Parliamentary questions
Stewart Stevenson
2,358 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17976 by Mr Andy Kerr on 16 August 2005, how many operations were cancelled on (a) the day of and (b) the day after admission and how many of the patients involved were not readmitted within a month in each quarter of the last five years for which fi…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The specific information requestedis not available centrally.</p><p>Limited information is availableon the number of inpatient/day case episodes where operations/procedures were notcarried out <u>following admission</u>. Information on the number of in-patien…
9 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15914 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2005, how many convictions for assault on a police officer there were in 2004, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Complete statistical information on convictions for 2004 is not yet available. Finalised statistics for 2004-05 are expected to be available for publication in March 2006.</p>
9 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17919 by George Lyon on 9 September 2005, in how many deaths (a) heroin, (b) ecstasy, (c) amphetamines, (d) other illicit substances, (e) alcohol and (f) tobacco were recorded as causes in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) NHS board, (ii) loca…
Answer · George Lyon: Tables presenting geographical breakdowns of the data given in answer to question S2W-17919 have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37600). For reasons set out in the previous reply, it has not been possible to provide figu…
7 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the First Minister will respond to Alex Salmond MP's letter to him of 22 July 2005.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I shall respond to Mr Salmond's letter of 22 July soon.</p>
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of European structural funds has been allocated to each (a) local enterprise company, (b) local authority and (c) area tourist board in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the economic development budget of each body.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Current programmes for Europeanstructural funds in Scotland run from 2000-06.</p><p>The information available belowis the amount in pound sterling allocated under European structural funds toprojects where (a) the local enterprise company (b) local authority …
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently on waiting lists for aids and adaptations, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot currently held centrally.</p>
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3336 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 November 2003, how many unfilled vacancies existed in the NHS for consultant psychiatrists in all disciplines in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 and how many such vacancies currently exist.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on psychiatric consultant vacancies in NHS Scotlandis published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics,at <b><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce">www.isdscotland.org/workforce</a></b>.</p><p>Section B gives …
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times have been from GP referral to first appointment with a consultant psychiatrist in each NHS board area in each quarter since 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the speciality of psychiatry, following referral by a general medical practitioner, in each quarter since 31 March 1999, by NHS board area of residence, are given in the table. …
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police time was spent on front-line policing in each year since 1997, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally. The deployment of police officers in each force area is a matter for the relevant Chief Constable.</p>
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many bus drivers were charged with (a) drink driving, (b) speeding and (c) operating a mobile phone while driving in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not available. The statistics available centrally on motoring crimes recorded by the police do not distinguish the occupation of the offender.</p>
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time to an emergency call to the police was in each year since 1997, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p>
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have taken place for under age drinking in each year since 1990, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p>Persons Proceeded Against for Under-Age Drinking<sup>1,2</sup>, by Police Force Area, </p><p>1990-2003</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=601> <tr> <td> <p>Police Force<…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards purchase fair trade products.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on how many NHSboards purchase fair trade products is not held centrally.</p>
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions there were to hospitals due to incidents at the seaside in each year since 1997.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available from central statisticalreturns.</p><p class=nhsrecipient>Injuriesand their causes are recorded on hospital discharge data using the World HealthOrganization’s International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for waiting times for (a) patients requiring an initial out-patient appointment with an eye specialist and (b) second and subsequent out-patient appointments.
Answer · Andy Kerr: All NHS boards are working to ensure that they meet the Executive’s target of a maximum waiting time of 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant, following referral by a general medical/dental practitioner by 31 December 2005. This targe…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards treat NHS patients for (a) knee replacement surgery, (b) cataract surgery, (c) hernia repair and (d) hip replacement surgery.
Answer · Andy Kerr: All 15 NHS boards provide cataract surgery and hernia repair surgery locally, and all NHS boards, except NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland, provide hip and knee joint replacement surgery locally. NHS Grampian provides hip and knee joint replacement surgery for pati…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances of fraud within the NHS have been detected in each of the last eight years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) type of fraud.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The main aim of the Executive’sNHS counter fraud policy is to seek to minimise losses to the NHS in the first instanceby deterring potential fraudsters, rather than attempt to recoup losses by detection/investigationafter fraud against the NHS has taken place…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting list figures for cancer care were in each NHS board area in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board are.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There are no discrete waiting lists for cancer treatment which can take place in either an out patient or in patient setting. As soon as a cancer diagnosis is confirmed treatment is discussed and agreed between the consultants concerned and their patient and …
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time to an emergency call to the ambulance service was in each NHS board area in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is provided in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>NHS Board Area</p></td> <td> <p>1997-98</p> <p>(minutes)</p></td> <td> <p>1998-99</p></td> …
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that women aged 50 to 70 do not lose their place in the three-year cycle of NHS breast screening when changing GP.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Six to eight weeks before breastscreening appointments are due to commence for women from a given GP practice, aPrior Notification List (PNL) is issued to the practice by the breast screeningcentre. The PNL contains the details of every woman at that practice…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total population was in each local authority area in each year since 1980.
Answer · George Lyon: Local authority areas were established on 1 April 1996. Figures for 1981-2004 are available from the General Register Office for Scotland’s website for these administrative areas. These are consistent with revisions made following the 2001 Census. Estimates f…
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed by it, and what the total expenditure was, on communications in 2004-05, broken down into (a) information and communications technology staff, (b) press officers, (c) special advisers and (d) others and what the estimated equivalent figures are for 2005-06.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested is currently being validated. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and will arrange for a copy of my reply to be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 37347).</p>
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total travel costs were for (a) ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in each of its departments in 2004-05.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information required is currentlybeing validated. I will write to the member as soon as the information is availableand I will arrange for a copy of my reply to be placed in the Parliament ReferenceCentre (Bib. number 37346).</p>
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13347 by Mr Tom McCabe on 13 June 2005, on how many occasions in 2004-05 departmental special advisers have travelled (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited, and how much each visit cost.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Irefer the member to my corrected reply to question S2W-13347 published on 13 June 2005 whichincluded the information requested in the period between 1 April 2004 and 31 December 2004. Between1 January 2005 and 31 March 2005 Scottish Executive specialadvisers…
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the drop-rate for student (a) podiatrists, (b) dieticians, (c) occupational therapists, (d) speech and language therapists, (e) orthoptists, (f) physiotherapists, (g) radiographers, (h) prosthetists and orthotists and (i) art, drama and music therapists has been in each year since 19…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average student nurse bursary has been in each year since 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the totalexpenditure on bursaries is not collected in such a way as to provide averagebursary payments for these academic years. Lower and higher rates of bursaryfor the academic years 1999-2000 to 2005-06 are set out in the following table.Whe…
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the drop-out rate has been for student nurses in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Attrition rates are not availablebroken down by NHS board area. However, the attrition rates for Scottish studentscompleting in the academic years since 1999 are shown in the table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Co…
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the (a) number and (b) physical area of sites designated as derelict land in 2004, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Scottish Executive has since 1993 published an annual statistical bulletin estimating the amount of vacant and derelict land in Scotland by local authority area.</p> <p>The information requested can be found in the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey…
28 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in public sector projects of a value greater than £50,000 which have resulted in a failure in the project in each year since 1999; what the contracted cost of each project was, and what estimate it has made of the direct and indirect costs…
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested on computerisation or IT failures would be held by individual authorities and public sector bodies and there is no central record of computerisation or IT projects across the public sector.</p> <p>Within the Scottish Executive in 200…
27 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were cancelled within (a) seven days and (b) 24 hours of the appointment time in each year since 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available from central statistical returns.</p> <p>However, the available information on the numbers of cancellations to planned admission for in-patient/day case care or cancellation of planned operations following in-patient…