Parliamentary questions

Kenneth Gibson

2,008 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for nursing home placements in each local authority for which figures are available and what plans it has for reducing waiting times.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information requested is not available on a consistent basis. We are taking a range of initiatives which should reduce waiting times. Central to these is the drive for local agencies to work together to improve services as envisaged in Modernising Comm…

18 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that health boards encourage NHS staff to get vaccinated against influen'a next winter and in subsequent years.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Along with ministerial colleagues in the other UK Health Departments, I have asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to review its present advice on the immunisation of healthcare workers against influenza. We await the Committee's advice, w…

18 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent in financial years 1997-98 and 1998-99 on stock transfer feasibility studies, how much will be spent this financial year and how much will be spent in each of the next two financial years.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The option of transfer to community ownership involves extensive consultation and provision of advice to tenants as well as option appraisals and stock condition surveys. Outturn expenditure on these activities in 1997-98 and 1998-99 was £101,000 and £2,201,0…

18 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Glasgow City Council tenants whose homes are to be demolished following the proposed stock transfer are to be informed that their home is excluded from the list of those to be modernised.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Tenants will be fully involved in the preparation of any proposal for transfer of Glasgow's housing into community ownership, including decisions about future investment and demolition programmes. A transfer will take place only if a majority of tenants vote …

14 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to write off community charge debt.

Answer · Jack McConnell: We received the report It Pays to Pay, a joint CoSLA/Scottish Executive paper, on 22 December 1999 and are currently considering its recommendations, including those which refer to community charge debt.

14 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for cataract operations is for each health board at 1 January 2000 or the most recent date for which figures are available.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the median waiting times for cataract surgery for the year ending 30 September is given in the table.Median waiting time for cataract surgery1: Year ending 30 september 1999p<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WID…

12 Jan 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will comment on the findings of Pell et al in Effect of socio-economic deprivation on waiting time for cardiac surgery, retrospective cohort study published in the January 2000 edition of the British Medical Journal.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The study suggests that patients with coronary heart disease in the most severe deprivation categories waited about 3 weeks longer for routine cardiac surgery than did patients in the most affluent category. The main reason quoted was that those in the most a…

7 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it estimates the proposal by Greater Glasgow Health Board to close the maternity unit at the Queen Mother's Hospital while retaining the units at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Southern General Hospital would have on (a) the number of staff employed in maternity units in Grea…

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is for Greater Glasgow Health Board to determine how to organise services to meet the health care needs of the local population. Such provision must take account of declining numbers of births and changes in provision across the country, which reflect a sh…

7 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Glasgow City Council's expenditure guideline figure for 2000-01 has been increased by less than the Scottish average.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Each council's expenditure guideline figure is calculated on the basis of its increase in Grant-Aided Expenditure and loan charge support. The distribution of GAE, as stated in my reply to Mr Gibson's earlier question (S1W-3398), is based on a formula assessm…

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to discuss with Her Majesty's Government the implementation of recommendations in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities' recently published report It Pays to Pay which relate to reserved matters.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The report, It Pays to Pay, was jointly prepared by a CoSLA/Scottish Executive officials working group. It was published on 22December 1999 and we are considering the recommendations.

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve council tax collection rates by (a) discontinuing joint billing of water and sewerage charges with council tax; (b) allowing the statutory instalment scheme to commence in April; (c) allowing local authorities to issue a combined reminder and final notice; (d)…

Answer · Jack McConnell: The report, It Pays to Pay, is a joint CoSLA/Scottish Executive paper. It was published on 22 December 1999, and we are considering these and other recommendations.

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full time equivalent posts, if any, will be lost in Scottish local government, by local authority, as a result of the recently announced local government financial settlement for 2000-01.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I would refer Mr Gibson to the reply given to Mr Harding on 13 January in response to question S1W-3488.

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional aggregate external finance Glasgow City Council would receive in 2000-01 and how much its guideline figure would increase by if it was awarded the average percentage increase for Scotland.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Had Glasgow received the average increase in Aggregate External Finance in the provisional allocations announced on 15 December its allocation would have increased by £21.0m over the current year. The final AEF figures for 2000-01, including the allocation of…

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what was the average length of time, in days, spent in hospital by mothers after the birth of (a) their first child and (b) subsequent children in the years 1990-91, 1994-95 and 1998-99.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The table below shows the average length of time, in days, spent in hospital after the birth of the first child and subsequent children in the years 1990-91, 1994-95 and 1998-99.There has been a gradual reduction in the length of time spent in hospital by …

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance paramedics were trained in each of 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=319><TR><TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">1996-97</TD><TD WIDTH="44%" VALIGN="TOP">88</TD></TR><TR>…

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults were carried out against NHS staff in each of 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 and what measures are being implemented to reduce the incidence of such assaults.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the number of assaults is not held centrally. As part of the recently published Occupational Health and Safety Service strategy for NHSiS staff, employers are required to implement policies based on risk assessment aimed at reducing violent inc…

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for introducing Health Action Zones.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has no such plans. The broad strategy for improving health in Scotland was set out in the White Paper Towards a Healthier Scotland, the principles of which were endorsed by the Scottish Parliament last September.

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died in 1998-99 while on a waiting list for cardiac surgery.

Answer · Susan Deacon: In the year ending 31 March 1999, the provisional figure for the number of people who died while on a waiting list for cardiac surgery is 67. Because the data do not include cause of death, it cannot be assumed that death was due in every case to coronary hea…

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting time is for patients awaiting (a) coronary artery bypass grafts and (b) other cardiac surgery in each health board area.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is set out in the table below. Some 20% of the overall total of CABGs are undertaken on an urgent or immediate basis and are not included in the figures in the table.Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts /…

6 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of births were induced in each health board area in each of 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Figures for the calendar years 1997, 1998 and 1999 are shown in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=319><TR><TD WIDTH="47%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=18>Health Board Area</TD><TD WIDTH="18%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIG…

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a standardised age restricted sales law for products, such as alcohol and tobacco, whose sale is restricted on age grounds.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Products and services subject to age restriction are wide-ranging and some are governed by consumer protection legislation which is reserved. However, the Scottish Executive is examining measures for better enforcement of the law to tackle those who make ille…

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of radiology equipment in each of Scotland's health boards is more than ten years old and what the time scale is for replacing such equipment.

Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive.The prime responsibility for assessing the need for and the timetable for provision of all medical equipment falls to individual NHS Trusts. In reaching their decisions they should take accou…

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why waiting times for ultrasound examinations and barium x-ray diagnosis vary across Scotland and what impact different waiting times have on patient outcomes.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Health boards and NHS Trusts have to plan and deliver services which meet the needs of their local population within the resources allocated to them and taking account of national and local priorities. A patient may require an ultrasound examination or barium…

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the likely impact is on patient mortality of having to wait 24 weeks for an ultrasound scan or barium x-ray diagnosis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the Member to the answer S1W-3560.

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what preventative action it is taking to reduce the incidence of cancer.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is determined to face the challenges posed by cancer. We have pledged to tackle the root causes of ill health and work over the next 10 years to promote healthier living and reduce mortality from cancer by 20%.…

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to reduce waiting times for oncology patients requiring x-ray examinations in Glasgow hospitals.

Answer · Susan Deacon: North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust has taken a number of steps to reduce waiting times for oncology patients both for diagnostic and therapeutic services, including extending its working week by 20 hours and the appointment of an extra half-time con…

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why oncology patients suffering stomach and intestinal problems are having to wait up to 24 weeks for a barium x-ray diagnosis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the Member to the answer S1W-3560.

5 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why oncology patients in the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow are having to wait up to 24 weeks for ultrasound examinations.

Answer · Susan Deacon: South Glasgow University Hospitals Trust has taken steps to reduce the waiting list for ultrasound examinations. Full details are available from the Trust.The Scottish Executive is committed to improving waiting times, addressing …

16 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how capital spending by Scottish local authorities in 2000-01, excluding PFI projects, compares to local authority capital spending in 1990-91 (in current prices) and, if its assessment differs from COSLA's statement in convention item 4 on 10 December that "ten years ago, the Government …

Answer · Jack McConnell: Local authority capital expenditure in 1990-91, including water and sewerage and housing, was £1.7 billion at current prices. Total capital spending by local authorities in 2000-01 will not be known until the end of that financial year, therefore, a compariso…

16 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the local authority funding shortfalls identified by CoSLA "will all require to be absorbed by councils either by further reductions in services, staffing levels or, alternatively, increases in council tax", as stated by CoSLA in convention item 4 on 10 December 1999, and, if not,…

Answer · Jack McConnell: Local government spending is set to rise to £6,746 million, an increase of 3.7% over the comparable figure this year and higher than the forecast increase in the RPI. It is a matter for the local authorities themselves to determine their expenditure prioritie…