- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 14 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list, by health trust, details of any poor performance in clinical practice, as identified by clinical audit and governance procedures.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will continue to encourage the development and open reporting of clinical performance indicators including the Clinical Outcome Indicators, national audits such as the Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality and regular reports from the Clinical Standards Board.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 13 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations, and from whom, on the provision of night-time warden services in sheltered housing complexes.
Answer
Yes, the Scottish Executive has received representations on the provision of night-time warden services from individuals in North and South Ayrshire and in Edinburgh.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 10 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it will offer to any residents of sheltered housing who have lost, or are about to lose, their night-time warden cover.
Answer
Decisions about the provision of night-time warden cover are for the relevant local authority. We are aware that many local authorities are introducing alternatives such as combined warden and community alarm services.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 10 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government on the regulation of, and equality of access to, new technology, with particular regard to the Wireless IP Local Loop System which is currently available in England.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including telecoms regulation. However, the roll out of the WIPLL system will be a commercial decision for individual telecoms companies.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 10 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Atlantic Telecom on the rollout of Atlantic e.com, the Wireless IP Local Loop System.
Answer
Atlantic Telecom announced the launch of Atlantic e-com, which uses WIPLL, in May 2000 in Glasgow. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Atlantic Telecom, although the detail of the e-com project is a matter for the commercial judgement of the company.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 10 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations on the provision of improved telecommunications using the Wireless IP Local Loop System.
Answer
Yes, The Scottish Executive has received one letter asking about non-provision of WIPLL in a location in rural Aberdeenshire.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 6 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8099 by Ross Finnie on 20 June 2000, what was the specific scientific advice which it was given to allow the farm scale GM crop trial at Daviot to continue.
Answer
I referred to the specific scientific advice in my answer to question S1W-8099.
I was advised that the scientific merit of the trial had not been compromised primarily because the contaminant in the control crop would not be treated with the herbicide to which it is tolerant and would therefore behave in every respect like the other conventional rape plants in the trial. I was also advised that any gene flow from the trial crop would be distinguishable from that of the contaminant which expresses a different genetically modified trait. The combination of this advice and the views of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Food Standards Agency that the contaminated crop does not give rise to any safety implications for either the environment or human health were fundamental to my decision that the Daviot trial should proceed.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 3 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider redressing any anomalies in council tax liability for householders in non-permanent homes by adjusting the banding arrangements, by offering appropriate rebates or by any other means.
Answer
We do not propose any changes to the existing council tax liability or banding arrangements at present.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 3 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the bridging finance for health boards in managing the change from inpatient to care in the community for long-term patients with mental health problems.
Answer
Health boards are expected to plan to meet any necessary bridging costs from within their unified budget.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 30 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has made or will be making available to health boards concerning relatives wishes in respect of long-term patients with mental health problems being considered for care in the community.
Answer
Guidance issued to the NHS and local authorities in 1996 and remains relevant. That guidance includes advice on the need to keep patients, their families and carers informed and involved at all stages where a transfer from hospital to alternative care in the community is under consideration.
That process is underpinned by a two-stage appeal process allowing patients or their families the right to a review of any recommendation made for continuing care. Appellants can refer any concern in the first instance to the Director of Public Health at the health board, and if continued, appellants can request a second opinion involving a clinician from a health board area of their choice.
