Parliamentary questions

Shona Robison

1,014 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to monitor the uptake and impact of independent advocacy services in light of the requirements in respect of advocacy in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: All local authorities and health boards will monitor the uptake of advocacy services closely. It is difficult to predict the level of demand for advocacy under the new Act. Our on-going monitoring and other contact with local agencies will continue to include…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it has assessed the capacity of independent advocacy services to meet the needs of people with mental health problems in light of the requirements in respect of advocacy in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has assessed the position on the basis of the plans and updates provided to it through the joint local implementation planning process and progress reports and through discussion with the Advocacy Safeguards Agency which has itself asse…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial input has been made by each NHS board to ensure that the requirement under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 to provide access to independent advocacy for every person with a mental disorder is met.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial input has been made by each local authority to ensure that the requirement under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 to provide access to independent advocacy for every person with a mental disorder is met.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average wage levels have been in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Average earnings are estimatedusing the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). Data for ASHE is only currentlyavailable from 1998. Table 1 provides the median full time weekly earnings by eachlocal authority area from 1998-2004. The median is the preferr…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance will be given to sufferers of chronic illnesses who are not eligible for free prescriptions to help meet the costs of their prescriptions and essential treatments until the review of NHS prescription charges is completed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The current prescription charge exemption arrangements are designed to protect those who are most likely to have difficulty paying charges. A person can be exempt from payment of NHS prescription charges on grounds of age, receipt of certain passportin…

15 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the review of NHS prescription charges to be completed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have not yet set a date for the commencement of the next phase of the review. We expect that phase to take three months from the date of commencement, and Cabinet consideration next year.

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to evidence suggesting that women from poorer backgrounds with poorer nutrition are more likely to consume alcohol during pregnancy with the potential for inducing foetal alcohol syndrome.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive is planning to make a range of publications available about the short and long term consequences of drinking alcohol that will include, specifically, the risks of drinking during pregnancy. This process will take into account any reliable Scotti…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address the problem of foetal alcohol syndrome by including information on the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy as an essential element of health education in schools.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The 5-14 Health Education National Guidelines sets out a framework of general learning expectations for pupils across the topic of health education, including alcohol education. This ensures that information about alcohol is given as part of a programme aimed…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invest in research into foetal alcohol syndrome, given the indications from the World Health Organisation that its incidence could be higher than current estimates.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: An alcohol research plan is currently being finalised in conjunction with NHS Health Scotland, and in addition we will have access to the findings of a review of available evidence of fetal effects of alcohol which the UK Department of Health is expected to c…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider increasing awareness of the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy by placing obligations on the alcoholic drinks industry to label its bottles and cans with adequate warnings.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Imposition of labelling requirements on the alcohol industry is a reserved matter. However, the Executive is committed to working with the UK Government, the Portman Group and where appropriate at EU level to develop approaches to product labelling.

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to change current official recommendations on alcohol consumption to expectant mothers, given the scientific evidence of the potential of alcohol consumption during pregnancy to induce foetal alcohol syndrome.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive’s current guidance states that occasional drinking should not affect a developing baby but that on the whole alcohol should be avoided. Guidance will be kept under review in the light of consideration of the latest available information.

7 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many referrals procurator fiscals have received from the police in each of the last three years in connection with offences committed by motorists (a) obstructing footways and pavements, (b) depositing goods on pavements inconsiderately, (c) neglecting pedestrian rights, (d) using a m…

Answer · Colin Boyd: The collation and analysis of the relevant information for this parliamentary question means that it cannot be answered by the deadline. I will write providing a detailed answer to the question as soon as the collation and analysis is complete.

7 Sep 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the proposed significance recognition scheme for non-national museums and galleries.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Museums Councilhas consulted its members and other interested parties on arrangements for the proposedSignificance Recognition Scheme for non-national museums and galleries. The councilis considering the responses and will report its findings to …

1 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18320 by Mr Andy Kerr on 31 August 2005, what measures will be put in place to prepare for the impact on workload in secondary care, including increased demand for non-screening colonoscopy and pathology services, as identified by the UK cancer chall…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Bowel Cancer Framework Group was established in 2004 in order to co-ordinate strategic planning and development to secure implementation of the Scottish Bowel Cancer Framework. The group will oversee service development in readiness for the natio…

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult stoma patients and medical professionals who are concerned that the implementation of current remuneration proposals for dispensing appliance contractors will lead to a greatly diminished standard of stoma care service.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive has established a national steering group, that includes patient group representatives and stoma nurses, and which is meeting regularly to discuss the implementation of the new supply arrangements for stoma appliances. The Executive is also cons…

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will maintain and enhance the specialised stoma care services currently provided by dispensing appliance contractors (DACs) if proposals to remunerate DACs provide insufficient funding to maintain the additional services which they provide, such as the cutting and fitting of stoma …

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18870 on 21 September 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/web…

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all existing stoma care nurse positions will remain after April 2006; how stoma care nursing will be funded after this date, and whether it will provide details of any planned changes which may affect stoma care nurses' employment or working practices after this date.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive has no plans to reduce the number of stoma care nurse positions in Scotland after April 2006. Funding and employment and working practices of all nurse posts is a matter for the employing or contracting NHS board.All funding curren…

4 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17705 by Mr Tom McCabe on 3 August 2005, what percentage of civil service jobs were located in each of Scotland’s cities in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of each city's population.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is shown in the following tables and is calculated on the basis of the number of permanent staff (full-time equivalent) at 1 April of each year in the core departments, associated departments and agencies within the Scottish Executiv…

4 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been lost from each of Scotland's cities in each year since 1999 and, of these, how many were lost as a result of (a) relocation and (b) redundancy.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is shown in the following table and covers posts within the Scottish Executive core and associated departments and agencies. No jobs were lost as a result of redundancy. The information does not include details of civil service posts…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise awareness of bowel cancer.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Cancer in Scotland: Action for change sets out the strategy for tackling cancer in all its forms. The Executive’s health improvement policy framework is set out in Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge. More information is available from …

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many rectal bleeding clinics have been established since 2001.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the main outcomes of the Cancer Challenge pilot screening programme were.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Department of Health commissioned a team from Edinburgh, Warwick and Essex Universities to formally evaluate the Cancer Challenge screening pilot which ran in England and Scotland from April 2000 to December 2002. The target UK population was approximatel…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce home testing kits for bowel cancer.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18315 on 31 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…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been screened for bowel cancer in the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) age group.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Invitations are sent out to all men and women aged 50 to 69 registered with a GP Practice, along with a faecal occult blood test (FOBt) kit, instruction and information leaflets. A reminder letter is sent after four to six weeks if there has been no response …

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assess the results of the UK Government's initiative to offer home testing kits for the early detection of bowel cancer to people over 60 in England.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The UK Colorectal Cancer Screening pilot commenced in April 2000 and included both Scottish and English programmes. Men and women aged from 50 to 69 were invited to complete a home test kit with returned kits being screened at laboratories in England and Scot…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people (a) were diagnosed with and (b) died from bowel cancer in each of the last seven years, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: “Bowel cancer” has been interpreted as referring to cancer of the large bowel which is also known as colorectal cancer. Table (a) shows the number of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1995 and 2001 by NHS board area. 2001 is the most rece…

3 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to screen people over 60 for bowel cancer.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I announced recently that a Scottish bowel cancer screening programme for all men and women aged from 50 to 74 will be rolled out from March 2007, with all health boards involved in the programme by 2009. This follows a successful pilot which has been running…

2 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being undertaken to find appropriate treatments to alleviate vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department funded a study, which completed in February 2001. It assessed theories on how VRE is spread and methods of control in high dependency units. The study found that the type of vanc…

2 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) there have been in each of the last three years, broken down NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Data is not available specifically for cases of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. However, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) produces quarterly figures on the number of reported cases of all glycopeptide-resistant enterococci (which includes vancomycin-resista…