Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3O-05873

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive , in light of recent reports raising concerns over mental health in relation to the recession, what is being done to ensure that people have the support that they need.

The uncertainty and change that is the consequence of the economic situation can be difficult for many people to cope with. The Scottish Government funds a range of programmes and services which offer support, including the Breathing Space telephone advice line for those suffering from low mood or depression and the National Debt Line which has in the last month launched a public awareness campaign.

Question reference: S3W-20230

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Adam Ingram on 10 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the new rating categories due to be implemented in April 2009, what level of care, development and education will be provided to children aged three and four.

Question reference: S3W-20301

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19999 by Nicola Sturgeon on 28 January 2009, whether it will outline the timescale for the appraisal process.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) aims to issue advice to NHSScotland on all newly licensed medicines as soon as it is practical to do so after the medicine is available for use.

The appraisal process takes 18 weeks from receipt of the manufacturer''s product submission to publication of advice on the SMC website.

More information on the stages and timescales for the SMC assessment process is available on the SMC website http://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/.

Question reference: S3W-20145

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children received an eye test on entry to primary school, broken down by local authority.

Under the current programme for child health screening and surveillance, outlined in Health for All Children (Hall 4) issued as guidance to NHSScotland in 2005, it is recommended that children receive a pre-school vision screen (at three to five years of age). Where a pre-school vision screening programme is not in place, it is recommended vision testing is undertaken in primary 1.

Some NHS boards use local systems to record vision screening results and therefore data for these boards are not available centrally. Information on pre-school and primary 1 vision checks is available for NHS boards which record results on the national child health systems. The latest available information on the percentage of children in primary 1 who received a vision check prior to school entry or in primary 1 is for school year 2007-08 and is shown in table 1 by local authority area. NHS boards are at different stages of implementation of pre-school vision screening and this may have affected the coverage figures in some areas whilst these programmes are put in place.

Table 1: Number and Percentage of children in Primary 1 in School Year 2007-08 who received a vision check, by Local Authority

Local Authority¹	No. of children in Primary 1 in school year 2007-08²	No. of Children who Received a Vision Check in Primary 1³	No. of children who Received a Vision Check Pre-School⁴
Total⁵	26,888	17,314	4,706
Angus	1,133	886	11
Borders	1,171	316	726
Clackmannanshire	518	418	-
Dumfries and Galloway	1,378	71	789
Dundee City⁶	1,370	35	47
East Lothian	1,016	968	4
City of Edinburgh	3,725	3,207	14
Falkirk	1,537	1,364	8
Fife	3,721	1,912	1,517
Midlothian	858	823	4
North Lanarkshire	3,344	2,678	18
Perth and Kinross	1,397	1,207	11
South Lanarkshire	2,617	2,336	59
Stirling	881	771	4
West Lothian	1,933	74	1,494
Western Isles	289	248	-

Local Authority¹	No. of Children who Received a Vision Check both in Primary 1 and Pre-School	Total no. of Children who Received a Vision Check	Percentage of Children who Received a Vision Check
Total⁵	896	21,124	78.6
Angus	4	893	78.8
Borders	74	968	82.7
Clackmannanshire	-	418	80.7
Dumfries and Galloway	26	834	60.5
Dundee City⁶	2	80	5.8
East Lothian	3	969	95.4
City of Edinburgh	11	3,210	86.2
Falkirk	3	1,369	89.1
Fife	670	2,759	74.1
Midlothian	2	825	96.2
North Lanarkshire	11	2,685	80.3
Perth and Kinross	6	1,212	86.8
South Lanarkshire	55	2,340	89.4
Stirling	3	772	87.6
West Lothian	26	1,542	79.8
Western Isles	-	248	85.8

Source: ISD Scotland, CHSP School, May and November 2008, CHSP Pre-School, November 2008. Ref: IR2009-00196

Notes:

1. Local authority is derived from the child''s postcode area of residence.

2. Figures relate to children who were in primary 1 in school year 2007-08 as at May 2008.

3. Number of children who were in primary 1 in school year 2007-08 as at May 2008, and who have a Primary 1 vision screening record on CHSP School as at November 2008.

4. Number of children who were in Primary 1 in school year 2007-08 as at May 2008, and who have a pre-school vision screening record on CHSP pre-school as at November 2008.

5. Data are not available for the following NHS boards: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Highland, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland.

6. Dundee City local authority implemented universal pre-school vision screening in August 2007. Prior to this, universal vision screening was carried out in primary 1. In this transition year, universal vision checks for children in primary 1 in school year 2007-08 were not carried out.

Question reference: S3W-20229

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place with parents prior to defining the categories of care by nursery providers.

The Care Commission''s grading system was introduced in April 2008 following extensive consultation with people who use care services and with care providers. It was piloted in 170 services during 2007.

The grading system does not replace any of the statutory requirements or the provisions of the National Care Standards. It enables the Care Commission to exercise its responsibilities in a proportionate way.

Question reference: S3W-20227

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what parliamentary scrutiny was undertaken prior to implementation of the new grading system for nursery schools.

The grading system is an operational matter for the Care Commission. It does not of course replace any of the statutory requirements or the provisions of the National Care Standards. It enables the Care Commission to exercise its responsibilities in a proportionate way.

The grading system was introduced in April 2008, and applies to all the care services that the commission regulates, including day care of children. It was piloted with 170 care services across the spectrum of regulated services in 2007.

The grading system is part of the commission''s three-year Regulation for Improvement Project. Following widespread public consultation, the Project was a substantial component of the Care Commission''s 2006-09 Corporate Plan, which received ministerial approval in March 2006. Its aim was to achieve targeted and proportionate regulation of care in Scotland.

Ministers have received regular progress reports on the Project at their routine six-monthly meetings with the Care Commission''s Convener and Chief Executive.

Question reference: S3W-20226

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that no data remains on IT equipment that has been used in the NHS and that such equipment is resold or deployed across other public sector bodies.

The Scottish Government is responsible for providing an Information Security Policy Statement and Information Security Policy Principles covering authority, accountability, assurance and awareness. Chief executives in NHS boards are responsible for implementing the policy and for ensuring that all staff comply with the policy. The key principles of the Information Security policy are as follows:

Information will be protected against unauthorised access.

Confidentiality of information required through regulatory and legislative requirements will be assured.

Integrity of information will be maintained.

Information will be available to authorised personnel as and when required.

Business continuity plans will be produced, maintained and tested

Information security training will be available to all staff.

Disposal policies, including ensuring that no data remains on IT equipment, are an operational responsibility for each NHS board.

Question reference: S3W-20197

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive when the short-life working group of the feasibility on the national collection of tissue as outlined in Better Cancer Care, An Action Plan will report to the Scottish Government and what action may follow this report.

Question reference: S3W-20300

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what treatment is available in each NHS board area for people with an eating disorder.

NHS boards in Scotland provide a full range of care and treatment for eating disorders across community based and hospital services, including access to specialist in-patient care.

I am delighted that a new purpose designed 10 bed specialist NHS in-patient facility for eating disorder care to serve the North of Scotland is now operational at the Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen, adding to the partnership hospital provision already available across Scotland.

All areas and all services are working toward improved access and outcomes for service users based on prevention, intervention and sustained supported recovery.

Question reference: S3W-20198

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have not provided a bowel screening programme and whether the national programme will be rolled out across Scotland by the end of 2009.