- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the submission by Cancer Research UK to the Public Petitions Committee in August 2013, which stated that "the most effective option for improving public health would be to offer [the human papillomavirus] HPV vaccination to both boys and girls at age 12/13", whether it will commit to introducing such vaccinations at the earliest opportunity.
Answer
The main aim of the current HPV vaccination programme is to protect girls against cervical cancer, rather than protecting against the risks associated with HPV overall. Vaccinating girls also helps to stop the spread of HPV to boys. When enough people are immunised this generates herd immunity and helps to protect vulnerable members of the community.
As with all vaccination programmes, the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) continues to monitor all available evidence in respect of recommendations and advice can be updated if new information or evidence becomes available. The JCVI has agreed that further work is required to consider the vaccination of adolescent males. Modelling work and the impact of cost effectiveness of this programme will be taken forward in early 2015 by Public Health England and the JCVI will provide recommendations in due course. The Scottish Government, as with other UK health departments, takes advice on immunisation from the JCVI and will of course consider carefully any future JCVI recommendations in respect of HPV vaccination for adolescent males.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programme to all 12 and 13-year-old boys in advance of any recommendation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
Answer
The main aim of the current HPV vaccination programme is to protect girls against cervical cancer, rather than protecting against the risks associated with HPV overall. Vaccinating girls also helps to stop the spread of HPV to boys. When enough people are immunised this generates herd immunity and helps to protect vulnerable members of the community.
As with all vaccination programmes, the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) continues to monitor all available evidence in respect of recommendations and advice can be updated if new information or evidence becomes available. The JCVI has agreed that further work is required to consider the vaccination of adolescent males. Modelling work and the impact of cost effectiveness of this programme will be taken forward in early 2015 by Public Health England and the JCVI will provide recommendations in due course. The Scottish Government, as with other UK health departments, takes advice on immunisation from the JCVI and will of course consider carefully any future JCVI recommendations in respect of HPV vaccination for adolescent males.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the submission by Cancer Research UK to the Public Petitions Committee in August 2013, which expressed concern about possible health inequalities arising through the current human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme, whether it will write to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding changing the programme to include all 12 and 13-year-old boys.
Answer
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Alex Neil, wrote to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in August 2013 regarding HPV vaccination for boys. The JCVI recognises the importance of ongoing assessment of HPV vaccination for adolescent boys and has responded positively to the need to consider HPV vaccination more widely by establishing an HPV sub-committee. Modelling work and the impact of cost effectiveness of HPV vaccination for boys will be taken forward in early 2015 by Public Health England and the JCVI will provide recommendations in due course. The Scottish Government, as with other UK health departments, takes advice on immunisation from the JCVI and will of course consider carefully any future JCVI recommendations in respect of HPV vaccination for adolescent boys.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to all 12 and 13-year-old boys before 2017 on the grounds of equality of public health protection.
Answer
The main aim of the current HPV vaccination programme is to protect girls against cervical cancer, rather than protecting against the risks associated with HPV overall. Vaccinating girls also helps to stop the spread of HPV to boys. When enough people are immunised this generates herd immunity and helps to protect vulnerable members of the community.
As with all vaccination programmes, the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) continues to monitor all available evidence in respect of recommendations and advice can be updated if new information or evidence becomes available. The JCVI has agreed that further work is required to consider the vaccination of adolescent males. Modelling work and the impact of cost effectiveness of this programme will be taken forward in early 2015 by Public Health England and the JCVI will provide recommendations in due course. The Scottish Government, as with other UK health departments, takes advice on immunisation from the JCVI and will of course consider carefully any future JCVI recommendations in respect of HPV vaccination for adolescent males.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) child and (b) adult psychiatric inpatient care places there are, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The following table shows the average number of a) child and adolescent beds and b) adult psychiatric inpatient beds available by NHS board.
| Average available staffed beds broken down by NHS board -financial year ending 31 March 2014 |
| (a) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services | | Scotland | 46 | | Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 27 | | Highland | 1 | | Lothian | 12 | | Tayside | 6 | |
| (b) Adult Psychiatry | | Scotland | 4334 | | Ayrshire and Arran | 290 | | Borders | 69 | | Dumfries and Galloway | 105 | | Fife | 330 | | Forth Valley | 224 | | Grampian | 411 | | Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 1167 | | Highland | 198 | | Lanarkshire | 478 | | Lothian | 654 | | Tayside | 390 | | Western Isles | 19 | |
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 13 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the dualling of the A90 between Ellon and Peterhead and, if so, when it will take place.
Answer
We recognise that the A90 north of Aberdeen is an important route for businesses along the north east coast and Transport Scotland has been working with Nestrans as they develop a brief for the ‘Energetica corridor - all modes study’ which will consider the problems, opportunities and options for the strategic transport connections from Fraserburgh and Peterhead to Aberdeen. A consultant team has now been appointed by Nestrans to take the study forward, and we will continue to work with the client group as work progresses.
The Scottish Government is already delivering the dualled upgrade of the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty along with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route which will improve safety and cut congestion for road users and local communities.
Quite rightly our current focus is on ensuring that these existing projects currently underway for the north east are delivered to the revised timeline and budget, and we are seeking to accelerate these deadlines where possible.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) children and (b) adults requiring a psychiatric inpatient care place have been sent to other parts of the UK for treatment in each year since 1999, broken down by the NHS board area in which they reside.
Answer
Placements are arranged by individual NHS boards or local authorities. This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of the around 600 hospital admissions for shingles and postherpetic neuralgia has been in each of the last three years.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 13 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential benefit to the local economy of the dualling of the A90 between Ellon and Peterhead.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-23009 on 13 November 2014 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Nanette Milne, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 November 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to accelerating the shingles catch-up programme for all eligible 70 to 79-year-olds.
Answer
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation reviewed all the available medical, epidemiological and economic evidence as well as vaccine safety and recommended a universal herpes zoster vaccination programme for adults aged 70 years up to and including 79 years to commence in September 2013.
The Scottish Government announced that there would be a routine programme for
70-year-olds, and a catch-up for those aged 79 years in 2013. The current programme includes vaccination of 70 year olds as routine, with catch-up cohorts of 78 and 79 year olds.
A decision has still to be taken for the programme next year, but this will include
70-year-olds, as well as a minimum of one catch-up cohort. Once a decision has been made the programme will be announced through a Chief Medical Officer letter early in 2015.
