Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-06620

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many colonoscopies were carried out on patients aged between 75 and 80 in the NHS Lanarkshire area in 2010-11 compared with 2005-06.

The following table shows information on the number of diagnostic colonoscopies which have been performed on an inpatient or day case basis in NHS Lanarkshire hospitals on patients aged between 75 and 80 in 2010-11 compared with 2005-06.

Number of diagnostic colonoscopies¹ which have been performed on an inpatient or day case basis in NHS Lanarkshire hospitals on patients aged between 75 and 80 in 2010-11 compared with 2005-06

Year	Total number of Colonoscopy procedures	Number of Colonoscopies recorded as main procedure
2005-06	225		191
2010-11	680		583

Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

Note: 1. The OPCS-4 procedure code used to identify a colonoscopy was H22 - Diagnostic endoscopic examination of colon.

Question reference: S4W-06619

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many colonoscopies were carried out in the NHS Lanarkshire area on patients aged 80 and under in 2010-11 compared with 2005-06.

The following table shows information on the number of diagnostic colonoscopies which have been performed on an inpatient or day case basis in NHS Lanarkshire hospitals on patients aged 80 and under in 2010-11 compared with 2005-06.

Number of diagnostic colonoscopies¹ which have been performed on an inpatient or day case basis in NHS Lanarkshire hospitals on patients aged 80 and under in 2010-11 compared with 2005-06:

Year	Total number of Colonoscopy procedures	Number of Colonoscopies recorded as main procedure
2005-06	2,491	2,180
2010-11	6,158	5,481

Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

Note: 1. The OPCS-4 procedure code used to identify a colonoscopy was H22 - Diagnostic endoscopic examination of colon.

Question reference: S4W-06623

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of patients with cancer detected by the bowel cancer screening programme in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2010-11 died within (i) six months and (ii) one year of diagnosis.

The bowel screening programme was rolled out in December 2009. Data for 2005-06 are not available. Table 1 shows the proportion of deaths subsequent to detection of bowel cancer by the screening programme for the financial year 2009-10, the most recent year for which data are available:

Table 1: Percentage of deaths following detection of bowel cancer by the screening programme, 2009-10:

	Within Six Months of Diagnosis	Within 12 Months of Diagnosis
2009-10	2%	4%

Question reference: S4W-06624

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) six and (b) 12 month mortality rates were for patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for bowel cancer in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2010-11.

Table 1 shows the percentage of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy who died with six and 12 months. Adjuvant chemotherapy is defined here as any chemotherapy received subsequent to surgery associated with a colorectal cancer. Data for 2011 are not yet available; data for financial year 2009-10 are provided as the most recent available. Year is based on year of treatment (surgery followed by chemotherapy) provision, not of cancer diagnosis; in most cases, these will be the same.

Table 1: Percentage of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy who died within six and 12 months: 2005-06 and 2009-10

	Percentage of Deaths within six Months	Percentage of Deaths within 12 Months
2005-06	4%	11%
2009-10	2%	8%

Source: Scottish Cancer Registry.

Question reference: S4W-06612

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) faecal occult blood test letters and (b) test kits were sent out in 2010-11; how many have been (i) returned and (ii) processed; how many progressed to a colonoscopy, and what these activities cost NHS Lanarkshire.

NHS Lanarkshire sent out 96,767 bowel screening kits (Faecal Occult Blood test and Faecal Immunochemical test kits) to individuals, accompanied by letters, between April 2010 and March 2011.

Reminder letters and teaser letters (to forewarn of a coming test) are also sent to participants but these numbers are not held centrally.

Four-seven thousand, one hundred and seventy-three kits were returned and processed from NHS Lanarkshire participants, of which 42,204 yielded a final positive or negative result.

One thousand, four hundred and forty-one tested positive and were referred to NHS Lanarkshire for further diagnostic tests. This is normally a colonoscopy, however colonoscopy may not be appropriate for all participants due to other health conditions. One thousand, one hundred and sixty-three colonoscopies were performed.

The information on the totality of the costs associated with these activities is not held centrally.

Question reference: S4O-00885

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the use of social impact bonds in the delivery of public services.

Question reference: S4W-05911

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have contacted court appointed administrators in relation to football clubs entering administration in each year since 2007 and which (a) administrators and (b) football clubs were involved.

I have been in contact, twice by phone with the administrators of Rangers FC (Duff and Phelps) and offered the support of the Scottish Government’s national programme for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE). In November 2010 when Dundee FC was in administration, I also had contact with representatives of the club.

PACE have offered support to administrators Duff and Phelps to assist any employees who may be facing redundancy and PACE representatives are maintaining close contact with the administrators. PACE support is always available and is always offered to anyone and everyone facing redundancy, PACE have offered this type of assistance to Scottish football clubs in the past and stand ready to assist any football clubs and other companies in the future.

In recognition of the significant impact our football clubs have on the social and economic fabric of Scotland, the First Minister, at the request of the club, met with representatives of Heart of Midlothian FC recently to discuss their situation and is due to meet representatives of Dunfermline Athletic FC.

Question reference: S4W-05997

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships have been completed at SVQ level (a) 2, (b) 3 and (c) 4 in each year since 2005.

Apprenticeship numbers in Scotland have increased from 15,010 in 2007-08 to 21,561 in 2010-11. We will support 25,000 modern apprentice opportunities in 2011-12, the highest ever number of apprenticeships in Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.

Question reference: S4W-05910

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have contacted court appointed administrators regarding companies entering administration in each year since 2007; which administrators were involved, and what companies were subject to the administration.

Question reference: S4W-05968

Asked by: Michael McMahon, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appointment to the Scotland Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) of the Head of Patient Focus, Equalities, in its Directorate of Healthcare Policy and Strategy (a) compromises the EHRC's independence and (b) undermines the principles underpinning its A status as a UN national human rights institution; whether the appointment has been cleared with the UN, and, if so, whether the Scottish Government will publish the UN’s confirmation on this matter.

Under the Equality Act 2006, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (“EHRC”) is required to establish a Scotland Committee. The appointment of members to that Committee is the responsibility of the EHRC. Matters relating to any potential conflict with the status of the Commission as a UN national human rights institution is therefore the responsibility of the EHRC and the sponsoring department. The EHRC is a reserved body accountable to the UK Government.

Chamber and committees