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: S2W-00303

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been diagnosed as having an autistic spectrum disorder, broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S2W-00298

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether research will be carried out into any link between autism and vaccines containing mercury.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. CSO is contributing £0.25 million to the £2.75 million which the Medical Research Council (MRC) has been given to take forward the research agenda set out in the MRC Review of Autism. The MRC has organised four fora to encourage interested, eligible researchers to submit high-quality proposals for research in areas that have been highlighted in the review. Research proposals into an hypothesised link between autism and vaccines containing mercury will be eligible to compete for funding from the MRC.

Question reference: S2W-00059

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to recruit volunteers into the Scottish Ambulance Service and what standard of training such volunteers would require to be eligible for recruitment.

The Scottish Ambulance Service is targeting its efforts to recruit volunteers in the remote and rural areas of Scotland where the life saving interventions they can provide will bring the greatest benefit. They will be used to enhance the level of immediate care available until more qualified medical help can arrive. The ambulance service will conduct all necessary training, which is accredited to the Institute of Health Care Development "First on Scene" level.

Question reference: S2W-00064

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether appropriate guidelines and procedures are now in place to ensure early identification, assessment, diagnosis and access to early interventions for pre-school and primary school-age children with an autistic spectrum disorder.

Guidance on special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), is contained in the Manual of Good Practice for all staff and professionals involved with children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), Effective Provision for Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) and Circular 4/96: Children and Young People with SEN - Assessment and Recording and the framework document Moving Forward! Additional Support for Learning. In addition, proposals for changes to the current system for the assessment and recording of children with SEN were published for consultation in the draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) Bill on 17 January 2003. Copies of these documents are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.Since April 1999, the Executive's Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants programme has awarded a total of £12.7 million to voluntary organisations to pilot projects related to special educational needs, including ASD. For example, the National Autistic Society has produced a training pack for local authorities in developing good practice and is reviewing current training provision for ASD to develop a targeted national training framework while the Scottish Society for Autism is providing an ASD education advisory service.I also refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-62 today. 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/webapp/search_wa.

Question reference: S2W-00211

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making single vaccines for mumps, measles and rubella available on the NHS as an alternative to the triple MMR vaccine.

Question reference: S2W-00196

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether education and training in dermatology that reflect the workload of GPs in respect of that condition is offered by the NHS.

Education and training in dermatology is currently offered by the NHS to GPs. At present, general practitioners are expected to identify their own personal learning needs to better provide the health needs of their patients and to seek training accordingly. Guidance and assistance is available to GPs from NHS Education for Scotland (NES) via the Postgraduate Directors of General Practice Education.

Question reference: S2W-00203

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS trusts are on course to meet the proposed 56-hour week for junior doctors by August 2003.

The latest compliance figures are shown in the following table:August 2002 - Compliance Figures (Scotland)

Trust	PRHO		SHO		SpR		Other		Total
Trust	Posts	Comp%	Posts	Comp %	Posts	Comp %	Posts	Comp%	Posts	Comp	Comp%
Argyll and Clyde	51	100%	133	43%	23	52%	17	12%	224	122	54%
Ayrshire Acute	36	100%	130	21%	18	17%	23	13%	207	69	33%
Ayrshire PC			15	100%					15	15	100%
Borders Acute	15	93%	29.6	7%	10	10%	7	29%	61.6	19	31%
Borders PC			6	100%			6	100%	12	12	100%
Carstairs			9	100%					9	9	100%
CSA					9	56%			9	5	56%
DandG Acute	19	100%	38	71%	9	33%	6	33%	72	51	71%
DandG PC			11.5	100%					11.5	11.5	100%
Fife Acute	32	50%	100	24%	22	14%			154	43	28%
Fife PC			22	100%					22	22	100%
Forth Valley	39	100%	83	0%	19	16%	12	25%	153	45	29%
Forth Valley PC			16	100%					16	16	100%
Grampian PC	2	100%	30	100%	17	100%	1	100%	50	50	100%
Grampian Acute	99	55%	219	32%	145.2	51%	33	30%	496.2	207.2	42%
GGPC			68	60%	23	70%			91	57	63%
Highland Acute	30	100%	64	39%	23	4%	14	50%	131	63	48%
Highland HB			1	100%	1	100%			2	2	100%
Highland PC			9	0%			1	100%	10	1	10%
Lanark Acute	59	68%	204	64%	32	56%	4	100%	299	193	65%
Lanark HB					3	100%			3	3	100%
Lanark PC			45	91%	4	75%	4	75%	53	47	89%
Lomond/Argyll			11	82%			3	0%	14	9	64%
Lothian HB					2	100%			2	2	100%
Lothian PC			55	33%	26	96%	49	100%	130	92	71%
Lothian Univ	101	62%	219	35%	265.5	44%	36.6	40%	622.1	271.6	44%
North Glasgow	115	100%	357	32%	248.6	39%	49	53%	769.6	352	46%
Renfrew/Inver PC			16	100%			1	100%	17	17	100%
Shetland HB	1	100%	4	100%					5	5	100%
South Glasgow	48	44%	160	40%	90	43%	4	100%	302	128	42%
Tayside PC	2.5	100%	40	33%	6	67%	10	90%	58.5	28.5	49%
Tayside Univ	96	98%	163	42%	156	37%	32.6	15%	447.6	225	50%
Yorkhill	8	100%	74	77%	46.2	63%	2	50%	130.2	95.2	73%
West Lothian	23	100%	48.5	23%	26	12%	6	67%	103.5	41	40%
Western Isles	2	100%	8	100%					10	10	100%
August 2002	778.5	81%	2388.6	41%	1224.5	41%	321.2	47%	4712.8	2339	50%
February 2002	747.5	87%	2303	38%	1182.5	42%	323.6	49%	4556.6	2207.5	48%
August 2001	771.5	64%	2396	38%	1209.5	43%	282.6	38%	4659.6	2052	44%

Note:Figures extracted from the Implementation Support Group 2003 Annual Report.

Question reference: S2W-00061

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what commitment it has to the future inclusion of voluntary firefighters in the firefighter service in the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S2W-00062

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that GPs and primary care professionals are aware of the possible indicators that a patient may have an autistic spectrum disorder.

Highland NHS Board is piloting a pro-forma for the assessment of suspected autistic spectrum disorder in children, for use by a range of community paediatricians. This is one of a range of initiatives across Scotland that aim to improve assessment and diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders.A reference group was set up in June 2002, to advise ministers as work progresses on implementation of the Public Health Institute of Scotland's Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report. The group is focusing on assessment and diagnosis as a priority, and it will take account of a range of research knowledge and good practice before recommending further action to ensure primary care and other professionals are aware of the possible indicators of autistic spectrum disorders.

Question reference: S2W-00060

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the retention of auxiliary fire stations in the Highlands and Islands and, if so, what support is planned for them.