Parliamentary questions

Adam Ingram

1,244 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) males and (b) females currently diagnosed with depression in the under 14s group are (i) under five and (ii) five or older.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Information on the actualnumber of people diagnosed with depression in the under 14 age groups is notheld centrally. Estimates based upon a sample of 70 Scottish General Practicesrepresenting a combined population of 424,484 indicates that approximately 300ma…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently diagnosed with depression, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Information on the actualnumber of people diagnosed with depression by age and gender is not heldcentrally. The available figures for depression are based on those from asample of 70 GP practices representing a combined population of 424,484. Thetable shows t…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to institute a consultation exercise on mercury emissions from crematoria and, if so, when.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive, in conjunction with the Department for Environment Food and RuralAffairs, consulted on mercury emissions from crematoria between May and August2003.The consultation is at theweb-link: <ahref="http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/co…

2 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vaccines currently administered contain mercury preservatives and, of these, which vaccines are given to children.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The only vaccines used in theUKroutine childhood immunisation programme that contain a mercury compound arethe diphtheria, tetanus and wholecell pertussis (DTwP) and diphtheria andtetanus vaccines. The mercury is present as ethylmercury in the excipientthiome…

24 Sep 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many drugs have been banned and withdrawn from use since April 2002.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The safety of medicines is areserved matter and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare productsRegulatory Agency.The agency has advised that preparationscontaining the herbal ingredient Kava kava, except for external use, have been withd…

23 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current timetable is for the second stage of the review of initial teacher education.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I announced the remit and membershipof the review group on Monday 22 September. I expect the group to report by theend of March 2004.

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many health trusts have fully implemented the recommendations of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland Working Group on Standards for Schi'ophrenia.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-2579 today, which is available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the implementation of the recommendations of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland Working Group on Standards for Schi'ophrenia.

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it has monitored the implementation of the recommendations of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland Working Group on Standards for Schi'ophrenia.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland was incorporated into NHS Quality Improvement Scotland(NHS QIS) in January 2003. The review of the schizophrenia standards is being approached in two phases. Phase 1 reports were published in March 2002. NHS QIS are c…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to address any problems which arose from the case of Sharp v Thomson other than through the review by the Scottish Law Commission.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I referthe member to the answer given to question S2W-2577 today, which is available onthe Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement the recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission's Discussion Paper No 114, published in July 2001.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Law Commission published a Discussion Paper on the case of Sharp v Thomson(DP No 114) on 16 July 2001 and the consultation period ended on the 31 October 2001. The commission have not made their recommendations yet. The main reason …

12 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost has been of the Scottish Law Commission's review of the case of Sharp v Thomson and the subsequent discussion paper on the matter, broken down by spending category.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Detailed informationabout the commission's operational costs is not held centrally and enquiries shouldbe addressed directly to the Secretary of the Commission.

27 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil cases have been appealed to the House of Lords in each year since 1999 and, of these, how many received legal aid funding, detailing the costs in each case.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Judicial Office of the Houseof Lords collate statistics on the number of Scottish cases appealed to the Houseof Lords. The information supplied is published annually in the Scottish Executive publication Civil Judicial Statistics which can be locat…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of opening records of needs in (a) each local authority area and (b) Scotland.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The average cost of opening a record of needs is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many records of needs have been opened since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The total number of records of needs open at September each year from 1999 to 2001, broken down by local authority area, is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre in the following publications:The summary results of the 1999 school census (Bib. num…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of co-ordinated support plans will be on children in special educational schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Co-ordinated support plans (CSPs), proposed in the draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill, aim to co-ordinate services for those with complex or multiple, enduring additional support needs, and to direct support towards specified an…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a reference group has been established to inform the consultation process for the draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill similar to the Mental Health Legislation Reference Group.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Special Educational Needs Forum, made up of professionals, officials and parents, has helped to inform the development of the proposals in the draft bill on Additional Support for Learning. Engagement more broadly with children and young people, parent…

20 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-592 by Nicol Stephen on 19 June 2003, what the purpose is of the Thistle Travel Card Scheme; what the scheme's eligibility criteria are; when the scheme was established; how many people are participating in the scheme; where they are from, and in whi…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Thistle Card Scheme was set up by ENABLE and was launched in September 2002. The aim of the scheme was to support people with a learning difficulty or other mental health problem to enjoy the freedom of independent travel by providing an easily recognisab…

19 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to give direct support to the "Street Football for All" project and other similar youth projects.

Answer · Frank McAveety: We have no plans to give direct support to the "Street Football for All" project. Executive funding for community learning and development is channelled mainly through local authorities. Executive funding for sports initiatives is channelled mainly …

19 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times are for a referral from a GP to a psychiatrist.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In the year ending 31 March 2003, the median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the speciality of psychiatry following referral from a GP was 29 days.The £4.5 million investment in the Doing Well by People with Depress…

19 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS is contracting services from private organisations to provide medical services on its behalf and, if so, which services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-957 today. The Information requested is not held centrally. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF=…

19 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines allow the NHS to contract private organisations to provide medical services on its behalf.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is legislation, rather than guidance, under which NHS bodies operate that allow them to enter into contracts to provide medical services. The provision of medical services is arranged through health boards, special health boards and NHS trusts under the po…