Parliamentary questions

Mr David Davidson

1,095 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7453 by Mr Tom McCabe on 5 May 2004, how many access panels contain a representative who is deaf.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-8660 on 23 June 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote a higher population and birth rate.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Population levels are the result of birth rates, death rates and patterns of migration. Birth rates reflect decisions which are for individuals rather than government. Where people do decide to have children the Scottish Executive is providing support through…

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the decision on the Queen Mother's Hospital will be reached.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I will only reach a decision on this important matter when I have fully considered all of the information available to me and all of the representations made to me.

18 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in order to continue funding free personal care, in light of the projected increase in the si'e of the elderly population over the next 30 years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The existing policy on free personal care has been in place for less than two years and the Executive is still monitoring its operation, including in light of the latest population projections.

15 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how current fee-paying members of area tourist boards (ATBs) will be able to guide local policy on tourism and whether the cost of membership of accreditation schemes will rise as a consequence of removal of such fee-paying membership of ATBs, when ATBs have been absorbed into VisitScotla…

Answer · Frank McAveety: Businesses, including but not limited to those who are currently members of area tourist boards, will be able to engage with the new tourism network through their local tourism hub, which will act as a focal point for area tourism policy and the development o…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent research has been undertaken to assess the epidemiology and incidence of myeloma in Scotland and, if such research has been undertaken, what percentage of myeloma patients are (a) men and (b) women; how many people were diagnosed with (a) myeloma and (b) multiple myeloma in (i…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Data on the incidence of, and mortality from, multiple myeloma and malignant plasma cell neoplasms, broken down by age, sex, year of diagnosis/death, and geographic area are published on the website of NHS National Services Scotland, Information Services (ISD…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent research and studies it has undertaken regarding the cause of myeloma.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-8897 on 22 June 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure equity of, and access to, treatment and care for myeloma throughout Scotland, particularly in relation to new drugs and techniques.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The tumour specific multidisciplinary cancer networks aim to ensure that the bestpossible quality of care is provided equitably across a geographical area.NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS), is responsible for providing evidence-based advice to…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the treatment and management of myeloma after diagnosis is adequate if prevention screening is not undertaken and in light of delays in the diagnosis of myeloma.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are no proven methods of screening for myeloma. The cancer strategy Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change recognises that patients should have clinically effective treatment which is delivered safely. Qualitative assessment of tumour-specific can…

9 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was available for research into a cure for myeloma in each of the last five years and what future funding will be made available.

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. The CSO is largely a response mode funder and this ro…

2 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many magnetic resonance imaging scanners there have been in each year since 1997.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally in the format requested. However, provisional data from 2003 suggests there were 26 magnetic resonance imaging scanners in place across Scotland.

2 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times are for cancer treatment, broken down by cancer type and NHS board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not currently held centrally in the format requested.

2 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cancer scans took place annually from 1995 to 2003 and whether it has any plans to increase the number of such scans taking place.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not held centrally in the format requested.A number of tests and investigations can be carried out to confirm or otherwise a cancer diagnosis. These tests can include computerised tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging …

2 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it adheres to the recommended maximum wait of four weeks from urgent referral by a GP for radiotherapy treatment and how many patients waited longer than four weeks for radiotherapy treatment, broken down by cancer type, from 1998 to 2003, expressed also as a percentage of the num…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally in the format requested.Standards for good practice, including waiting times, have been published by the Joint Collegiate Council for Oncology. The Scottish Executive’s target for all cancers is that there will be…

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether free eye tests will be provided by every optometrist and, if so, how much the cost of each test will be to the Executive.

Answer · Tom McCabe: As currently, only those optometrists/ophthalmic medical practitioners on NHS board lists will provide free NHS eye checks. Discussions on implementation of free eye checks are ongoing with the optometric profession.

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to education authorities on the phasing out of subject principal teacher posts in secondary schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Staffing structures and the role of subject principal teachers in schools are matters for each local authority to determine.

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7453 by Mr Tom McCabe on 5 May 2004, which local access forums have representation from deaf and hard of hearing people.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is currently being collected. Once this has been done it will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.