- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether records are kept of crimes involving the use of swords or claymores rather than knives and, if so, whether it will publish relevant figures for the last 10 years.
Answer
The statistics availablecentrally on crimes recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstancesof the crime, such as the type of any weapon involved.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 26 October 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to exempt weaponry of an historic nature from legislation to control knife crime and, if so, how.
Answer
Existing legislation on knives and swords already provides for exclusions or exemptions for antique weapons and weapons with blades for religious, cultural or historic purposes. The Executive has no plans, in bringing forward proposals to strengthen legislation on bladed weapons, to remove such exemptions.
The recent consultation paper on proposals for restricting the sale of knives and swords also stated clearly that “The Executive has no wish unnecessarily to restrict or adversely impact on cultural, sporting or dramatic activities. We value the many traditions and pursuits that contribute towards our country’s heritage and diversity (Tackling Knife Crime: A Consultation).”
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 28 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a statutory duty to replace common or public land used for recreational purposes where a trunk road is constructed on such land and, if so, on whom that duty falls and what the statutory reference is.
Answer
There is no statutory duty on the Scottish ministers to replace public land which has been used for road building.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the recent cessation of skin preparation before injection is a contributing factor in the spread of healthcare-associated infections.
Answer
In June 2004, the Scottish Executive asked Health Protection Scotland (HPS) to conduct a literature review of published scientific studies on this issue. Its findings are re-evaluated when new studies are published. In light of the evidence gathered to date, HPS have concluded that routine preparation of the skin by swabbing with alcohol prior to injection carries little or no benefit in terms of infection control. However, if the injection site is visibly soiled it should be washed with soap and water.
This approach is consistent with the views of the World Health Organization’s Safe Injection Global Network.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 September 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any relevant information on the cessation of skin preparation before injection as a possible contributing factor in the spread of healthcare-associated infections.
Answer
A literature review commissioned by the Scottish Executive is available on Health Protection Scotland’s (HPS) website:
http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh/infectious/hai/infection_control/ic_guidance_publications.htm.
Its findings are re-evaluated by HPS when new studies are published.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 18 August 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the measures taken to raise the awareness of (a) general practitioners and (b) NHS staff in respect of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Answer
In 2001, the Chief Medical officer wrote to all NHS boards, Directors of Public Health and former NHS trusts to draw attention to the leaflet
Carbon Monoxide: the forgotten killer produced by Scottish Gas. British Gas also directly distributed over 1.4 million leaflets to health centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux across the UK.
This was part of the Scottish Executive’s continuing support for the on-going gas safety campaign by Scottish Gas which has since included the issue of an updated version of this leaflet Winter flu(e) alert in 2003 and a campaign in 2004 Vent or Repent aimed specifically at students.
In addition, the Health and Safety Executive publish several leaflets on gas safety, including carbon monoxide risks. A wide variety of other bodies also work to raise awareness, these include Age Concern, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the National Caravan Council.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 18 August 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Health and Safety Executive to publicise the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and in what manner.
Answer
The Scottish Executive and The Health and Safety Executive are in regular discussion about a range of health and safety issues including the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 July 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 18 August 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the resources available to statutory, private or voluntary organisations to publicise the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Trusts are not permitted to sell services such as laundering at less than cost or on a loss leading basis and what specific instructions exist to that effect.
Answer
Guidance on income generation published by the NHS Management Executive in 1989 states that in developing income generation opportunities NHS organisations should ensure they act in a commercial manner and charge on an appropriate commercial basis. Their expected costs are relevant only in assessing the minimum combination of price and volume which is profitable.
- Asked by: Euan Robson, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive when public satisfaction with police services was last surveyed, what the results were and what plans it has to conduct any future surveys.
Answer
The results of the year 2000 Scottish Crime Survey were published recently by the Scottish Executive's Central Research Unit. A representative sample of the Scottish public were interviewed about a range of crime-related topics including their attitudes to the police. 72% of respondents said that the police in their area did a "very good" or a "fairly good" job. Around three quarters (72%) of those who reported incidents to the police in 1999 said they were "very" or "fairly" satisfied with the way the police handled the matter.
The Scottish Crime Survey is currently run every four years, with the next scheduled to take place in 2004.Individual police forces also conduct surveys on a regular basis and publish the results in the Chief Constable's annual report.
