Chamber and committees

As indicated by the Deputy Minister for Health & Community Care during the parliamentary debate on 26 April and again during my appearance before the Health and Community Care Committee on 23 May, the Executive is considering constructively the implications of the recent English High Court ruling in the case brought under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. This is a complex issue and is being progressed as urgently as possible. An announcement will be made at the earliest possible date.

We have no plans to make representations to the UK Government about the current classification of benzodiazepines under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Benzodiazepines are controlled under the 1971 Act to protect against the misuse of these drugs. Most benzodiazepines are Class C drugs. All of them are classified as Prescription Only Medicines under the Medicines Act 1968. The responsibility for prescribing benzodiazepines rests with individual GPs.

For each of the years specified, the following vaccinations made up the childhood immunisation programme:1980 - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, BCG1985 - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, BCG1990 - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, combined MMR (introduced nationally in October 1988), Rubella, BCG 1995 - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Hib (introduced in 1992), MMR, BCG2000 - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Hib, MMR, Men C (introduced autumn 1999), BCGFollowing the MR campaign in 1994, Rubella for schoolgirls was phased out.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-03551 on 6 June 2001.

There is a wide range of diseases carried by pigs which can be passed on to humans. Similarly, the effect on humans varies widely according to the nature of the disease and the susceptibility of the individual.

The Clinical Research and Audit Group (CRAG) are not currently funding any audit work looking at smoking cessation and there are no plans for CRAG to conduct a clinical audit. However, health boards are required to monitor and evaluate the success of their smoking cessation services as a whole. The Scottish Executive is currently reviewing the progress health boards have made in the provision of such services with the funding made available to them for that purpose.

Milk, particularly skimmed and semi-skimmed milk, is promoted as making an important contribution as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Tackling methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and other kinds of healthcare-related infections, is an important task for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Executive has produced comprehensive guidance in support of the NHS. A joint Health Department/NHS working group has very recently prepared further guidance and standards on hospital-acquired infection which will help combat MRSA. Responsibility for ensuring that adequate resources are applied to these tasks is primarily a matter for NHS Trusts, who are fully aware of the importance we attach to effective action. In taking action, Trusts will be able to draw on the increased funding of more than £400 million a year over the next three years which the Scottish Executive is making available to the NHS.

The number of cases of infection with hepatitis C where the suspected risk factor of blood transfusion or tissue transfer reported to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) and shown in the figures published at the beginning of May is 206. The figure does not relate purely to those who may have been infected during routine surgery and may also include people who have been infected outwith Scotland.

The information provided in the answer to question S1W-13949 was based on information available as at 31 December 2000.

Provisional end-year figures indicate that the net overspend of all the NHS Trusts in Scotland taken together as at 31 March 2001 was £400,000. The estimated overspend represents less than 0.01% of estimated income for the year.A number of factors, including the additional investment in NHSScotland of over £480 million in 2000-01 and the implementation of financial recovery plans by a number of Trusts, have resulted in this much improved year-end financial position.