Parliamentary questions
Andrew Welsh
539 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the average time taken by the Student Loan Company to process the applications it receives within the current financial year.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Loans Company does not maintain statistics on the average time taken to deal with applications. However, Ministers set targets for the Company in relation to the time within which loans should be paid. These are measured by academic year.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY…
4 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of a current national recruitment problem of medical laboratory scientific officer staff and, if so, what measures are being taken to rectify it.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive Health Department, is aware that there may be some recruitment issues concerning Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers (MLSOs) and has established a Working Group to examine the position in depth as it affects all the laboratory discip…
4 Nov 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what precise role community resource centres will have in the management of patients requiring secondary care in Angus.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Community Resource Centres envisage a new model of holistic care providing integrated primary and secondary health services and social services within locally accessible centres. The precise role of Community Resource Centres in Angus is a matter for Tayside …
21 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation restricting the use of lead shot for shooting.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is considering whether to implement restrictions on the use of lead shot in Scotland.
20 Oct 1999 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation restricting the use of lead shot for shooting.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is considering whether to implement restrictions on the use of lead shot in Scotland.
8 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment will be made by Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust and Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust in Angus in the current financial year.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I would refer Mr Welsh to my answer to his question numbers S1W-1842 and S1W-1844 which detail the extent of planned capital investment across a number of specified sites in Angus in the current financial year. In addition to these planned investments, a furt…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital expenditure there has been at Brechin Infirmary, Arbroath Infirmary, Forfar Infirmary, and Montrose Royal Infirmary, Angus, over the past five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The table below presents capital expenditure at the identified sites for each of the years from 1995-96 to 1999-00. This expenditure was largely funded from a formula-based capital allocation that allows NHS Trusts to direct resources to a range of prioritise…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the former Angus NHS Trust first discovered that 14 out of 16 hospital buildings had a high risk of legionella, whether staff and patients who were in areas of high legionella risk were made aware of this and, if not, why not.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I understand that the former Angus NHS Trust initiated a risk assessment of the effectiveness of legionella control arrangements and received a detailed Audit and Risk Assessment Report in March 1996. The Report indicated there were no management systems in p…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to detail capital expenditure at Stracathro Hospital, Angus over the last ten years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The table below presents capital expenditure at Stracathro Hospital for each year from 1990-91 to 1999-00. This expenditure was largely funded from a formula-based capital allocation that allows NHS Trusts to direct resources to a range of prioritised project…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the current cost per patient of providing a high technology bed and the average cost of an ordinary or low technology bed.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There is no definition of a high technology or low technology bed. Data that would specifically identify the cost of providing a high technology or low technology bed is not collected centrally. Cost data is collected by specialty or specialty group. <P>Howev…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the number and percentage of staffed beds currently classed as high technology beds at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Perth Royal Infirmary, and Stracathro Hospital, Angus.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Intensive Care Unit (ITU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU) staffed beds in Tayside are as follows:<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=527><TR><TD WIDTH="39%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="CENTER">…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust - Trust Implementation Plan (1999- 2004), what severe financial pressures were inherited by the Trust; what financial pressures were inherited from the former Angus NHS Trust; Perth & Kinross NHS Trust and Dundee Teaching Hospi…
Answer · Susan Deacon: Whilst each of the former Tayside Trusts achieved financial balance in 1998-99, this required the utilisation of non-recurring funds to support their year end position. Non-recurring funds were received from Tayside Health Board and from proceeds from the sal…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which fixed assets are to be disposed of this year to realise a profit of #6.4 million, and what fixed assets are being disposed of at a loss of #8.3 million in 2001-02, as set out in appendix 1 of the Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust - Trust Implementation Plan (1999-2004).
Answer · Susan Deacon: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust, with the support of Tayside Health Board, has proposed the disposal of the following Trust assets which are no longer required to support the delivery of modern healthcare services. These disposals will result in a tech…
5 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to detail the number of telecommunication masts installed in the past two years by local authority area.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This information is not held by the Scottish Executive.
30 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what cuts and closures are currently proposed by Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust at Stracathro Hospital, Angus and what effect these proposals will have on the still to be announced Tayside acute services review.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking the views of staff on proposals to reorganise services at Stracathro Hospital. The proposals focus on the consolidation of surgical and medical wards. I expect the Trust to pay due regard to the quality of car…
29 Sep 1999 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what cuts and closures are currently proposed by Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust at Stracathro Hospital, Angus and what effect these proposals will have on the still to be announced Tayside acute services review.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking the views of staff on proposals to reorganise services at Stracathro Hospital. The proposals focus on the consolidation of surgical and medical wards. I expect the Trust to pay due regard to the quality of c…
21 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been lodged with the Student Award Agency for Scotland in each of the past five years.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The information requested is given in the table below.<B><P>STUDENT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IN SAAS</B><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=378><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><B><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Academic Session</B></FONT></TD><…
21 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the average time taken by the Student Award Agency for Scotland to process the applications it receives.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Statistics on the average time taken to deal with an application are not maintained, but the Agency has this year processed some 88% of properly completed applications within its published target of 28 days from the date of receipt.
17 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1219 by Susan Deacon on 14 September 1999, whether it will give a breakdown of the capital budget for Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust for 1999-2000 by project.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The table represents the capital budget of Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust for 1999/2000.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=451><TR><TD WIDTH="70%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=42><B><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">PROJECT DESCRIPTION</…
17 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current waiting list is for small surgery at Stracathro Hospital, Angus, and Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Waiting list information is collated by specialty. I understand from Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust that there are 160 patients on the surgical day case waiting list at Stracathro Hospital and 186 patients at Ninewells.
17 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current staffing levels are at Stracathro Hospital, Angus and what they were for each of the past five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer Mr Welsh to my answer to his question S1O-297 on 16 September 1999.
17 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what purpose the money raised by bequest and public donation for the stroke unit at Stracathro Hospital, Angus has been disbursed.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust indicates that the funding to which Mr Welsh refers has not been disbursed.
17 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its policy to allow, encourage or discourage mixing within a single ward of orthopaedic patients with non-orthopaedic patients.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There is no central policy on the disposition of beds for particular types of patient.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>The majority of acute orthopaedic and trauma patients are elderly patients with fractured hips who often have other medical complications. In ad…
17 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current financial deficit is of Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust, what the expected level of deficit is for the current financial year and whether it will state the reasons for this deficit.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust reported a year to date deficit of £4.9million as at end September 1999. The Trust report the reasons as including the impact of revaluation of their estate on their capital charges; the need to ensure full preparation f…
15 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1053 by Susan Deacon on 6 September, whether it will seek a copy of the Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust working group report on the Stracathro Hospital Services and comment on it.
Answer · Susan Deacon: No. Tayside Health Board indicates that the report has been overtaken by the work in hand as part of the review of acute services which is currently underway in Tayside.
31 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital and revenue budgets are for the next three years of Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Table presents the capital and revenue budgets of Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust for 1999/2000.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Final revenue and capital budgets for later years are not yet agreed.<P ALIGN="CENTER"><CENTER><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 …
31 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current occupancy rate for Stracathro Hospital is broken down by ward, and whether it will indicate the time and date these figures were gathered and the time period to which they apply.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Bed occupancy figures are collected on a daily basis at midnight. Details of the ward occupancy levels at Stracathro Hospital are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=460><TR><TD WIDTH="42%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT=1><P></TD><TD WI…
23 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a copy of the Tayside University Hospital Trust working group report on the Stracathro Hospital Services and whether it will make public both this report and its response.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has not received a copy of the Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust working group report on the Stracathro Hospital Services.
23 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new investment in the Stroke Unit at Stracathro Hospital is planned.
Answer · Susan Deacon: In 1998-99 the Trustees of the Angus NHS Endowment Fund earmarked £860,000 to provide more suitable accommodation for the Stroke Unit at Stracathro Hospital. The decision to make this investment has been deferred pending the outcome of the wider review of acu…