Parliamentary questions
Adam Ingram
1,244 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist services are provided in each NHS board area for the diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mental illness.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: While this is primarily a matter for local NHS systems, there is evidence that progress is being made locally in the provision of perinatal services. This includes the introduction of nurse consultants specialising in perinatal mental illness and the developm…
13 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been recorded as a result of perinatal mental illness in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Deaths due to perinatal mental illness have not been recorded by the General Register Office for Scotland during the period.<P>The most recent <I>Report of the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom 1997-1999</I>, which records info…
13 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have been diagnosed with a perinatal mental illness in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not available centrally in the form requested. While some discharge data is available there are concerns over accuracy. Indications are that some admissions are recorded as for depression or other psychosis, rather than specifically for per…
13 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued regarding the treatment of perinatal mental illness.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Four key sets of guidance have issued concentrating on the earliest possible detection and best care responses for mother, child and wider family. All are available in the Parliament's reference Centre: <P>The 1996 Working Group on Maternity Services guidance…
13 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mother and baby in-patient units carry out treatment of perinatal mental illness, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: At present there are no mother and baby in-patient units carrying out treatment of perinatal mental illness in Scotland. However, a number of NHS boards are considering the development of mother and baby units in their areas. <P>In this respect NHS Greater Gl…
10 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has instigated a review of Historic Scotland and, if so, whether the results will be made available to the Parliament.
Answer · Elaine Murray: Arrangements are currently being made to undertake a review of the functions and structure of Historic Scotland. The results of the review and minister's conclusions in the light of the review will be made available to the Parliament.
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what awards under the Strategic Waste Fund have been made to each local authority since the fund was established.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Argyll and Bute Council was awarded funding from the Strategic Waste Fund (SWF) of £1.1 million in 2001-02 and £1.65 million per annum for 2002-03 to 2026 to support the council's Public Private Partnership integrated waste management project. <P>I have this …
24 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what bids under the Strategic Waste Fund each local authority has made since the fund was established to investigate cost benefits from joint ventures between partner local authorities (a) within and (b) between waste strategy areas and what funding was awarded in respect of each bid.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A number of local authorities have submitted applications for funding from the Strategic Waste Fund, and others have submitted draft bids for discussion with the Executive. Both categories include proposals for joint working, as follows. <P>The authorities in…
20 Jan 2003 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive plans to re-evaluate the use of public private partnership as a means of financing schools.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Accounts Commission recently evaluated a number of schools PPP projects and concluded that PPP has delivered real benefits in terms of project management, risk transfer and financial control. All specific projects are assessed to ensure value for money.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the grant-in-aid allocation for educational provision to the Scottish Agricultural College is being reduced in stages from #6.552 million in 2002-03 to #4.894 million in 2005-06.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The planned reduction in the grant-in-aid for education provision at the Scottish Agricultural College reflects a continuing reduction in student numbers at the college. Numbers have now fallen by around 40% over the last six years. As a consequence, the coll…
18 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide any subsidy for the delivery of broadband via satellite systems to areas that will not have access to asymetric digital subscriber line technology in the foreseeable future.
Answer · Iain Gray: Subsidy is currently available from Highlands and Islands Enterprise on a selective basis to satellite broadband users in the Highlands and Islands. The trial, along with similar smaller local enterprise company schemes in the south of Scotland, will be evalu…
18 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted any mapping exercise to determine levels of demand for broadband connection and, if so, what areas have been identified that will not have access to asymetric digital subscriber line technology in the foreseeable future.
Answer · Iain Gray: We are currently commissioning research to provide a "forward look" on the broadband market, and the impact of our broadband strategy in Scotland. This will include a projection of geographical coverage.
13 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evaluation has been made of the compliance by NHS boards with the recommendations made by the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) on the prescribing of atypical anti-psychotic drugs.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is not aware of a formal evaluation of compliance with the particular HTBS recommendations referred to. NHS boards are responsible under clinical governance arrangements for ensuring that appropriate treatments, including drug treatment…
13 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the prescribing policy regarding atypical anti-psychotic drugs in each NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that patients residing in their area have access to clinically appropriate treatment, including new drug treatments such as the atypical antipsychotic drugs.<P>On 25 July 2002, the Health Technology Board for Scotland (…
13 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any subsidy is available for engineering apprenticeships; if so, whether it will give details, whether the subsidy is different from any subsidy available in England and Wales and, if so, how it is different, and whether it has any plans to make changes to address any such differe…
Answer · Iain Gray: These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. They contribute towards the training costs of modern apprenticeships: it is for them to set the level of contribution. I understand that Scottish Enterprise is current…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has received to deal with any radioactive releases into the sea since the agency's inception.
Answer · Ross Finnie: SEPA's annual accounts provide figures for income and expenditure on regulation under the Radioactive Substances Act (RSA) 1993. Figures for the last three years are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=595><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TO…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is with regard to any incident of radioactive matter being released into the sea.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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/sear…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has undertaken to measure the effects of radioactive releases into the sea.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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/sear…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for it, as a signatory through Her Majesty's Government to the International Convention for the Prevention of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic agreement, to notify other signatories of any instances of radioactive waste dumping at sea.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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/sear…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it requires British Energy to have in place to prevent the dumping of radioactive waste at sea.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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/sear…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current procedure is for dealing with any incident of radioactive waste being introduced into the sea.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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/sear…
11 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for the notification of any instances of dumping of radioactive waste at sea to (a) the Parliament, (b) relevant local authorities, (c) relevant local NHS boards, (d) local industries that may be affected and (e) local residents.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Radioactive material has not been dumped at sea by the UK since 1982. Scottish ministers retain the position held by the UK Government at the time of devolution - that radioactive material will not be dumped at sea under any circumstances.<P>Routine discharge…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers (a) local authorities and (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have to take action when particulate matter 10 emissions exceed stated air quality levels.
Answer · Allan Wilson: All local authorities in Scotland have a duty under the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess air quality in their areas against the air quality objectives, including those for particulate matter 10, contained in the <I>Air Quality Strategy for England, S…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail each occasion on which particulate matter 10 emissions have exceeded the stated levels in each of the last three years and what action was taken on each such occasion.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The current air quality objectives for PM10 are:<P>a 24-hour mean of 50mg/m<SUP>3</SUP> not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year, and<P>an annual mean of 40mg/m<SUP>3</SUP>.<P>Both objectives are to be achieved by 31 December 2004.<P>The information reque…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the responsibilities of (a) local authorities and (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are in monitoring emissions of particulate matter and airborne dust from opencast coal sites.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Local authorities are responsible for controlling dust under the statutory nuisance provisions of the Clean Air Act 1993, where no prescribed activity is taking place. Local authorities are also responsible, under the <I>Air Quality Strategy for England, Scot…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review the list of substances covered by existing air quality legislation.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The pollutants covered by existing air quality legislation are outlined in the <I>Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland</I>. A review of the strategy, taking into account the latest technical and health-based evidence, was com…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any international air quality standards on formaldehyde emissions.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides guidelines on ambient exposure to formaldehyde. The WHO states that: "With regard to atmospheric exposure limit values for odour and sensory irritation for the general population and the non-industrial indoor …
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no national air quality standard on formaldehyde emissions; whether there are any plans to introduce one, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The <I>Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales </I>sets objectives directed at outdoor concentrations of priority air pollutants. Following advice from the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards, standards and objectives for eigh…
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect non-road heavy-duty diesel engines have on air quality.
Answer · Allan Wilson: All diesel engines emit particulates (PM<SUB>10</SUB>), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds. These pollutants can affect human health and contribute to the formation of ground level ozone. In 2000 it was estimated that, …
6 Dec 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what limits there are on the use of (a) non-road and (b) road heavy-duty diesel engines.
Answer · Allan Wilson: New diesel engines for use both in road vehicles and non-road equipment have to comply with mandatory emission standards specified in European Directives as part of the type approval process. In addition, on-road heavy goods vehicles have to pass an annual ro…