Parliamentary questions

Ms Rosemary Byrne

600 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

6 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the success rate of patients going through the Green Door programme has been in the last two years, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally.

6 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the success rate of patients going through the Detox 5 programme has been in the last two years, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally.

6 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients have been through the Green Door programme in the last two years, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The following table details the number of clients admitted to the Green Door programme by NHS board area for 2003-04 and 2004-05, as reported by drug and alcohol action teams: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> N…

6 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been through the Detox 5 programme in the last two years, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The following table details the number of clients admitted to the Detox 5 programme in Harrogate by NHS board area for 2003-04 and 2004-05, as reported by Drug and Alcohol Action Teams: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> …

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11821 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 November 2005, what the drop-out rate for students was from Scottish universities in 2002-03.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There is no single measure that captures the drop-out rate. Since 1996-97, the Higher Education Statistics Agency has published a range of indicators relating to student retention within the higher education system. For information on theseindicators, I refer…

2 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recourse exists for parents of children with dyslexia who consider that provision for their child is not appropriate.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Education authorities and schoolsshould have clearly stated arrangements in place to meet the concerns of all parentswho feel that the education provided for their child is not appropriate. The emphasisshould be on resolving matters informally at a local leve…

2 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific role HM Inspectorate of Education is expected to fulfil in relation to appropriate provision for pupils with dyslexia.

Answer · Peter Peacock: A key role of HM Inspectorate of Education is to inspect and evaluate all aspects of school provision in Scotland. This includes the quality of provision for pupilswith a wide range of special educational needs, including dyslexia.Further information o…

2 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what requirement there is for local authorities to provide policy statements and parents' guidelines on provision for pupils with dyslexia.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There is no requirement for localauthorities to provide specific policy statements and parent guidelines on provisionfor dyslexia. Education authorities are, however, required to include a specificstatement of the special educational needs policy for each sch…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make any legislative changes to public sector pension schemes.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Yes.The proposed changes stem from the announcement in 2003 by the UK Government that it intended to proceed with its reform of public service pension schemes. This followed the publication in 2002 of the green paper entitled “Simplicity, security a…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to change the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Pensions policy is reserved to Westminster and therefore, in line with UK Government policy on public service pensions, the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme [STSS] is currently under review. The main aims of the review are to ensure that the scheme co…

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what methods other than land disposal it is currently considering for the disposal of sewage.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not dispose of sewage. This is an operational matter for Scottish Water.

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into the effects of dumping sewage on land in Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Dumping sewage on land is illegal in Scotland. I explained the research that has been undertaken into the impact of sludge recovery by land-spreading in response to question S2W-5087 from Karen Gillon MSP on 5 January 2004. All answers to written parli…

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what health monitoring is undertaken at sewage disposal sites and by whom.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsiblefor monitoring disposal of sludge to land. Scottish Water has a responsibility toprovide SEPA and waste management operators with an analysis of the content of sludgewhich is being sent for dispo…

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to students with dyslexia in further and higher education courses.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Students with dyslexia in further and higher education courses may receive both practical and financial help. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires institutions to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that students with disabilities are not placed …

16 Feb 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the provision of employability projects for people who are either homeless, drug or alcohol-addicted or a combination of these.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish ministers are committed to closing the opportunity gap for those individuals most excluded in Scotland’s communities. This activity includes improving the opportunities for vulnerable individuals to access and sustain employment by building on the be…

11 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for dermatology appointments, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of dermatology, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS board of residence, in the year ended 31 December 2004, are given in the table. The al…

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to train more geography teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14318 on 23 February 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="../../../webapp/wa.search">http://www.…

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students there are studying geography in Scottish universities, broken down by (a) university and (b) year group.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The data held by the Scottish Executive on students at higher education institutions are collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The subject coding system used by HESA allocates separate categories to human and social geography and to phys…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of environmental pollution caused by organophosphate sheep dip have occurred in each year since 1999.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The investigation and collation of information of incidents of environmental pollution is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information is not held centrally.

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the environmental effects of organophosphate sheep dip.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14133, answered on 28 February 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.parliamen…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of poisoning by organophosphate sheep dip have occurred in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally. Expert advice is that it is difficultto establish diagnostic criteria for organophosphate poisoning, other than acutepoisoning cases which are rare. The International Statistical Classification ofDiseases and Other Heal…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the mental health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers' families.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14133 on 28 February 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/webapp…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the physical health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers' families.

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the mental health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14133 on 28 February 2005. All answers to written questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search">htt…

4 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the physical health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is the UK competent authority for the regulation of medicinal products, including sheep dips. The UK Government has recently provided £1.4 million for research into organophosphate sheep dip. The full findings from this pr…

31 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people there are with multiple sclerosis (MS), broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information is not available centrally in the form requested. Information obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices whose population is broadly nationally representative suggests that approximately 7,400 patients with multiplesclerosis were see…

28 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths were due to cancer in 2004, broken down by (a) region and (b) cancer type in each region.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Provisional 2004 figures for deaths from the principal types of cancer, broken down by health board area, will be published in the Registrar General’s Preliminary Return on 24 March 2005. Final figures for 2004 will be made available on the GROS website (<a h…

17 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist centres are available for the treatment of brain injuries in Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There are three specialist centres in Scotland: The Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh (Scottish Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service); Murdostoun Castle (Central Scotland Brain Injury Centre), and the Royal Edinburgh Hospital (ScottishNeurobehavioural Service…

17 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many brain injury specialist consultants are employed in Scottish hospitals.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Brain injury is not recognised as a specialty in its own right in the UK. Most neurosurgeons and neuroanaesthetists would be regarded as specialists in acute treatment of head injury. In terms of rehabilitation, there are 11 consultants in rehabilitati…

17 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is available for the treatment of brain injuries.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Treatment of brain injury is usually considered in terms of acute medical or surgical management and rehabilitation. Rehabilitation has both in-patient, out-patient and community based components.There are neurosurgical centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edi…