Nanette Milne

31 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people employed by the oil and gas sector live in Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The oil and gas industry provides employment for 440,000 people across the whole of the UK, with 45% of the jobs based here in Scotland. Oil and Gas UK’s Demographic report, revised last year, states that off the majority of offshore workers, just over half, …

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether ministers have seen Police Scotland’s business case for the closure of control rooms.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The police in Scotland operate independently of ministers and any decisions on the future of control rooms, is an operational matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority. I have been informed by Police Scotland on the proposals for the closu…

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that Police Scotland should be able to sell off assets paid for by local authorities.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Responsibility for properties, rights, liabilities and obligations of the former police services transferred to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) on 1 April 2013. This was in accordance with the principles and transfer schemes as agreed by the Police and F…

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions there have been regarding the sale of assets paid for by local authorities under the closure of police control rooms.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have had no discussions regarding the sale of assets paid for by local authorities under the closure of police control rooms and I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19464 on 24 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are …

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the future of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland sets out the intention to establish a Scottish Broadcasting Service, founded initially on the staff and assets of the BBC in Scotland, operating in a joint venture with the BBC. That would include what …

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what transitional funding arrangements it is making available to (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards for the implementation of health and social care integration.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting integration of health and social care and will be providing transition funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support establishment of their integration authorities for 2014-15. The resources availabl…

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many attacks there have been on (a) ambulance, (b) fire and rescue and (c) accident and emergency personnel in each year since 1999 and how many prosecutions have resulted.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information on the number of attacks on emergency workers reported to the police was given in S4W-18459 on 13 December 2013. The available information on the number of prosecutions in Scottish courts was given in S4W-18460 on 13 December 2013. …

28 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the new dog licence proposed in its consultation on responsible dog ownership would cost.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19414 on 24 February 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliament…

28 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to ringfence the revenue raised from the new dog licensing system proposed in its consultation on responsible dog ownership for dog welfare purposes.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: On the 27 December 2013, the Scottish Government launched a consultation on promoting responsible dog ownership. The consultation seeks views from anyone with an interest on possible additional measures to promote responsible dog ownership, such as microchipp…

28 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of mouth cancer have been diagnosed in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) age of patient.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on the number of new cases of mouth cancer by year of diagnosis and by (a) NHS board and (b) age group is published on ISD’s website under the cancer statistics topic area via this link: https://isdscotland.scot.nhs.uk/Health-Topics/Cancer/Public…

27 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a new complaints process will be put in place before the integration of health and social care services.

Answer · Alex Neil: It is essential that we take the time to get the right system to allow service users to make complaints, a system that is clear, accessible and fair, where service users can feel that their complaints have been properly heard and investigated. The Scottish H…

27 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the complaints processes for health and social care services.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 introduced a new and specific right for patients to complain, raise concerns, make comments and give feedback. A review of the NHS complaints procedure was undertaken to meet the provisions of the Act. Good Practice Guid…

27 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that the health and social care complaints processes are clear, accessible and fair.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 introduced a new and specific right for patients to complain, raise concerns, make comments and give feedback. A review of the NHS complaints procedure was undertaken to meet the provisions of the Act. Good Practice Guid…

22 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what audit procedures it has put in place to investigate cases of people being wrongly charged for care.

Answer · Alex Neil: This is a matter for the statutory purchasers of care, namely local authorities and NHS boards. Where people feel they are being wrongly charged for care they should raise it with the relevant local bodies.

22 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received a refund having been wrongly charged for care in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Alex Neil: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

22 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many court applications have been made in relation to the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Alex Neil: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

22 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all local authorities have implemented the guidance contained in Chief Executive Letter CEL 6 (2008), NHS CONTINUING HEALTHCARE.

Answer · Alex Neil: CEL 6 (2008), guidance on NHS Continuing Healthcare, covers the responsibilities of the NHS in Scotland for providing continuing health care services. The guidance is relevant to local authorities but is for NHS boards to implement.

22 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been admitted to residential or care homes following an assessment of no longer having the mental capacity to make decisions to take actions in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not held centrally.

20 Jan 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action the NHS is taking to address the reported increase in the number of assaults on its staff.

Answer · Alex Neil: Any violence or aggression against NHSScotland staff is unacceptable and we have policies in place to provide and continuously improve a safe working environment. We encourage NHSScotland organisations to commit to supporting criminal proceedings against anyo…

17 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had bariatric surgery in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The following table gives the information on the number of patients with a recorded diagnosis of obesity that have had bariatric surgery procedures undertaken, by NHS board of residence each year since 1999 to 2012. Except those noted with a *, were values ha…

16 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many GP surgeries are not accepting new patients, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: Part 2 of Schedule 5 to the 2004 Regulations sets out the requirements that GP practices and health boards must follow in managing patient lists, including closure of patients lists. NHS Board Closed Patient Lists Ayrshire and Arran 0 Borders 0 Dumfrie…

6 Jan 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth has had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing regarding the future financing of the NHS.

Answer · John Swinney: We understand how important our public services are to the people of Scotland and value an NHS that is publicly owned and appropriately funded. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and I meet regularly to ensure that our resources are effectively a…

18 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-17160 by Kenny MacAskill on 12 September 2013, whether it will also provide a breakdown of the number of (a) investigations carried out and (b) dog control notices served by each local authority during the period 26 February 2011 to 26 February 2012…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information is contained in the following table: DOG CONTROL NOTICES ISSUED INVESTIGATIONS CARRIED OUT LOCAL AUTHORITY 27 FEB 2011 TO 26 FEB 2012 27 FEB 2012 TO 26 FEB 2013 27 FEB 2011 TO 26 FEB 2012 27 FEB 2012 TO 26 FEB 2013 Aberdeen City Coun…

17 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that the healthcare delivered by voluntary regulated health professionals meets acceptable patient safety standards.

Answer · Alex Neil: Health professionals who are on voluntary registers are subject to standards of education, practice and professional development as set out by those registers. Voluntary registers which achieve accreditation through the Professional Standards Authority for He…

17 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that accredited voluntary registration for healthcare professionals could lead to it being unable to bar professionals who fail to meet acceptable patient safety standards and, if so, what action it will take.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government supports the Accredited Voluntary Register scheme, run by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, as a proportionate alternative to full statutory regulation. Registration with an accredited voluntary register …

17 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made regarding the introduction of accredited voluntary registration for healthcare professionals; on what dates, and what the outcome was.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) regarding all aspects of its statutory functions as they apply to Scotland. Prior to the introduction of the Accredited Voluntary Register…

16 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that schools provide opportunities to learn the skills that will be required in the oil and gas and renewables sectors.

4 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the provision of health services for the Elsick development in Aberdeenshire.

Answer · Alex Neil: Discussions between NHS Grampian and Aberdeenshire Council regarding resources and funding for the provision of health services at Elsick are on-going. Should resources not be identified to support required health development through planning gain, any develo…

4 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the capital infrastructure budget has been for each NHS board in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: Allocations to Health Boards over the period 2004-05 to 2013-14 are given in the following table: Health Board 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 Argyll and Clyde                 15.6 …

2 Dec 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of vacancies in NHS Grampian.