Rhoda Grant

30 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it is giving to women with mesh implants and whether it is encouraging them to seek a second opinion where necessary.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has prepared a ‘Frequently asked Questions’ document which has been published on the NHS Inform website. http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/behind-the-headlines/special-reports/2014/06/~/media/NHSinform/BehindTheHeadlines/VaginalMesh_June2014…

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what help is available to social care staff whose employer does not cover the cost of training for workforce qualifications.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21953 on 21 July 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/parliamentarybu…

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many private sector providers are covering the cost of social care staff training to meet workforce qualification requirements.

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

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what average grant is awarded to a social care trainee.

Answer · Alex Neil: There are several different funding streams available to people undertaking education and training. The Scottish Social Services Council has produced guidance on funding and support for training. The guidance provides information on sources of funding availa…

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to (a) public sector, (b) third sector and (c) private sector social care providers to assist with meeting workforce qualification requirements.

Answer · Alex Neil: Employers are responsible for the training and continuous learning of their employees. There is guidance and tools available to all employers in the social services sector which supports the identification, level and quality of training required for their em…

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Patient and Clinician Engagement process has a prioritised waiting list for medicines and, if so, what the criteria are.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) does not operate on the basis of having a waiting list for submissions. The Task and Finish Group report provided to me and published by the Health and Sport Committee noted that the SMC should engage with health boards…

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what target time it has set the Patient and Clinician Engagement process to consider submissions.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Task and Finish Group report provided to me and published by the Health and Sport Committee covered the issue of timescales for the new approach. The report set out that where the Patient and Clinician Engagement (PACE) step is invoked it would require a …

26 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many submissions have been made under the Patient and Clinician Engagement process.

Answer · Alex Neil: As set out in the Task and Finish Group report provided to me and published by the Health and Sport Committee, the Patient and Clinician Engagement (PACE) step is an option where the New Drugs Committee’s draft advice for an eligible medicine is not recommend…

19 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the white paper on independence did not refer to (a) the principles of and (b) calls for secession in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Question 558 in Scotland’s Future made it clear that, in the event of independence, Scotland’s territory will remain as it is now.

19 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its proposed constitution for an independent Scotland would address calls for secession.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21856 on 15 July 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/parliam…

19 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its proposed constitution for an independent Scotland would, in principle, allow areas of the country to secede.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Section 6 of the Scottish Government’s draft Scottish Independence Bill, which was published for consultation on 16 June 2014, provides that the territory of Scotland, in the event of independence, would continue to consist of all the land, islands, internal …

19 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on islands being able to secede from an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland has 93 inhabited islands with a total population of over 103,000 people (latest 2011 Census day estimates). Our island communities are long-standing and much-valued parts of Scotland and that would continue in the event of independence. This is refle…

19 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, what provisions in the proposed carers legislation will involve carers in the discharge process of patients and whether there will be a specific duty on NHS boards and local authorities.

Answer · Michael Matheson: It is very important to fully involve carers in the discharge planning of the people they care for who are patients. The good practice which exists needs to be spread across Scotland and we will make sure that this happens. The consultation on the carers’ le…

9 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21128 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, whether it will devise a strategy to engage with people who have hepatitis C who have previously (a) not completed treatment and (b) completed treatment but still have the condition.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Sexual Health and Bloodborne Virus Framework highlights the importance of developing strategies to treat those chronically infected with hepatitis C. This fully encompasses all infected individuals, including those who have not completed treatment and tho…

9 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21127 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, what steps it is taking to ensure that the number of people being initiated for treatment continues to increase.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework contains an explicit target reflecting the government’s desire to see treatment numbers increase, and performance against these targets is monitored through national indicator data and during annual Scottish G…

9 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21127 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, what progress each NHS board is making on achieving the national target for treatment initiations for 2013-14, and whether it expects the overall target to be met.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework does not contain any board-specific targets for treatment initiations. Progress against the national target for number of persons commencing therapy is detailed in the following table. The targets set out in …

9 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21125 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, what target the refreshed framework will set to reduce cases of hepatitis C.

Answer · Michael Matheson: No decision has been made on targets within the refreshed framework. Targets for hepatitis C treatment will be informed by progress in delivering the current priorities, as reflected in data on indicators; by end of framework reports from NHS boards, which wi…

21 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what benefit there will be from the Beatrice Field offshore windfarm development to coastal communities in Caithness, Sutherland and the inner Moray Firth. 

13 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, following the reported call by the Solicitor General for the law on domestic abuse to be strengthened, what steps it will take to look at introducing a new domestic abuse offence into criminal law; what the timetable will be, and what discussions it has had with stakeholders.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority for Scottish Ministers and for Scotland’s justice system. In addition to increased investment in initiatives to tackle domestic abuse, we took swift action in 2010 to close a loophole in the criminal law to ensure cas…

13 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to help support the development of new hepatitis C treatments.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is supportive of the development of new treatments for a wide range of health conditions. The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) funds high quality research, including clinical trials, of relevance to the health and well-being of the people …

13 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what efforts are being made to ensure that new treatments are made available to patients with the hepatitis C virus.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Advisory Committee, which is chaired by myself, has established a subgroup to look at hepatitis C treatment and therapies in light of the rapidly developing treatment landscape. The subgroup, which is chaired b…

13 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to ensure that people with the hepatitis C virus continue to be treated.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As a result of the Hepatitis C Action Plan and, subsequently, the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework the numbers of people being initiated onto treatment for hepatitis C in Scotland has increased significantly in recent years. A total of 1,052 indi…

13 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government as the current Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework is due to expire in 2015, when it will update or renew the framework and whether it will continue its focus on hepatitis C.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is working with NHS boards, local authorities, third sector partners and other key stakeholders to produce an updated Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework to be published in 2015 once the existing framework period comes to an …

13 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19628 by Alex Neil on 20 February 2014, whether it will provide an update on the progress of the publication of the report of the Scottish Public Inquiry into Hepatitis C/HIV.

Answer · Alex Neil: Lord Penrose, Chairman of the Scottish Public Inquiry into Hepatitis C/HIV acquired infection from NHS treatment in Scotland with blood and blood products (The Penrose Inquiry) wrote to me on the 26 February 2014 updating me on the inquiry’s progress. The Pe…

7 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there are enough supply teachers available for rural schools.

28 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate has carried out forecasting in the last five years on potential changes to local area grant and subsidy distribution from each local area office in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate is not responsible for economic analysis. A specialised division of the Scottish Government, Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) handles this work. RESAS, in conjunction with The James …

28 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid in grants and subsidies by each Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate area office in the Highlands and Islands in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The decennial breakdown of grants and subsidies by each Rural Payment and Inspection Directorate Area office is in the following tables that should be read in conjunction with the following explanatory comments. ‘Highlands and Islands’ has been taken to mean…

28 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of common agricultural policy funding distributed by each Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate area office in the Highlands and Islands in each of the last five years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The quinquennial breakdown of common agricultural policy funding by each Rural Payment and Inspections Directorate area office is in the following tables that should be read in conjunction with the following explanatory comments. ‘Highlands and Islands’ has …

25 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became independent, how much it would cost Police Scotland to take on the functions currently carried out by the (a) British Transport Police, (b) Ministry of Defence Police and (c) Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Ministers are ensuring that preparations are ongoing to ensure a smooth transition in the event of Scottish independence. Where appropriate this includes consideration of the transfer of functions to Scottish authorities. The transition to independence provi…

25 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became independent, how much it would cost to (a) set up and (b) operate annually its proposed (i) national regulatory authority for energy, (ii) fair work commission, (iii) financial regulator, (iv) independent fiscal commission, (v) energy fund, (vi) motor services agency…

Answer · John Swinney: The transition to independence provides a significant opportunity to improve and invest in public service delivery in Scotland. Scottish taxpayers already contribute to UK expenditure on reserved functions. The elected government of an independent Scotland w…