Parliamentary questions
Andrew Welsh
539 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30942 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 November 2002, what procedure is followed in deciding whether to dispatch the Rapid Response Unit, the Cardiac Response Unit or an accident and emergency ambulance with thrombolytic capability in response to an emergenc…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Rapid Response Units are part of the Priority Based Dispatch system and will be dispatched, where operational, to all Category A calls when an accident and emergency unit (AEU) cannot be on scene within eight minutes.<P>The decision to send either the Cardiac…
21 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29536 by Lewis Macdonald on 2 October 2002, what the procedures are that Scottish ministers must follow under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 in considering objections to the draft orders regarding the A90 improvement and what the timetable for such co…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: If objections are not withdrawn, Schedule 1 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 sets out the circumstances which cause a Public Local Inquiry to be held and those where, if Scottish ministers are satisfied, they may decide the holding of an inquiry is not necess…
21 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the accident and emergency ambulances operating within Angus have a thrombolytic capability.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Two out of the four accident and emergency units operating in the Angus area have a thrombolytic capability.
21 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30941 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 November 2002, what facilities the cardiac response unit has that the ambulances described as having a thrombolytic capability do not have.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Both resources, that is the cardiac response unit (CRU) and the ambulance accident and emergency unit (AEU), have the same thrombolytic capability as defined in the answer given to question S1W-30941. The CRU was introduced into Angus to provide a dedicated r…
29 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment is planned for (a) Stracathro Hospital and (b) Arbroath Infirmary.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Tayside Acute Hospitals NHS Trust put forward £10 million plans to develop an Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Treatment Centre (ADTC) at Stracathro Hospital to the trust board on 30 October. The ADTC business case was approved by the trust board and will now b…
29 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment there has been in (a) Stracathro Hospital and (b) Arbroath Infirmary in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Tayside Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been reviewing its acute service delivery and, as a result, planned (subject to approvals) capital investment at Stracathro Hospital is £10 million; this is to develop an Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Treatment Center (A…
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-29905 and S1W-29906 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2002, what the difference is between the Cardiac Response Unit (CRU) and the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and why the RRU is permanently on-call while the CRU only operates during peak times.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The rapid response unit deployed to patients in Angus with chest pains will be either the Cardiac Response Unit (CRU) or an accident and emergency ambulance carrying the thrombolytic equipment, subject to availability and conditions as detailed in the answer …
28 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29905 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2002, what facilities ambulances described as having thrombolytic capability are equipped with for assessing the need for, and delivering, thrombolytic treatment.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Ambulances described as having thrombolytic capability are equipped with 12-lead Electro Cardiograph (ECG) machines with telemetry, and clot-busting drugs.
23 Oct 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic impact the closure of white fish grounds would have on the fish processing industry.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We intend to promote credible alternatives to widespread closure of our fishing grounds. The processing sector also has other sources of supply and is not wholly dependent on whitefish. Together, these should limit the economic impact on processors of any mea…
2 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how successful it has been in reducing the use of bank and agency nurses in the NHS in 2001-02.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS trusts are now more aware of their responsibilities when employing bank and agency nurses and have procedures in place to ensure that they are employed only when appropriate. The increased use of bank and agency nurses is indicative of the pressures in th…
2 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many bank and agency nurses have been employed in 2001-02 and what the cost has been to each NHS trust of employing such nurses
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In the one year period ending 31 March 2002, 818.3 (WTE) agency nurses were employed by NHS organisations. The cost to each NHS trust of employing such nurses is listed as follows. Information on bank nursing and midwifery staff will be available on SKIPPER i…
26 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28581 by Ross Finnie on 18 September 2002, which local authorities have collection facilities for plastic collection.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Information on the 12 local authorities which had plastics collections in 2001 is available in the RECOUP report, <I>Providing a comprehensive overview of plastic bottle recycling in the UK - 2002</I>. The report is available on RECOUP's website, <A HREF="htt…
25 Sep 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve directional signing to the A92 coastal tourist route to Aberdeen.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It is for VisitScotland to submit to Scottish ministers proposals for signing on a national tourist route. No such proposals have been submitted for this route.
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what alterations have been made to the cardiac care unit at Ninewells Hospital in order to help cope with any increased number of patients following the closure of the coronary care unit at Stracathro Hospital in Angus.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Following closure of the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at Stracathro the nine-bedded CCU in Ninewells was supplemented by the addition of a six-bedded Cardiac Step Down Unit (CSDU). The CSDU allows appropriate patients to "step down" in a staged process …
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of stay is for patients at the cardiac care unit at Ninewells Hospital currently and in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The average length of stay in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at Ninewells over the last five years was as follows :<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=122><TR><TD WIDTH="53%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P>2001-02</TD><TD WIDTH="47%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=…
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds there are at the cardiac care unit at Ninewells Hospital currently and how many such beds there have been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are nine beds in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at Ninewells. This has been the bed complement over the last five years. Following closure of the CCU at Stracathro the service at Ninewells has been supplemented by the introduction of a five-bedded Cardiac…
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what clot-busting drugs are used by the Angus community thrombolysis service.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The clot-busting drug used is tenectaplase.
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the 30-day survival rates are for patients with addresses in Angus being admitted to the cardiac care unit at Ninewells Hospital and administered with clot-busting drugs.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29002 on 19 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<P><A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliame…
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29004 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 September 2002, what functions and responsibilities are fulfilled by the community thrombolysis service and how the same functions and responsibilities are fulfilled in the east, west and south Angus areas.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: For patients living north of Forfar a dedicated Rapid Response Unit (RRU) and an ambulance respond to an emergency call where the patient has a suspected heart attack. Clinical assessment and ECG recordings are taken and transmitted by telemedicine link to Ni…
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-29004 and S1W-29008 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 September 2002, whether the rapid/cardiac response unit is part of the community thrombolysis service.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Rapid Response Unit (RRU) is a key component of the Community Thrombolysis Service. The RRU is permanently on-call for patients living north of Forfar.
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29008 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 September 2002, what factors determine whether the rapid/cardiac response unit or an accident and emergency ambulance is sent to a patient suffering from chest pains.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service will deploy whichever resource is nearest to the patient suffering from chest pains, whether that is the cardiac response unit (CRU) or one of the accident and emergency ambulances with the thrombolytic capability. Where the CRU…
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29008 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 September 2002, how many of the patients attended by (a) an accident and emergency ambulance and (b) the cardiac response unit received clot-busting drugs.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29905 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/searc…
24 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29008 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 September 2002, how many of these patients were admitted to hospital.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29905 today. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.sco…
18 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28922 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 September 2002, whether it will give details of each objection to the draft orders regarding the A90 improvement.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. The objections are for me to consider in terms of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.
11 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hits its website received in each month since May 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The activity on the Scottish Executive website is measured in page impressions which is a universally recognised measure of website activity, sometimes referred to as website hits.<P>The Scottish Executive website had an average of 1 million page impressions …
11 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on building and maintaining its website since May 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive website is undergoing a programme of continuous development under the direction of the web editorial board. This has resulted in a significant increase in activity on the website. The number of page impressions per month averaged 1 mill…
11 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to modify its website and improve the (a) search engine, (b) news release section and how news releases are archived, (c) searchability for publications and (d) list of links to other bodies and ensure that the site is regularly and speedily updated, for example when it…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive website is undergoing a programme of continuous development under the direction of the Web Editorial Board. The aim of this programme is to ensure that the website conforms to the Framework for Information Age Government Websites and ad…
10 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to encourage schools to reduce and recycle waste.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is an Institutional Partner of the International Eco-Schools Programme. The Eco-Schools Programme is a European environmental award programme which aims to promote environmental awareness in schools and provide pupils with a programme f…
10 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are on schools to recycle waste.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There is no specific requirement. However, the Scottish Executive has set an overall target to recycle or compost 25% of waste collected by Scottish local authorities, which will include waste from many schools by 2006. This will be achieved through the imple…
10 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tonnes of waste produced by schools was sent to landfill in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally. Waste from many schools is collected by local authorities and may not be measured separately.