Parliamentary questions
Mr Duncan Hamilton
494 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what medical conditions are currently identified through national pre-school screening and what plans there are to include dyspraxia within the screening process.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The National Pre-school Screening Programme currently screens for visual and hearing problems and some congenital conditions.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>There are no current plans to add a screening test for dyspraxia. Any addition to the National Pre-school…
14 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail (a) the revenue and (b) the level of subsidy received by ScotRail over the past three years.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The franchise payments received by ScotRail over the past three years are detailed in the table below. Fare-box revenue is a commercial matter for the company.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD …
10 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at what point in the process of NHS Trusts matching activity with resources, does it consider that clinical prioritisation becomes rationing.
Answer · Susan Deacon: NHS care is not rationed on the grounds of cost. The services provided to meet the needs of particular patients is a question of individual clinical judgement, taking account of the evidence of clinical and cost effectiveness of alternative treatments. Health…
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3866 by Sarah Boyack on 21 January 2000, whether it will include within the review of Caledonian MacBrayne's fares structure a route by route analysis of fare pricing.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive are working in conjunction with Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd to establish the base information which is necessary to calculate the profitability, or otherwise, of individual ferry routes. The CFARES review is the first step towards establis…
4 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2406 by Sarah Boyack on 26 January 2000, whether lead responsibility for the resolution of the position of the Ballycastle-Campbeltown ferry lies with The Scottish Executive or The Scotland Office.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive is continuing to maintain a dialogue with all interested parties including the Scotland Office regarding this matter. The decision about whether Sea Containers will continue to operate this route is a commercial matter for the company. However, …
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of wage inflation was or is assumed in health service budget projections for the years 1998-99 to 2001-02.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is not the Executive's policy to divulge its assumptions about public sector pay increases. To divulge the pay assumptions would be likely to prejudice future public sector pay negotiations.
3 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total NHS in Scotland budget and the Hospital and Community Services and Family Health Service budgets were in each of the last five years and what the total spent on staff salaries and wages was in each of these categories in each of these years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Details are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="35%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P></TD><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">1994-95 £ million</TD><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=36><P ALIGN="JUST…
2 Feb 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the services offered by Caledonian MacBrayne to be the best possible deal for rural and island communities in Scotland.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd strive to provide cost-effective lifeline ferry services to rural and island communities. The Executive has made extra resources of £20 million available for two new ferries which come into service this year and in 1999-2000 is commit…
1 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale was given to the consultants to research and publish their report on the review of Councils of Voluntary Service; what was the period of consultation; how many responses were received as a result of the consultation, and when it will publish its response.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The consultants, Eglinton Management, were formally appointed on 13 September to undertake the review of the Councils of Voluntary Service. Their final report was issued for consultation on 15 November, with responses due by the end of 1999. A total of 30 res…
1 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been given to each Council of Voluntary Service from government agencies in the last three years.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: There are currently 42 rural and 10 urban Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS). The urban CVS do not, at present, receive direct funding from the Scottish Executive. The main source of their funds is local authorities. For the majority of rural CVS, the Scotti…
31 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the option of parties with MSPs representing the Highlands and Islands being able to nominate a representative to the Highlands and Islands Convention.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: We have already considered a variety of options for membership of the new Convention of the Highlands and Islands. As it will not be a forum for political debate, which should properly take place in this Parliament, representation by the political parties in …
31 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3360 by Ross Finnie on 20 January 2000, whether a place of work has been decided for the new intake of Rural Affairs Department staff; if so, what criteria was applied in reaching this decision and, if not, what consideration will take place to ensur…
Answer · Ross Finnie: Most of the new posts are likely to be in the Department's existing network of Area Offices.
31 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3292 by Henry McLeish on 20 January 2000, whether it will provide details of the contact both by letter and meetings held between it and Her Majesty's Government on automated bank transfers for benefits from post offices and its effect on rural Scotl…
Answer · Henry McLeish: No. Representations made to the UK Government invariably require to be made in confidence in the same way as representations received by the Scottish Executive would be treated.
25 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional money, over and above anything previously announced before 17 January 2000, will be made available to health boards to meet the national pay settlements announced on that day, whether as stated by the Prime Minister health spending is "too low at the moment" and what plans…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The costs of the national pay settlements announced on 17 January 2000 will be met from within the allocations made to Health Boards for 2000-01 which were announced on 6 January 2000. These allocations provide a 5% increase over the 1999-2000 general allocat…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds are currently available within the NHS and how does this figure compare to the figures from 1997 onwards broken down by quarter.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The number of NHS average available staffed beds for the quarters ending 31 March 1997 to 30 September 1999, the latest period for which information is centrally available, is given in the table.<P>NHS IN SCOTLAND: AVERAGE AVAILABLE STAFFED BEDS<SUP>1</SUP></…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has commissioned or is aware of since 1997 on the various responses to winter flu outbreaks throughout Europe by member states; what future monitoring of international comparisons it intends to make and whether those comparisons will be published.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive has not commissioned any such analysis directly. We are however aware of the following research:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Fedson DS et al vaccination in 22 developed countries: and update to 1995 - published in the journal Vaccine 1997 (vol 15 No 14 15…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took in response to the recommendation of the World Health Organisation that vaccination programmes in the UK, including Scotland, should be extended ahead of winter 1999.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I would refer to the answer to question S1W-3917.
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice or information it has received from the World Health Organisation (WHO) with regard to the occurrence of specific strains of influen'a and related viruses from July 1999; what vaccination programme the WHO proposed or suggested to combat the flu virus; what response the Scotti…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive does not receive advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on its influenza vaccination programme. The WHO meets each year with vaccine manufacturers to agree the composition of the influenza vaccine for the coming influenza seaso…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to the same 5% above inflation rise in health spending as outlined recently by the Prime Minister.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Health spending per head of population in Scotland is significantly higher than in England. Nevertheless, as pledged in the <I>Programme for Government</I>, the Scottish Executive will substantially increase NHS spending in real terms over the coming years. T…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government on what its estimate is for wage inflation in Scotland in 2000-01.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive has no plans to make any representations. However, we are frequently in touch with HM Treasury on pay issues.
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish Gross Domestic Product is spent on the NHS in Scotland and how this figure compares to the percentage spent by each of our EU partners and the EU average.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The following table shows public expenditure on health as a proportion of GDP in Scotland and in countries within the European Community in 1997 - the latest year for which comparable data are available.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=396><TR>…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to bring spending on the NHS to a position of parity with the EU average expressed in terms of a percentage of Gross Domestic Product spent on health care.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As pledged in the <I>Programme for Government, </I>the Scottish Executive will substantially increase NHS spending in real terms over the coming years. The actual increases will be determined in the context of the 2000 Spending Review.
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Her Majesty's Treasury to access additional money for the NHS in Scotland and when those representations were made.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including spending on health.
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to increase the number of intensive therapy units and how many exist per capita compared to the rest of the UK and our EU partners.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is for health boards to determine the number of intensive therapy units required in their respective areas, in light of local needs and circumstances.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Report from the Audit Group of the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SIC…
21 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it and the Chief Medical Officer have chosen 75 as the starting age for a free vaccination programme as opposed to the ages of 70 or 65 which exist in other countries.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer given to S1W-3687.
18 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's decision to allow the continued sale of scallops which have been "shucked" from areas affected by amnesic shellfish poisoning with a view to introducing this policy in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We have recently sought and received information on the Republic of Ireland's monitoring and control system for amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). We are advised that the Republic of Ireland either close scallop production areas if results from the whole body…
14 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-561 by Sarah Boyack on 19 August 1999, when it now expects the report into the operation of Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries on the Firth of Clyde will be published.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The report on ferry services between Gourock and Dunoon will be published shortly.
14 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-1898 and S1W-2705 by Sarah Boyack on 25 October 1999 and 6 December 1999 respectively, when it currently expects the final report of the National Goose Forum to be published.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Ministers have considered the final report of the National Goose Forum and have agreed that it should be published as a consultative document, which I expect will take place in February. As intimated in my answer to question , I envisage a two-month consultat…
15 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the decision on an interim special islands needs allowance payment to Argyll and Bute Council will be announced.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Final decisions on the allocation of the local government finance settlement will be set out in the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2000 when it is laid in February 2000. I have agreed to meet with representatives of Argyll & Bute Council again …
15 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of the criteria detailed in paragraph 14 of Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund Application Guide cover the travel and overnight costs of women who have been re-housed to escape domestic violence and, if such costs are not covered by any of the criteria in paragraph 14, how expe…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Application Guidance for the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund makes it clear that funding may not be used for cash or other personal benefits to individuals.