Parliamentary questions

Euan Robson

186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures NHS Scotland has introduced to ensure that people with severe mental illness are encouraged to join programmes to combat obesity, increase exercise or promote smoking cessation, in light of the levels of physical health difficulties among this group, evidence that those with…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is committedto reducing the Health Inequalities experienced by people with mental health problems.NHS Health Scotland’s priorities for 2006-07 as outlined in their BusinessPlan mirror ministerial priorities. Within this the main project…

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out an assessment of the impact in Scotland of new regulations on the recruitment of overseas professionals to the National Health Service and, if so, whether it will publish the outcome of the assessment.

Answer · Andy Kerr: While a pre-introductory assessmentwas not specifically commissioned on changes in recruitment of overseas professionals,the Executive will work with NHS boards to deal with any service impact.

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Home Office consulted the Health Department in Scotland before introducing new regulations on the recruitment of overseas professionals to the National Health Service.

Answer · Andy Kerr: On the issue of the UK requiringpostgraduate doctors and dentists to be in possession of a permit to work in theUK,the Department of Health consulted each of the UK Health Departments on behalf of the Home Office.In relation to the introductionof A …

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether changes to the immigration rules for the recruitment of overseas professionals to the National Health Service will apply in Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Immigration is a reserved matterwith policy being determined by the Home Office on a UK basis. Assuch, recent changes to the immigration rules for the recruitment of overseas professionals tothe National Health Service do apply in Scotland.

4 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered recruiting dentists from Canada to work in the National Health Service.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive currently has noplans to recruit dentists specifically from Canada.Responsibility for recruitmentof dentists is a matter for NHS boards and independent dental practitioners whoown dental practices. As a non-European Union country, recruit…

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the central heating scheme will be amended to lower the qualification age for those wishing only to replace a heating appliance.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24143 on 14 March 2006 which outlines my intentions for fuelpoverty programmes going forward. From January 2007 the Central Heating Programmewill allow for repairs to broken systems where this is economic. How…

16 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce or confirm the budget for the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive iscommitted to funding the Scottish Community and Householder RenewablesInitiative (SCHRI) till March 2008 by when we will have invested £12.65million. The annual budget for 2006-07 and 2007-08 is £2.2 million, althoughthis budget is cu…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to permit the dispensing of patient packs across primary, secondary and tertiary care, including the implementation of suitable medication self-administration schemes in hospital.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: A self-administration ofmedicines “toolkit” has been developed which describes the key components requiredto implement self-administration schemes locally. The toolkit is being validatedby pharmacists and other relevant health care groups before it is issued …

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have developed models of practice to ensure that every patient receives their medicines, and has any medication issues, addressed in advance of discharge from hospital, as set out in The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: A practice model has been developed together with a capacity plan to enable clinical pharmacy services identify the resources and systems of work required to achieve the practice model standard. The practice model and capacity plan are currently being validat…

6 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend the list of fundable bodies referred to in schedule 2 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: As a result of collegemergers I hope to be in a position in due course to approve the laying of an Orderbefore the Parliament which will remove the following six fundable bodies from schedule2 to the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005: Glasgow C…

6 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested advice or a report from the Social Work Inspection Agency in respect of levels of participation in, and the quality of, child protection training and, if so, what the agency’s findings were.

Answer · Peter Peacock: No report of the specific naturereferred to has been commissioned from the Social Work Inspection Agency. However,work begun by the Inspectorate in 2003 on a training framework for social work hasbeen taken forward by the Scottish Executive on a multi-agency …

6 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the scope and content of training in child protection is adequate and, if not, what plans it has to address the issue.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22967 on 1 March 2006. 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/webapp/wa…

6 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that training in child protection is being adequately delivered and, if not, what plans it has to address the issue.

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies have been cared for in each intensive and special care unit in each of the last two years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The data in table 1 shows the number of babies who have been cared for within each intensive and special care unit in 2003 and 2004. Table 1. Babies Cared for Within Intensive and Special Care Units1,2<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpa…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all intensive and special care baby units, broken down by NHS board, and what the ratio of nurses to babies is in both types of unit.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Below is a list of each of theintensive care baby units by NHS board area. Information supplied to ISD Scotlanddoes not differentiate between the different types of care (i.e. Intensive care,special care and high dependency care).<table border=1 cellspaci…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage career development for staff involved in the nursing of babies requiring intensive or special care by improving entry and professional development training and reviewing current gradings.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is committedto ensuring that professionals in the NHS have the necessary experience, skillsand competencies to provide skilled care. We are determined to ensure a clear careerstructure which places nurses and midwives at the centre of n…

2 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a shortage of neo-natal nurses and, if so, what plans it has to increase recruitment.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We are on track to achieve thePartnership Agreement target of attracting 12,000 nurses and midwives into NHSScotlandby 2007. This target is associated with all qualified nurses and midwives, includingneonatal nurses. Information on neonatal nurses is not coll…

1 Feb 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that there are effective reforms in respect of monitoring sex offenders.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: A wide ranging package of improvements are underway to step up the way sex offenders are monitored. These include strengthening registration requirements; setting up new public protection arrangements for assessing and managing the risk posed by sex of…

21 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have to levy charges in respect of planning gain before a planning application has been approved or before legislation, such as a Bill to reinstate a railway, has received Royal Assent.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, a planning authority may enter into an agreement for the purpose of regulating the development or use of a particular piece of land. The agreement is with anyone who has an interest in tha…

19 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in the light of the responses to its White Paper, Modernising the Planning System, and in particular whether any of its proposals have been amended or developed further.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The generally very positive response to the Planning White Paper has reinforced our determination to introduce its wide-ranging and radical programme of modernisation. There are some issues which were unresolved at the time of the white paper’s launch on whic…

15 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response will be to the consultation on Review of Distribution of Payments for Higher Education Student Support.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I am pleased to announce our intention that higher education students ordinarily resident in Scotland and studying in Scotland will be paid on a monthly basis (with some frontloading of support) from academic year 2007-08 onwards. This is subject to my being …

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it inspects the cutting of road verges’ vegetation, including grass, on the A68, A7 and A1 and, if so, when such inspection has taken place on each road in the last six months.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Performance Audit Group inspects the cutting of road verges’ vegetation, including grass, on the A68, A7 and A1 trunk roads on behalf of the Scottish Executive. The following table shows the dates when inspections were carried out on each road in t…

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to improve the A7 trunk road at Scatterpenny corner to the south west of Hawick and, if so, what such improvements will involve and when they are likely to commence.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Following improvements made and completed in spring 2004, the area is being monitored through the annual review of the safety record of the A7.

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long lighting in Buccleuch Street on the A7 in Hawick has been left unrepaired or has been the subject of temporary repairs; whether it is satisfied with the level of performance by those responsible for this work, and whether it will investigate any cause for complaint.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any unrepaired lighting defects in Buccleuch Street on the A7 in Hawick. Random bulb failures are addressed by Amey Infrastructure Services as part of routine maintenance. A temporary power supply was installed in Octobe…

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the performance of the trunk road agents in repairing street lights on the A68 and A7 in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The performance of the trunk road agents in repairing street lights on the A68 and A7 is monitored by the independent Performance Audit Group which comprises Halcrow working in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Scott Wilson.

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the commencement and completion dates are of the installation of replacement lighting columns on the A68 in Jedburgh and whether it is satisfied with the period of time taken.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The work to renew the street lighting system on the A68 through Jedburgh commenced on 29 November 2004 and was completed on 29 May 2005. The Scottish Executive acknowledges that the duration of this work was unduly protracted due to a number of factors…

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are employed to determine whether pedestrian crossings can be installed on single carriageway trunk roads in centres of population.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16499 on 26 May 2005. 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/wa…

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria exist for determining whether lighting is installed at junctions of single carriageway trunk roads with B, C and unclassified local authority-maintained roads.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Lighting is provided for safety reasons and is generally only provided through urban or built up areas, busy junctions or roundabouts. Lighting is not provided at isolated rural locations on trunk roads except where there is a high incidence of night time acc…

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been in the last five years for contraventions of Scottish building regulations, the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations or other relevant regulations or codes of practice in which the safety of the occupants of given premises were potentially or…

Answer · Colin Boyd: Information is not available at the level of detail requested. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database records details of the charges against each accused in terms of the specific common law or statutory offence that i…

2 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review Scottish building regulations and associated codes of practice to improve installation and maintenance standards to reduce the risk of appliances emitting carbon monoxide.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:The SBSA has no plans to reviewthe standards and related guidance to improve installation of combustion appliancesto re…