Parliamentary questions
Kenneth Gibson
2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund and promote educational services in secondary schools to raise understanding and awareness of mental illness and provide advice and guidance to pupils and staff.
Answer · Peter Peacock: <I><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>Curriculum Design for the Secondary Stages: Guidelines for Schools</I> published in June 1999 provides clear curricular goals, i.e. "schools have a responsibility to help pupils be disposed to have: a commitment to learning; …
1 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent per capita on treating mental illness in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by health board, in (a) psychiatric hospitals and (b) the community.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Mental illness is equated with the specialities of General Psychiatry, Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The information available from health boards regarding expenditure on mental illness treatment is provid…
1 Mar 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recovery plan submitted by South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust is expected to have any impact on ambulance service provision.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is working closely with the Trust and the health board to ensure that a robust recovery plan is produced, which will ensure that high quality patient care continues to be delivered within a sustainable financial framework.
29 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a specific definition of "modernisation of government" and what performance measures it will use to determine whether its objective of modernising government is being achieved.
Answer · Jack McConnell: In our <I>Programme for Government</I>, we said<FONT FACE="Arial" COLOR="#0000ff"> that we would work across the Executive to promote modern government. The main themes will be customer-focused policy development and service delivery, making best use of infor…
29 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial indebtedness is of each local authority relating to the total interest charges incurred for paying invoices after the due date to (a) all firms and (b) firms employing fewer than 50 people, since the introduction of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 19…
Answer · Jack McConnell: This information is not held centrally.
28 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each pound it spends on neighbourhood watch and similar crime prevention methods saves the criminal justice system.
Answer · Angus MacKay: I refer you to my answer of 11 February 2000 about Scottish Executive support for Neighbourhood Watch and other initiatives. Many of the major crime prevention initiatives undertaken by the Scottish Executive are evaluated for their effectiveness. However, so…
28 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce three-year budgets for local authorities.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Local authorities know the aggregate figures for Government Supported Expenditure (GSE) and Aggregate External Finance (AEF) for 1999-2000 until 2001-02, which we announced at the time of the Comprehensive Spending Review in 1998. The figures for 2000-01 and …
25 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many intensive care and high dependency beds will be provided from the #6.8 million announced by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 22 February 2000 and whether this money will provide additional beds or be used to alter the classification of existing beds.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is for Health Boards, working with NHS Trusts to determine how best to use the additional resources in light of local needs and circumstances. The Chief Medical Officer has established a short-life group to examine how intensive care and high dependency se…
25 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that epileptic patients have their medication reviewed annually by their GP.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This is a matter for the clinical judgement of the GP who will determine the frequency of medication review for epileptic patients based on clinical need. Existing national clinical guidelines published by SIGN in 1997 on "the Diagnosis and Management of Epil…
25 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure all people with epilepsy obtain an annual assessment at a specialist unit to check whether they still have the condition.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The NHS in Scotland is committed to ensuring that the highest quality of care is provided to all patients. It is important that patients with chronic conditions such as epilepsy, who may be on long-term drug treatment, are regularly reviewed. The frequency of…
25 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all health service professionals working in primary care advise patients on anti-epileptic drugs of their potential side effects.
Answer · Susan Deacon: All patients receive an information leaflet with each dispensed prescription providing information on the safe and correct use of medicines including potential side-effects. Good clinical practice recommends that all health professionals advise patients on th…
25 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with epilepsy were referred for surgery, in the most recent year for which figures are available, and what the average waiting time is, in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A total of 11 patients were admitted from the waiting list in Scotland for surgery to treat epilepsy during the year ending 31 March 1999. The median wait for treatment was 34 days. Information on the number of waiting list admissions for surgery to treat epi…
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each parliamentary constituency received in lottery funding for the last year for which figures are available.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The amount of lottery funding received by parliamentary constituency during the 12 months to 31 December 1999 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=581><TR><TD WIDTH="76%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=24><P ALIGN="CENTER">Constituency </TD><TD …
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government that the proposed additional tobacco taxes raised in Scotland as part of the "tobacco escalator" will be hypothecated to the Scottish Executive to provide additional resources for the NHS.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues including additional tobacco taxes. The Executive will receive Barnett formula consequentials of increased health spending funded by additional tobacco t…
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it will issue to schools on epilepsy awareness training, dealing effectively with sei'ures and the administration, where necessary, of rectal dia'epam.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I have established a Working Group to produce good practice guidance on the administration of medicines in schools which will address these issues. The Epilepsy Association of Scotland is represented on the Group.
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that all health boards include epilepsy care and treatment in their health improvement plans and develop a managed clinical network of epilepsy services.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As was made clear in the debate on 17 May, the concept of Managed Clinical Networks has the potential to bring about significant improvements in services for those with epilepsy. The Scottish Executive Health Department has therefore been encouraging clinicia…
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many saline and glucose bags were purchased by each health board and what was the cost in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Details of the number of bags purchased through the NHS central contract during the period November 1998 to October 1999 are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=612><TR><TD WIDTH="32%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Health Bo…
23 Feb 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure equalisation of waiting times, across all specialities, within NHS Trusts and health boards.
Answer · Iain Gray: We are currently working with the NHS in Scotland to establish national maximum waiting times, to be delivered from March 2001, in the key clinical specialties of heart disease, cancer and mental health. In addition, the introduction of instant appointment bo…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of Scotland's import and export tonnage by (a) road, (b) rail, (c) sea and (d) air for the most recent year for which figures are available by Standard Industrial Classification Code for each local authority area.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Figures are not available for import and export tonnage's by Standard Industrial Classification or by local authority area.<P>Statistics on the value of imports and exports by industry are published for Scotland as a whole in <I>Scottish Economic Statistics</…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Glasgow Housing Stock Transfer Steering Group last met, when it will next meet, and how many scheduled meetings have been cancelled and why.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Glasgow Housing Partnership Steering Group last met on 28 February and is scheduled to meet shortly. Meetings have been held as and when it was appropriate to discuss the work in progress.
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3568 by Susan Deacon on 11 February 2000, why the waiting times for coronary artery bypass grafts and other cardiac surgery vary widely between health boards and what it will do to reduce both waiting times and the level of variance.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The variations between Health Boards in waiting times for coronary artery bypass surgery and other cardiac surgery are the result of a number of different factors, of which the severity of disease in individual patients is a key factor.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It i…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the road crossing skills of primary school children.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Local authorities have a duty under the Road Traffic Act 1988 to carry out a programme of measures designed to promote road safety. This includes giving practical training to road users where authorities consider this appropriate.<P>The Scottish Executive pro…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact there will be on the Glasgow economy if Glasgow City Council implement planned expenditure savings of #10 million in financial year 2000-01.
Answer · Jack McConnell: It is a matter for Glasgow City Council to determine its own spending priorities. The Council's expenditure guideline for 2000-01 has increased by 2.8% or £28 million to £1,053 million and its Aggregate External Finance has increased by 2.9% or £23 million to…
17 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the net expenditure savings of #10 million planned by Glasgow City Council for 2000-01 will aid or hinder the city in achieving its social inclusion objectives.
Answer · Jack McConnell: It is a matter for Glasgow City Council to determine its own spending priorities and how it delivers its social inclusion objectives. The Council's expenditure guideline for 2000-01 has increased by 2.8% or £28 million to £1,053 million and its Aggregate Exte…
16 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why local authority rent arrears are at their highest level since 1993-94.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Rent arrears management is the responsibility of individual local authorities. Once the current study into rent arrears management being carried out by the Accounts Commission and Scottish Homes is completed, the Executive will consider whether further guidan…
16 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow has a pattern of hospital facilities that is unsatisfactory and, if so, what it will do to address this problem.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is primarily a matter for health boards and their Trusts to plan and deliver services to meet the needs of their populations. The Scottish Executive has, however, been working closely with Greater Glasgow Health Board and its partner Trusts on an ambitious…
16 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the level of funding for the Council of Voluntary Service recommended by the Eglinton Review.
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Eglinton Review made four main recommendations in its final report, of which one dealt with a method of funding the Councils of Voluntary Service. The recommendations are:<UL><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><LI>to re-focus the activity of the CVS to promote and suppor…
15 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of neurosurgery beds, neurosurgery intensive care beds and specialist staff.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I have received the report of the short-life working group set up by the Chief Medical Officer and am considering its recommendations.
15 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice and assistance it will give to local authorities to reduce their level of rent arrears.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Advice is contained in the practice note <I>Rent Arrears Management</I> published by The Scottish Office in March 1994. The Accounts Commission and Scottish Homes are jointly carrying out a study into rent arrears management in local authorities and in housin…
15 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to ensure that all local authorities fulfil their legal obligation to pay all invoices within 30 days.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Payment arrangements are a matter between local authorities and individual suppliers. As noted in my response to question S1O-332, I spoke to Councillor Norman Murray, President of CoSLA, asking him to draw to the attention of councils the requirements of the…