Parliamentary questions
Adam Ingram
1,244 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has received to support the post office network in deprived urban areas and how this funding will be utilised.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23491 on 15 April 2002.
19 Mar 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic impact will be of the Scottish Agricultural College's plan to rationalise its operations and base them in Edinburgh.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is not possible to say, no decisions have been taken on the Scottish Agricultural College's proposals.<P>I have asked the college to invite comments on the Options Appraisal Report, prepared by consultants Deloitte & Touche, and to undertake further wo…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average lengths of waiting lists for psychological services currently are in each health board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.<P>Most psychological therapy treatment is undertaken on an out-patient basis. Data on waiting lists is only available at speciality level for in-patient and day case treatment. Information on waiting times for …
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any waiting lists for consultations on psychological services have been closed; if so, which waiting lists have been closed; when any such waiting lists were closed, and how long any such waiting lists are likely to remain closed.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: An audit of NHS trusts, conducted in December last year, revealed restrictions to a very small number of out-patient waiting lists. The following list gives names of NHS trusts which identified waiting lists for psychological services which had been closed:<P…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a project will be initiated to research attention deficit hyperactive disorder without the use of funding from pharmaceutical companies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland. <P>CSO has no plans to commission research into atten…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average monthly cost is of long-term care for an elderly person (a) in hospital and (b) in a nursing home.
Answer · Hugh Henry: In 2000-01, the majority of local authorities paid an average of £346 per week for each individual placed in the care of a private nursing home. The net cost per in-patient week for geriatric continuing care in 2000-01 was £845.
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to allow elderly patients to remain in their own homes.
Answer · Hugh Henry: There are a wide range of measures in place to allow elderly patients to remain in their own homes, including shopping, laundry, intensive home care and respite services. <P>The Scottish Executive has made available to local authorities, £24 million this year…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many long-term patients there are broken down by (a) gender, (b) age, (c) ailment and/or diagnosis and (d) health board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on the total number of patients ready for discharge, by health board area of treatment and selected age group is shown in the following table. Information on the gender, and on the specific ailment and/or diagnosis of patients ready for discharge,…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence is being used to support the use of methylphenidates in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactive disorder; whether any research has been carried out into any possible side effects and long-term damage to children who are prescribed methylphenidates, and which relevant …
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In deciding whether to prescribe methylphenidate, for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), clinicians would be expected to take account of advice and guidance about the drug, including the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is definitive evidence that attention deficit hyperactive disorder is a genetic or organic disease; where any such evidence can be accessed, and whether a copy of any such evidence will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex condition which has been the subject of a considerable body research world-wide. While there is evidence that the condition may have an organic basis and that there could be a genetic contribution,…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what definition of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is used when determining government guidelines on the disorder; who carried out the necessary trials to conclude that ADHD is a recognised condition, and on what date such recognition was formalised and by whom.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Clinical guidelines are prepared by expert working groups, who use the best available definitions of a given condition world-wide. Such definitions are usually prepared by professional bodies, though the World Health Organisation (WHO) issues a publication ca…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has to the control of medicines.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The control of medicines is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive are consulted on matters relating to the licensing and control of medicines under the Medicines Act 1968.
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many research projects have been carried out into attention deficit hyperactive disorder with part or full funding from pharmaceutical companies in the last ten years, broken down by date, authors and financial supporters.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the ballot on housing stock transfer in Dumfries and Galloway will take place.
Answer · Margaret Curran: This will be a matter for Dumfries and Galloway Council, once it has submitted a transfer proposal to the Executive and received "in principle" approval to formally consult tenants.
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made to date for free central heating installation in the Dumfries and Galloway area under its Central Heating Installation Programme; how many of these applications have been processed, and how many installations have been carried out in (a) the private se…
Answer · Iain Gray: Four hundred and ninety-three applications have been made to Eaga, from households in the private sector in the Dumfries and Galloway postcode area. 309 of the 440 applications processed so far are eligible for grant and 101 jobs were allocated to Eaga's heat…
6 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when information relating to health spending on specific priorities in the forthcoming financial year will be made available.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards were notified of their allocations to meet the health care needs of their resident populations in 2002-03 on 7 February. It is for boards to decide how best to meet national and local priorities from within the funds available. Details of NHS board…
27 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22010 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 February 2002, whether the British Railways (No.3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 will be amended or repealed to allow the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive to complete the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The amendment or repeal of the British Railways (No.3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 is not a matter for the Scottish Executive. This is a reserved issue and involves private legislation procedures.<P>In terms of the Larkhall-Milngavie rail link itself, as my p…
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific monies have been made available to the Health Education Board for Scotland for an anti-stigma campaign.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Education Board for Scotland has not been provided with additional funds, relating to a national anti-stigma campaign. The Scottish Executive is, however, planning to commission such a campaign as one element of the National Programme for the Impro…
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether detailed costings for the implementation of the Millan Committee recommendations have been completed.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A Mental Health Bill will be introduced later this year, which will give effect to the Millan Committee recommendations, as described in the policy statement "Renewing Mental Health Law", published in October 2001. The accompanying Financial Memorandum will s…
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is in place in respect of its mental health framework.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Effective implementation of the <I>Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland </I>is key to our ambition for a modern, responsive mental health service. The Mental Health and Well Being Support Group was established specifically to work with all the age…
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding packages have been allocated to the Health Education Board for Scotland for the promotion of mental health issues which specifically target parents of children under five since 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23422.
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding packages have been allocated to the Health Education Board for Scotland for the promotion of mental health issues which specifically target men aged between 25 and 45 since 1999
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23422.
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding packages have been allocated to the Health Education Board for Scotland for the promotion of mental health issues which specifically target women aged between 25 and 45 since 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) receives a global financial allocation from the Scottish Executive each year. It is then a matter for the board to apportion these resources according to Operational Plan priorities.<P>HEBS has, since 1999, under…
22 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what campaigns specifically related to mental health the Health Education Board for Scotland has conducted since 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The board has undertaken a wide range of initiatives relating to mental health since 1999. These include:<UL><P><LI>Support to Scottish Mental Health week every year through the development of resources and a small grant scheme for small, local initiatives.</…
15 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are available for health professionals regarding the prescribing of antidepressant drugs.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Currently there are no universally accepted guidelines for clinicians treating people with depression. However, <I>Clinical Evidence</I>, a compendium of best available evidence in healthcare, has been distributed to healthcare professionals throughout Scotla…
15 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into the prescription of antidepressant drugs and whether any such research has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Research Register (NRR) records over 300 research projects throughout the UK into antidepressant drugs, some of which will involve research into their prescription. A copy of the NRR is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number …
15 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether information has been produced regarding the most common reasons which people give for visiting a general practitioner.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information, derived from Continuous Morbidity Recording system, about the 10 most common reasons why people consulted their general practitioner (GP) in the year ending December 2000 can be found at the following web page:<P>ISD Online - Primary Care - 10 mo…
15 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding the level of benefit paid to patients in long stay hospitals.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has not made any representations to the UK Government regarding the level of benefit paid to patients in long stay hospitals.
11 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning will reply to my letter of 14 December 2001 regarding the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to my letter of 25 February 2002.
8 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role rural schools play in the local community.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: This will depend on the school and the community. The principal purpose of a school in any community, rural or urban, is as a place in which pupils should receive education and learning directed to the development of their personality, talents and mental and …