Susan Deacon

14 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve leadership and management in the civil service in line with the key areas for action identified in Taking Stock Review: Fit for the Future, published in December 2006.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Permanent Secretary has establisheda new Strategic Board whose responsibilities include oversight of actions to respondto recommendations in the Taking Stock report.</p><p>The report highlighted a needto build on evidence of effective leadership in parts …

14 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all NHS boards implement the 2004 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) guidelines recommending that all pregnant women are offered 20-week ultrasound scans.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The NHS Quality Improvement Scotlandpublication <i>National Overview January 2007 Maternity Services </i>reported thatfollowing their review of their Clinical Standards for Maternity Services (carriedout between November 2005 and June 2006), 10 out of the the…

14 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether both the report of the Review of Access Criteria for Infertility and the Executive’s recommendations arising from the review will be published prior to dissolution of the Parliament.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Yes, the report was published todayand can be accessed at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/173213">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/173213</a>.</p><p>Additional work on recommendations arising from the review isunderway and we will publish our findings in …

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support and promote National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2007, commencing on 13 May.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive hasfunded Breastfeeding DVDs for health professionals to use and disseminate andproduced promotional material. In addition it is planned to show a televisionadvertisement the focus will be on cultural attitudes to breastfeeding inpublic…

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with Learning Teaching Scotland and others in developing multi-sectoral training packages in infant feeding for all early years staff.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive iscurrently working on the development of a food and health delivery plan forScotland which will encompass the infant feeding strategy. A key component of the work will be the development of multi-sectoral training packages for allearly…

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives have been undertaken in the last year to work with local authorities to consider options to support breastfeeding in public, with particular reference to the licensing and planning of public spaces.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Last year the Executiveintroduced the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005, making it an offence toprevent or stop an adult feeding milk to a child under the age of two in apublic space.</p><p>The legislation providesthat if an infant is legally entitled to…

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken in the last year to promote the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and what measures are in place to monitor its implementation.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland)Act 2005 – Advice for Employers leaflet was distributed nationally by the Scottish Executive to all places of employment highlighting theresponsibilities of employers to members of the public who are entitled to beon their pre…

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the new National Breastfeeding Adviser/National Infant Feeding Co-ordinator will be appointed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive’sfirst priority has been to ensure that maternal and child nutrition wasintegrated with the forthcoming food and health delivery plan. The greaterclarity and impact which this will bring will enable us to fully scope out therole of the …

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on establishing a national infant feeding advisory group and outlining its work programme.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Infant Feeding SteeringGroup was established last year.</p><p>The workprogramme consists of the following strands:</p><p>1. Consultationdocument and analysis</p><p>2. Consultationwith parents</p><p>3. Scope andfocus of the food and diet action plan</p><p>…

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a national infant feeding strategy will be published.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Infant Feeding Strategy willnow form an integral part of the Scottish Executive’s Food and Health DeliveryPlan which will be published in summer 2007.</p>

27 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the landlord registration website will become fully operational.

Answer · Des McNulty: The landlord registration websiteis fully operational for landlords to apply for registration, and for members of the public to search for registered landlords and properties. Local authoritiesare currently processing applications. The public search function …

21 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to progress Tram Line 3 to link south-east Edinburgh with the city’s planned tram network.

Answer · Tavish Scott: City of Edinburgh Council isnot currently progressing Tram Line 3.</p>

19 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29029 by Tavish Scott on 9 November 2006, when it expects a decision to be reached on the reopening of the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway to passenger traffic.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Following a recent meeting, Cityof Edinburgh Council are to refresh the business case for the re-opening of theEdinburgh South Suburban Line which I will consider when it is available. No decisionson the future of the line can be made in advance of receiving …

6 Dec 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support gardening and horticultural activities, including the provision of allotments, in towns and cities.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive has no direct rolein relation to supporting gardening and horticultural activities. We are howevertaking forward a number of initiatives in areas such as sustainable development,biodiversity, health and physical activity, community involvement a…

15 Nov 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will act on the recommendation of its Working Group on Hate Crime to introduce a statutory aggravation for crimes motivated by malice or ill-will towards an individual based on their sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.

Answer · Johann Lamont: We deplore all crime, especiallythat motivated by prejudice of any kind, and are aware of the strength of feelingover this issue</p><p>We gave careful considerationto the working group’s recommendation on the introduction of a new statutory aggravationand con…

11 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to reopening the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We are aware of the SESTRAN aspirationto reopen the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway, and the feasibility work that hasbeen undertaken. We are considering this alongside development of our forthcomingNational Transport Strategy and associated rail policy docu…

16 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is working with local authorities to address noise nuisance and other disturbances from the use of jet skis in coastal areas.

Answer · Tavish Scott: It is the responsibility of localand harbour authorities to regulate the use of jet skis using local byelaw powers.</p>

16 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to control the use of jet skis in coastal areas.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Maritime and Coastguard Agencyhas issued advice confirming that it is regarded as best practice for owners ofjet skis and other leisure vessels to observe the International Regulations forPreventing Collisions at Sea at all times. All craft should also co…

2 May 2006 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the creation of the advisory group in January 2006, what progress has been made in reviewing and developing the use of the Parliament¿s crèche facility.

Answer · Nora Radcliffe: I was pleased to be invitedto chair the Crèche Advisory Group in considering how to maximise the potentialof the crèche facilities.  </p><p>The SPCB agreed in March tothe group’s interim proposal to extend the use of the crèche facilities to allpass holders o…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make the same commitment on access to school nurses as the Department of Health has made in England.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive believes that itis important to develop integrated teams matching the appropriate professional skillwith the identified health need. For example, in some cases, it may be more appropriateto involve members from the health promotion team or other…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21457 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 December 2005, how many (a) schoolchildren and (b) school nurses there are in each NHS Board area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The number of children and youngpeople aged five to 18 and of school nurses in each NHS board area is shown in thefollowing table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=550> <thead> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p align=center>NHS Board…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total expenditure on school nursing services was in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Expenditure on school nursingservices in each of the last three years for which data is available is shown inthe following table. It is not possible to separately identify expenditure on schoolnursing services beyond 2002-03 as it is now included in central r…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations contained in Nursing for Health: A review of the contribution of nurses, midwives and health visitors to improving the public’s health in Scotland concerning school nursing have been implemented.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: All of the recommendations in<i>Nursing for Health: A review of the contributionof nurses, midwives and health visitors to improving the public’s health in </i><i>Scotland</i>concerning school nursing have been implemented in whole or in part. Progress inrela…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it can provide about progress in implementing A Scottish framework for nursing in schools.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Implementation of thestandards in <i>A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools</i> is beingundertaken locally by NHS boards. It is being done in co-operation with partnerorganisations such as Education Authorities, Community Health Partnerships anda wide ra…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21458 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 December 2005, what information it has about the level of increase in funding for school nursing in each NHS board area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No information is held centrally regarding the level of funding for school nursing in each NHS boardarea.</p>

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Sentencing Bill will deal with prostitution-related offences and when it expects to introduce the Bill.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23947 on 21 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in providing local authorities and their community planning partners with guidance on dealing with street prostitution.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23947 on 21 March 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make kerb-crawling an offence.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-23947 on 21 March 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

7 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in implementing the proposals contained in the report from the Expert Group on Prostitution, Being Outside: Constructing a Response to Street Prostitution.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive announced itsresponse to the proposals contained in the report of the Expert Group onProstitution on 1 November 2004, outlining our policy on street prostitution. Thefull response is available on the Executive’s website at:</p><p><ahref="www.sco…

6 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to improve the health of school pupils.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Health PromotingSchools Unit was established to develop awhole school approach to promoting the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotionalwell-being of all pupils. This ensures not only that health education is integralto the curriculum bu…