVI has identified the importance of introducing this vaccine against meningitis B. This disease can be devas…

13 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has received representations from clinicians regarding the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's pending decision on the vaccine for meningitis B and, if so, whether he has responded.

Answer · Alex Neil: I have not directly received any representations from clinicians regarding the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's pending decision on the vaccine for meningitis B. However, the Meningitis Research Foundation provided me with a copy of a letter …

13 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what communication the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has had with the (a) Department of Health or (b) Secretary of State for Health regarding the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's review of the vaccine for meningitis B.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I am delighted that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has identified the importance of introducing a vaccine against meningitis B and recommended a vaccination programme for infants. This disease can be devastating for children and th…

6 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £20 million allocated to the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund has been spent; which medicines have been funded, and by how much.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government expects that the £21.7 million of funding provided through the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund (RCMF) from 1 March 2013 will be utilised by 31 March 2014. I have committed to continuing the RCMF until at least April 2016. Therefore a fu…

6 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been removed from GP practice lists in each NHS board in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: The latest information and historical information on the numbers of patients removed from GP practice lists in each year from 1999 to 2013 is shown in the following tables. Patients removed from GP practice lists 1 at the request of a GP; by NHS Board Tabl…

6 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time has been for a GP appointment in each NHS board in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not held centrally, as the appropriate performance measures for GP access, the Health Efficiency Access Treatment standard are measured by the GP patient experience survey, which was last published on 29 May 2012 and can be access…

5 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many and which GP surgeries in each NHS board are operating full patient lists.

Answer · Alex Neil: There is only one GP surgery, the Knightswood Medical Practice within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, that is classified as having a ‘full’ patient list at present, and its patient list will re-open on 1 May 2014. I also refer the member to the answer to ques…

5 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) compromise agreements and (b) mutually-agreed resignation payments each NHS board has made or signed in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: Records are not held by boards for the period requested and are not complete for the years before 2009-10. The following table shows the numbers of agreements from 2007-08 based on the records available. Mutually agreed resignation payments are not recorded i…

4 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill will have on ensuring an integrated approach to the handling of complaints.

Answer · Alex Neil: Integration joint boards will be required by the regulations underpinning the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill to set out their complaints procedures for integrated services.

20 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many carers each local authority employs; which authorities have a shortage and by how many, and what its position is on this.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on the number of care and support staff employed by each local authority is not held centrally. We are aware that some local authorities are experiencing difficulties in recruiting care and support staff, and we are in discussion with representat…

20 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all clinicians are made aware of the Chief Medical Officer's letter of 5 November 2013, which sets out the transitional arrangements for processing individual patient treatment requests.

Answer · Alex Neil: The letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer issued on 5 November 2013 asked NHS boards to exercise flexibility in their decision-making of Individual Patient Treatment Requests (IPTRs) in light of the issues highlighted by the H…

12 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the NHS's capacity to deliver three full cycles of IVF.

Answer · Michael Matheson: An assessment of the NHS’s capacity to deliver three full cycles of IVF will be made as part of the 2015 Review as recommended by the National Infertility Group. As indicated in the Scottish Parliament on 29 January 2014 during Portfolio Question Time, if su…

12 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards offered three cycles of IVF prior to the introduction of the updated criteria on 1 July 2013 and which achieved a waiting time of fewer than 12 months. 

Answer · Michael Matheson: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Tayside and the three island boards NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles all offered up to three cycles of IVF prior to the introduction of the updated criteria on 1 July 2013. Of these, the th…

10 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of research undertaken by the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences into tail injuries in working dogs.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We expect the results of the research that we commissioned by Glasgow University on tail injuries in working dogs to be published in the near future, as peer-reviewed papers in an independent scientific journal. We believe the research will provide a sound ba…

10 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will undertake a review of the ban on the docking of tails of working dogs.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We expect the results of the research that we commissioned from Glasgow University on tail injuries in working dogs to be published in the near future, as peer-reviewed papers in an independent scientific journal. When this research is published we will consi…