- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 17 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many records of needs have been opened since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The total number of records of needs open at September each year from 1999 to 2001, broken down by local authority area, is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre in the following publications:The summary results of the 1999 school census (Bib. number 20194)The summary results of the 2000 school census (Bib. number 20197)The summary results of the 2001 school census (Bib. number 22064).The number of records of needs newly opened each year is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines allow the NHS to contract private organisations to provide medical services on its behalf.
Answer
It is legislation, rather than guidance, under which NHS bodies operate that allow them to enter into contracts to provide medical services. The provision of medical services is arranged through health boards, special health boards and NHS trusts under the powers and duties given to them in legislation, in particular the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and orders made under that act.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 2 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been commissioned into the patient charging system; if so, when the research will conclude and whether the results of the research will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
The Executive commissioned a review of patient charges for NHS dental services in Scotland in 2002. The report has been delivered and the options contained therein are currently under consideration. No decision has yet been made on possible publication of the report.The Executive is also committed to reviewing prescription charges for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education or training. We expect the review to commence in the autumn.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-477 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 June 2003, whether a response from Analysys will be received before the 2003 summer recess.
Answer
An Executive summary of the Analysys report is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27702).
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 27 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to withdraw the use of seroxat as an anti-depressant for those under 18.
Answer
The regulation of medicines is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).New data from clinical trials of Seroxat in children and adolescents were received by the MHRA at the end of May 2003. These new data have been reviewed by an Expert Working Group on SSRIs and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), an independent scientific advisory committee. They do not demonstrate efficacy in depressive illness in this age group and show an increase in the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour in the Seroxat group compared to placebo. On the basis of these data, CSM has advised that Seroxat should not be used in children and adolescents under the age of 18 years to treat depressive illness.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for regulating packaging waste recovery notes.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a review has been carried out into the effectiveness of packaging waste recovery notes.
Answer
Along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the other devolved administrations, we are currently undertaking a fact-finding exercise into allegations that packaging recovery notes (PRNs) have been issued inappropriately by some reprocessors in the wood packaging waste sector. This aims to identify weaknesses in the recording and monitoring systems and audit trails which wood packaging waste reprocessors use to manage the allocation and issue of PRNs. Any lessons learned are likely to be able to be applied to the PRN scheme as a whole. Reviews of The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 were undertaken in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. A further review will be undertaken this summer. This will include discussion on whether to amend the PRN system.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for monitoring the diversion of waste away from landfill.
Answer
It is likely, under the proposed new system for landfill allowances, that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) will monitor the amount of waste sent to landfill or diverted from landfill by local authorities. Regulations to implement the landfill allowance system will be subject to public consultation later this year.In the meantime, all licensed waste management operators are required to provide regular reports to SEPA including information on the amount of waste treated or disposed to landfill. Local authorities also provide similar information to SEPA as part of the annual Local Authorities Waste Arisings Survey. SEPA publishes an annual Data Digest, which is available on its website at
http://www.sepa.org.uk/. Audit Scotland also publishes information on local authority waste management activity as part of its Statutory Performance Indicators. This provides annual information on the amount of waste that each local authority handles and how this is treated. This information is available on its website at
http://www.audit-scotland.co.uk/.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by NHS regional planning groups with regard to specialist services for diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mental illness.
Answer
The three NHS regional planning groups were asked to review provision of joint arrangements for the care and treatment of mothers suffering from post-natal depression and their babies, in the context of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) guideline on post-natal depression and puerperal psychosis published in June 2002. Each group has now responded. All boards have indicated that they are committed to meeting the guideline. Some boards intend to achieve this within their own facilities and resources. They emphasise the importance of caring for mothers and their babies as close as possible to the communities in which they live, and the use of appropriate care and treatment protocols. Boards in the west of Scotland are undertaking a review of needs and are considering plans for shared services. A short-life working group has been established by the department to produce guidance on appropriate hospital admission arrangements to enable mothers with post-natal depression to be admitted with their child. It is intended to produce guidance by December 2003, reflecting the full range of needs including access to specialist services where appropriate. The department will continue to monitor progress, taking account of the latest available guidance and the steps being taken by the boards.
- Asked by: Adam Ingram, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance will be issued regarding the use of Seroxat in light of the review by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines.
Answer
The UK Committee on Safety of Medicine (CSM) has advised against the use of Seroxat in children and adolescents aged under 18 suffering from depressive illness. On 10 June 2003, the Scottish Executive Health Department issued the CSM advice to relevant health care professionals in NHSScotland. Product information for Seroxat is being updated to include the CSM advice. The revised Summary of Product Characteristics is now available on the Electronic Medicines Compendium website (
www.emc.vhn.net) and will be sent to prescribers and pharmacists.The advice, together with other material such as a question and answer document, is now available on the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency website
www.mhra.gov.uk.
