Parliamentary questions

Shona Robison

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

12 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the suggestions from Energy Action Scotland (EAS) regarding the most practical way to ensure that Scotland’s housing is energy-efficient, as set out in EAS’s response to the Scottish Building Standards Agency’s circular on how Scotland will implement the EU directiv…

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:The SBSA had a very useful meetingwith EAS in the middle of June and, where reasonably practicable, their suggestionswi…

12 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the Scottish Building Standards Agency developing a new tool that will display an energy performance certificate on housing when local authorities and Communities Scotland use the National Home Energy Rating system.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:The National Home Energy Ratingmethodology (NHER) is neither publicly owned nor does it currently comply with thetechni…

6 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of civil service jobs are located in each of Scotlands cities, expressed also as a percentage of each citys population.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The head count number of permanent staff employed in the Core Departments of the Scottish Executive, Executive Agencies and Associated Departments, shown as a percentage of civil service jobs located in each of Scotland’s cities and also expressed as a percen…

30 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated to each of Scotlands cities in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The number of civil servicejobs relocated to each of Scotland’s cities in each year since 1999 is set out in the followingtable.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> City </td> <td> 1999 </…

24 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following Carers Week, it will estimate (a) how many cancer patients receive care at home, (b) how many carers supporting cancer patients remaining at home require support themselves and (c) any additional costs faced by cancer patients as a result of their treatment and care.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Modern cancer treatment means that many patients can be treated much closer to home and more cancer care is now being provided on an outpatient or day case basis. If there is no need for patients stay in hospital they will be allowed home. Information …

22 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths from hepatitis C were notified by NHS boards to the Procurator Fiscal prior to 29 August 2003, as required underDeath and the Procurator Fiscal, Crown Office, November 1998.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: Information is not available for periods prior to April 2002. An examination of the information recorded on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database indicates that in the period from 1 April 2002 to 29 August 2003 procu…

22 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been notified to the Skipton Fund from 29 August 2003 to date.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The overall number of claims from Scotland to the Skipton Fund on behalf of people who have died is 11.

20 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16835 by Rhona Brankin on 17 June 2005, whether any of the patients where clinical agreement has been reached with the receiving clinicians are unable to be transferred from the State Hospital due to suitable care and treatment arrangements being una…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It is for the patient’s own health board to provide suitable care and treatment arrangements for a patient who is ready to be transferred out of the State Hospital. if no facilities are available within the board area then it is up to that board to consider o…

20 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, after April 2006, all stoma patients will be able to choose between obtaining their appliances either through community pharmacy contractors or from a contracted appliance supplier.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Yes, all existing stoma patientswill be able to choose their appliance supplier route, provided their appliancecontinues to be clinically appropriate, meets the laid down service standards andthe supplier wishes to enter and accept the terms of the supply con…

15 Jun 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether targets for urgent referral for treatment for cancer patients are being met across Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Meeting the December 2005 cancer waiting times target is a big challenge for the NHS. We have set a stretching target and recognise it will be difficult to meet. A National Delivery Plan agreed with NHS boards will be published soon. This sets out addi…

30 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long it takes to fill a consultant neurologist post.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The length of time it takes to fill each consultancy vacancy within the health service in Scotland varies from post to post.The average time taken to fill such a post is six months assuming that there is no recruitment from other areas of the United Ki…

23 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients currently residing at the State Hospital, Carstairs, have been assessed as requiring a less secure environment.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: As at 30 April 2005, 42 out of the 220 patients within the State Hospital had been assessed by State Hospital clinicians as being ready for transfer to a less secure environment, subject to agreement with clinicians in the receiving health board area. For 20 …

19 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant neurologist posts are temporary.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on temporary consultant neurologist posts in NHS Scotland is not collected centrally.

19 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant neurologist positions are vacant.

Answer · Andy Kerr: At 30 September 2004, within NHS Scotland, there were three whole-time equivalent vacant consultant neurologist posts, none of which had been vacant for more than six months. Information on staff in post in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Hea…

19 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant neurologists are currently in post.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Within NHS Scotland, the consultant neurologist establishment has increased by 21% between September 2001 and September 2004. Information on staff in post in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics…

16 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what response it will make to the research published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005 on the relative effectiveness of MRI scanners compared with X-rays in detecting breast cancer in women under 50.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The research presented in the paper published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005 will, together with other research, be studied and will help inform decisions around amendments to management of women who are at high risk of breast cancer. However, it is felt…

16 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will study the research published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005 on the relative effectiveness of MRI scanners compared with X-rays in detecting breast cancer in women under 50.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Yes, the Scottish Executive will study the research on the effectiveness of MRI scanners compared with x-rays in detecting breast cancer in women under 50 published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005.

12 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support clinicians in establishing and conducting clinical trials under the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive has taken a number of steps to support clinicians in this area. It has funded two conferences within the past year to allow clinical researchers to discuss the new regulatory requirements with the Medicines…

12 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the implementation of the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 under Directive 2001/20/EC will have on the establishment rate and progress of non-commercial clinical trials.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 introduce new requirements in relation to the approval and management of clinical trials of medicinal products with a view to increasing patient safety. Introduced in May 2004 and coming fully int…

28 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the publication of Fair to all, Personal to Each, what rules are in place to avoid recruitment of NHS staff by the independent sector and when the rules will be applied.

Answer · Andy Kerr: It might be helpful if I restate our position on staffing issues and the use of NHS capacity in the independent sector to benefit NHS patients. Where the NHS signs contracts for new facilities with the independent sector we will insist on including contract t…