Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children had (a) a parent and (b) their mother admitted to prison in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service does not collect this information. It would not be possible to collect accurate data on the number of children affect…
25 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03580 by Michael Matheson on 4 November 2011, what additional weekly costs would arise from a consumption of (a) 7, (b) 14 and (c) 21 units of (i) beer, (ii) wine and (iii) spirits a week at a minimum unit price of (A) 45p and (B) 50p.
Answer · Michael Matheson: It is not possible to estimate the additional weekly costs incurred because this would depend upon the strength of the alcohol and the current price being paid - which may be under or over 45 or 50p. Professor Ludbrook's research has shown that all income gro…
25 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will provide for the transfer from Gpass in the Scottish Prison Service to the replacement system.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The total funding transferred to NHS boards for the replacement of the Gpass system in prisons is £1,444,100.
25 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the replacement of Gpass in the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), at which point the SPS will move to the replacement system.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: From 6 April 2012 onwards there will be a phased roll-out of InPS Vision to all nine NHS health boards with prisons. The rollout will take approximately six weeks.
25 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S4W-04953, S4W-04954 and S4W-04955 by Michael Matheson on 20 January 2012, who is responsible for the inspection of people involved in the provision of teeth whitening.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Teeth whitening is the practice of dentistry and only those registered with the General Dental Council may lawfully offer it as a treatment. The General Dental Council will take action against businesses undertaking teeth whitening illegally. NHS dental prac…
21 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the posts of Chief Scientist and director of the Chief Scientist Office have not been filled on a permanent basis for 16 and 12 months respectively.
Answer · John Swinney: The post of Chief Scientist was reviewed in the context of a wider review of the provision of scientific advice across government. It was decided that this role should remain. The post was advertised following the review and the successful candidate will be a…
21 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it became aware that the previous director of the Chief Scientist Office would be ending his/her employment contract; when the post became vacant, and when the vacancy was advertised.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is not aware of any employment contracts which have come to an end. The director of the Chief Scientist Office post has not been vacant and has therefore not been advertised. The duties of the post have been covered on a temporary basi…
21 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the (a) shortlisting meetings were held and (b) interviews carried out to fill the most recent vacant post of Chief Scientist.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05121 on 2 February 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…
21 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it became aware that the previous Chief Scientist would be ending his/her employment contract; when the post became vacant, and when the vacancy was advertised.
Answer · John Swinney: The Chief Scientist, Health post became vacant at the end of September 2010 when Professor Sir John Savill ended his secondment to the Scottish Government from Edinburgh University. The vacancy was advertised in October 2011. A shortlisting meeting was held o…
17 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it has put in place to ensure that health professionals seeking to reproduce copyrighted material that is necessary to their work will be protected from liability.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government, working with NHSScotland, has comprehensive plans in place to ensure that health professionals have access to all relevant materials. NHSScotland staff have access to the Knowledge Network - a vast electronic database of articles, bo…
17 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the policy intention is in the NHS cancelling its agreement with the Copyright Licensing Agency, which allowed health professionals to reproduce copyrighted material.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The introduction of NHS Education for Scotland’s Knowledge Network in 2010 provided NHS staff with access to a vast range of knowledge and learning resources available to NHSScotland from a single website. The Network brings together a range of articles, book…
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the adequacy of the New Ways waiting time recording system given the finding in the report on waiting times in NHS Lothian that in 332 cases out of 1,153 the reason for suspension was unknown.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04962 on 6 February 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 45 NHS endoscopy units have specialist endoscopy (a) nurses or (b) technicians.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally held. However, published information showing whole time equivalent and headcount for Nurses and Technicians are available on the ISD website at the following link, it should be noted that Endoscopy Technicians are re…
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the failure of the TRAK system to record two reasonable offers, as acknowledged in the report on waiting times in NHS Lothian, whether it will ensure that the IT systems in all NHS boards record both offers and the reasons for refusal.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards must ensure that their waiting times management systems are fully compliant to meet the requirements of “New Ways of Defining and Measuring Waiting Times”. This includes the recording of reasonable offers and the reason for refusal of the reaso…
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason no patient suspended after declining an offer of treatment in England was interviewed as part of the inquiry into waiting times in NHS Lothian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Executive of NHS Lothian initiated the investigation into waiting times in NHS Lothian. It would be a matter for the Group undertaking the investigation to consider whose views should be sought as part of the inquiry.
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Public Participation Forum was not represented on the investigatory group on waiting times in NHS Lothian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Executive of NHS Lothian initiated the investigation into waiting times in NHS Lothian. It was therefore a matter for board to consider the membership of the investigation group. An external audit of the NHS Lothian’s waiting times management is cur…
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any inspection body has taken action against a business undertaking teeth whitening.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The information requested is not held centrally.
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what inspections Healthcare Improvement Scotland carries out of businesses offering teeth whitening.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Healthcare Improvement Scotland do not carry out inspections of businesses offering teeth whitening.
12 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is legal in Scotland for teeth whitening to be offered commercially by people not registered with the General Dental Council.
Answer · Michael Matheson: It is illegal in Scotland for teeth whitening to be offered commercially by people not registered with the General Dental Council.
11 Jan 2012 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the consequences of the proposed reduction in the college student support budget.
22 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a study on the effects of introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol and, if so, whether this will compare the consumption of match-paired Scottish and English groups of hazardous drinkers.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Once implemented, minimum pricing will form part of the Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS) portfolio being led by NHS Health Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. MESAS is a portfolio of seven studies aimed at evaluating th…
22 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a study on the effects of the discounting ban on alcohol consumption and, if so, whether this will compare the consumption of match-paired Scottish and English groups.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The limits on discounting introduced by the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010 will form part of the Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS) portfolio being led by NHS Health Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. MESAS is a portfo…
22 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the University of Sheffield to reapply the data to its formula for its alcohol pricing model for the periods (a) 2002 to 2005 and (b) 2005 to 2008.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are clear that pricing interventions will reduce alcohol consumption – there are in excess of 100 separate studies that evidence this. The emerging empirical evidence from Canada on the impact of minimum pricing is also demonstrating reductions in consumpt…
21 Dec 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to compensate households affected by noise and vibration from coal freight trains on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway line or to ameliorate the disturbance.
20 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff have participated in the BT Vital Vision programme since 2007 and how much it cost.
Answer · John Swinney: Since January 2007 six Scottish Government staff have participated in BT’s Vital Vision programme. There is no fee for taking part in the BT Vital Vision programme apart from routine travel and subsistence expenses (T&S) which are funded by the participating …
19 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation the Finnish Government's acceptance of a link between the influenza vaccine, Pandemrix, and narcolepsy and its decision to pay compensation to those affected.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) about the Finnish Government’s stance on the issue of Pandemrix and narcolepsy. Following the link to very rare cases of narcolepsy in young people…
15 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether and, if so, when it will match in Scotland the publication in England of prescription data by GP practice, which is available to download via the NHS Information Centre.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In Scotland national prescribing data is collated and published by the Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS National Services Scotland. ISD already provide more detailed prescribing information on a monthly basis to NHS boards, Community Health Partner…
14 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements are placed on Scottish Swimming to communicate and represent all available training and qualification options in materials that it issues relevant to swimming teaching.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Sport Governing body of Scottish Swimming are the guardians and custodians of their sport and it is entirely appropriate for them to promote the UK Coaching Certificate which is supported by all Devolved Administrations and is generally the recognised qua…
14 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has seen notes from the meeting on 27 September 2011 between sportscotland, Sport England, Scottish Swimming and the Swimming Teachers' Association and, if so, whether they will be made public.
Answer · Shona Robison: Yes I can confirm that we have been provided with a note of the meeting and I have asked sportscotland to make this available on request.
14 Dec 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what actions were agreed at the meeting on 27 September 2011 between sportscotland, Sport England, Scottish Swimming and the Swimming Teachers' Association.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04610 on 11 January 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentary…