Parliamentary questions

Ken Macintosh

1,334 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

5 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the disparity identified in the research, Causes of excess mortality in cerebral palsy, by Strauss, Cable and Shavelle which recorded that women with cerebral palsy have three times the incidence of death from breast cancer than their non-disabled peers.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The study states that mortality from breast cancer was three times that of the general population suggesting poorer detection or treatment. In Scotland there is already a well established breast cancer screening programme for all women aged 50 to 64. T…

5 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to address health concerns amongst people with communication impairment, in particular with regard to the delivery of the sexual health strategy.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Improving access to informationabout health services and access to such services is key to having a more inclusiveNHS. This includes responding to the needs of disadvantaged groups including peoplewith communication impairments.The implementation of th…

21 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target for the maximum length of time a patient should wait to see a speech and language therapist.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16122 on 3 May 2005. 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.s…

21 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the action taken by NHS boards, and supported by the Executive, to boost the number of speech and language therapists will have on reducing waiting times for patients.

Answer · Andy Kerr: It is for NHS boards and local authorities to determine levels of service provision based on local needs. Currently, there is no national waiting time target for speech and language therapy.

6 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the Scottish Cancer Research Network, since the announcement of £1 million in 2002 to support its development, in respect of promoting equity of access to trials for all patients with cancer in line with the aim in the strategy document, Cancer in Scotland: …

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Cancer Research Network (SCRN) was fully established by December 2003 with designated clinical leads, managers, research nurses and other support staff in place in each of the three regional cancer network areas. Latest figures based on Ap…

6 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, cancer patients were recruited into clinical trials for therapies and provision of care in (a) breast, (b) colorectal, (c) lung, (d) ovarian and (e) prostate cancer in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Progress with participation in clinical trials is monitored through the Scottish Cancer Research Network (SCRN) who have only recently established up-to-date monitoring systems to collect and report information. Information is available from April 2004 and is…

16 Mar 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on its programme of support for small-scale renewables.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We are making excellent progress. Our Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative has allocated grant funding to over 600 small-scale renewable energy projects since 2002, and applications to the scheme continue to increase.

8 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deafblind people have benefited from services such as guide-communicators in the period 2000 to 2004 and how this number compares with that in England and Wales.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of people who use guide communicators is not held centrally. Deafblind Scotland receives funds from the Scottish Executive to enable it to train guide communicators and deafblind support workers for deafblind people. Local aut…

8 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities or NHS boards have made an assessment of the needs of deafblind people and how this number compares with that in England and Wales.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally.

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to Her Majesty's Government in support of the Disability Discrimination Bill, an order in council or other legislative measure being used to ensure that the necessary legislative changes are made so that the new Additional Support Needs Tribunals are able…

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is not appropriate for the Executive to make any representation to the UK Government on this matter at the present time. A decision about representation will be taken on the basis of the review of the operation of the tribunals, as explained in the answer …

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the new Additional Support Needs Tribunals to be able to hear education cases brought under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 is expected to be commenced towards the end of this year, at which time the tribunal system will become operational. The Executive intends to review the operation of the tribunals, as part of…

21 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce two-view mammography as a standard method of screening for breast cancer, in line with England and Wales.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the Member to question S2W-13438 answered on 21 January 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…

21 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the cost effectiveness of introducing two-view mammography for breast screening as compared to a single view mammography, in line with England and Wales.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the Member to the question S2W-13438 answered on 21 January 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/webap…

21 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether introducing two-view mammography for breast screening will lead to lower recall rates, as appears to be the case in England and Wales.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the question S2W-13438 answered on 21 January 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/webap…

21 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether introducing two-view mammography for breast screening will lead to an increase in the numbers of cancers detected early, as appears to be the case in England and Wales.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the Member to the answer to question S2W-13438 on 21 January 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/webap…

12 Jan 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many quality contracts have been agreed with bus operators since the implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2000.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: No quality contracts have beenagreed with bus operators since the implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act2001. We are aware that several have been considered. There is also, evidence ofa great deal of voluntary partnership working between transport aut…

22 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are national standards in respect of carers' assessments and whether it has any plans to introduce a single, standardised carers' assessment form across Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive has no plans to introduce a standardised assessment form for either users’ or carers’ assessments. We are, however, developing national minimum information standards for the data in these assessments, which will provide a consistent approach acr…

22 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in monitoring the number of carers' assessments, including young carers' assessments, being carried out in each local authority area.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: From January 2005, local authorities are being required for the first time to record the number of carers’ assessments, including young carers’ assessments, being carried out. The first returns of information will be made to the Scottish Executive in April 20…

22 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide further support to young carers.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Under our Carers Strategy a range of steps have been taken to help improve the support available to young carers. Amongst other things, this has delivered a marked increase in the number of projects supporting young carers, which have risen from 23 in 1999 to…

30 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to reintroduce individual learning accounts for learners.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am pleased to confirm that the new individual learning account (ILA) scheme, ILA Scotland, will be launched to learners in Scotland on Monday 13 December. I will provide full information on the new scheme at that time.

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make an announcement on the outcome of the pilot schemes for the test purchasing of age-restricted products and its subsequent plans for the future of test purchasing.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Ministers are considering the evaluation report of the tobacco test purchasingpilot and an announcement will be made shortly.

28 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the Review of the Curriculum, Assessment and Testing and other matters arising from the National Debate on Education.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Today, the Scottish Executive is publishing Ambitious, Excellent Schools which sets out our agenda for the most comprehensive modernisation programme of our schools for a generation. This agenda involves: higher expectations for schools and school lead…

1 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the results of its Phase One consultation exercise on the review of the Childrens Hearings system.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The independent analysis report on the responses to the Phase One consultation exercise is being published today. The full report and a summary version are both being made available online on the Children’s Hearings website, <a href="http://www.childrens-hear…

22 Sep 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will involve communities in the licensing process.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Our proposal for a modern licensing system recognises the need for communities to have a voice. We will do this by widening the range of people who can object to individual licences; by ensuring boards must consult local communities in developing their…

9 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve disabled access at railway stations.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is working closely with the Strategic Rail Authority, who isprincipally responsible for disabled access, to provide a more accessibletransport network.

20 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance in answering ministerial correspondence was in the first quarter of 2004.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: In the answer given to questionS1W-24583 on 28 March 2002, I undertook to continue to report quarterly on the numbersof letters received by ministers and our performance in answering them. This isthe fourth quarter in which I am reporting performance on lette…

12 May 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the further development of the Dyslexia Friendly Schools Award.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I recently visited Dyslexia Scotwestwho developed the Dyslexia Friendly Schools Award. I was impressed by what I sawand learned and I am considering what I can do to encourage the approach being appliedmore widely.

30 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what rights people who live in retirement housing complexes and who own a majority share in the equity of their property have to exercise control over the management of their property.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Where the occupier of a propertyis not the owner, but instead has a share in the equity, their rights in relationto management should be set out in the contract which set up the equity arrangement.

30 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to use the Tenements (Scotland) Bill to address the needs of retirement home owners who own a share in the equity of their property.

Answer · Hugh Henry: There are no such plans. TheTenements Bill deals with ownership in tenement blocks. Occupiers of shared equityproperties do not own the properties.

30 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the rights given to sheltered and retirement home owners under the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 to those who own a share in the equity of their property.

Answer · Hugh Henry: There are no such plans. TheTitle Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 deals with property ownership. In a sharedequity arrangement the occupiers do not own the properties.