Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-08901

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent research has been undertaken to assess the epidemiology and incidence of myeloma in Scotland and, if such research has been undertaken, what percentage of myeloma patients are (a) men and (b) women; how many people were diagnosed with (a) myeloma and (b) multiple myeloma in (i) 1975, (ii) 1980, (iii) 1985, (iv) 1990, (v) 1995, (vi) 2000 and (vii) 2001; what percentage of myeloma patients are under (a) 30, (b) 40 and (c) 50, and in what areas there are clusters of myeloma patients.

Data on the incidence of, and mortality from, multiple myeloma and malignant plasma cell neoplasms, broken down by age, sex, year of diagnosis/death, and geographic area are published on the website of NHS National Services Scotland, Information Services (ISD) at:

www.isdscotland.org.

Scottish Cancer Registry data indicate that 161 men and 129 women were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in Scotland in the year 2001 (total 290; 56% men, 44% women).

The terms "myeloma" and "multiple myeloma" are generally regardedas synonymous. Solitary tumours of plasma cells can occur, but much less commonlythan multiple myeloma. In the context of the International Classification of Diseases, both conditions come under the general heading of "Multiple myeloma and malignant plasma cell neoplasms".

The number of persons diagnosed with multiple myeloma in Scotland forselected years were as follows:

Year	No. of New Cases
1975	175
1980	262
1985	242
1990	288
1995	323
2000	307
2001	290

In 2001, less than 1% of patients with multiple myeloma were aged less than 30 years at diagnosis. Less than 1% were aged less than 40 years. Only 2.1% were aged less than 50 years.

During the period 1997-2001, the incidence of multiple myeloma and malignant plasma cell neoplasms combined in men did not differ in a statistically significant sense between the 15 Scottish NHS board areas of residence compared to Scotland as a whole. In women, however, compared to Scotland as a whole, incidence was statistically significantly higher in the Grampian and WesternIsles Health Board areas, and significantly lower in the Greater Glasgow and Tayside Health Board areas.

Question reference: S2W-08899

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure equity of, and access to, treatment and care for myeloma throughout Scotland, particularly in relation to new drugs and techniques.

The tumour specific multidisciplinary cancer networks aim to ensure that the bestpossible quality of care is provided equitably across a geographical area.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS), is responsible for providing evidence-based advice to NHSScotland on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new and existing health technologies (medicines, devices, clinical procedures andhealthcare settings). The responsibility for the implementation of NHS QIS advice lies with NHS boards who should take account of the advice and ensure that recommended treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

Question reference: S2W-08588

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 May 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 18 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide free dental check-ups within easy access of every community.

Question reference: S2W-07317

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 March 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review infection control in care establishments.

Question reference: S2W-08702

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cancer scans took place annually from 1995 to 2003 and whether it has any plans to increase the number of such scans taking place.

Question reference: S2W-08704

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many magnetic resonance imaging scanners there have been in each year since 1997.

Question reference: S2W-08703

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting times are for cancer treatment, broken down by cancer type and NHS board.

Question reference: S2W-08701

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 15 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it adheres to the recommended maximum wait of four weeks from urgent referral by a GP for radiotherapy treatment and how many patients waited longer than four weeks for radiotherapy treatment, broken down by cancer type, from 1998 to 2003, expressed also as a percentage of the number of patients.

Question reference: S2W-08662

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 15 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether free eye tests will be provided by every optometrist and, if so, how much the cost of each test will be to the Executive.

Question reference: S2W-08661

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 15 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to education authorities on the phasing out of subject principal teacher posts in secondary schools.