Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to directly recognise the contribution made by Thomas Blake Glover to the development of Japanese industry.

Notwithstanding this, Mr Glover’s historical significance is acknowledged by Scottish Executive officials responsible for developing trade and investment between Scotland and Japan, and where appropriate circumstances arise reference is made to his contribution to Japanese industry. VisitScotland is considering a number of future tourism development opportunities in Aberdeenshire. The recognition of Mr Glover and of the Glover House Museum is one of these opportunities. While VisitScotland has no immediate plans to develop this, the situation will be kept under review.

I refer to the question S2W-13558 answered on 31 January 2005. 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/wa.search.

I refer to the question S2W-13558 answered on 31 January 2005. 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/wa.search.

This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Executive has funded the establishment of a database, which will hold information on all hepatitis C virus infected persons in clinical care throughout Scotland. It is anticipated that this database will be functioning by late 2005. The database will hold information on numbers of persons in clinical care, eligible for antiviral therapy and being administered antiviral therapy, and on waiting times for antiviral therapy.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

An anonymous study was carried out by the Scottish Centre for the Infection of Environmental Health (SCIEH) at HM Prison, Shotts in 2001 which indicated a prevalence of 20% of the population being infected with hepatitis C.

The SPS expects these figures broadly represent the prison population. Figures in individual establishments are not known.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Executive considers all bloodborne viruses including hepatitis and HIV/AIDS to be major public health issues. Unlike hepatitis B, there is no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C.

Action on this front will reflect recommendations from the Advisory Group on Hepatitis, which provides the UK Health Departments with expert advice on the prevention and control of viral hepatitis. At present, immunisation for hepatitis B is recommended in individuals who are at increased risk because of their lifestyle, occupation or other factors, such as close contact with a case or carrier.

With reference to the Executive’s plans to address hepatitis C, I refer the member to the question S2W-13550 answered on 24 January 2005. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The latest information available from Health Protection is as follows:

NHS Board	Reports
Argyll and Clyde	1,154
Ayrshire and Arran	920
Borders	89
Dumfries and Galloway	389
Fife	456
Forth Valley	730
Grampian	2,483
Greater Glasgow	6,484
Highland	355
Lanarkshire	1,080
Lothian	2,461
Orkney	12
Shetland	28
Tayside	1,465
Western Isles	3
Scotland	1,8109

Source: Health Protection Scotland, as at 31 December 2003.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-13550 and S2W-13552, on 24 January 2005. 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/wa.search.

No. However, my colleague Tavish Scott, Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Service Reform and Parliamentary Business met with them on 1 October 2004. I have also had subsequent correspondence with them and suggested that they explore their concerns about the grant distribution formula with COSLA as any changes to that formula would impact on other authorities.