Chamber and committees

The evaluation of NHS Tayside''s Quit 4 U project is still ongoing and a final report is due in spring 2012. Agreement was reached with the Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland and NHS Tayside to fund Quit 4 U as a national pilot project with robust evaluation arrangements in place, to enable learning from it to be fed into policy/practice elsewhere in Scotland if appropriate. Any continuation of the initiative beyond the pilot period is a matter for NHS Tayside.

Article 81 of European Directive 2001/83 requires the maintenance of appropriate and continued supply of medicinal products by marketing authorisation holders and distributors so that the needs of patients are met. Article 81 has been implemented into UK medicines legislation through the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations etc) Regulations 1994 (Statutory Instrument 1994/3144, as amended) and The Medicines for Human Use (Manufacturing, Wholesale Dealing and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005 (Statutory Instrument 2005/2789).

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) investigate all reports of suspected breaches of medicines legislation, including matters relating to Article 81. To date no breaches of Article 81 have been established.

The MHRA has in place a targeted programme of inspections aimed at ensuring that those who jeopardise patient care comply with their duties on supply.

This information has been provided by the MHRA.

Food safety controls on materials and articles in contact with food are harmonised at European level and Scottish Ministers are advised on such matters by the Food Standards Agency in Scotland. European Law currently allows the use of bisphenol A (BPA) up to certain permitted levels in many plastic food packaging materials.

Since 2000 the FSA has undertaken two research projects and one survey on BPA in food contact materials. In all cases the levels of BPA identified were unlikely to be of concern to health. The agency continues to keep the published evidence on BPA under review and will act to protect consumers if the evidence shows that it is necessary to do so.

In November 2010, a precautionary measure proposed by the European Commission was adopted which will introduce, from 1 March 2011, a phased European Union-wide prohibition on polycarbonate feeding bottles intended for infants of up to 12 months of age manufactured using BPA. The agency has recently completed a public consultation on a draft Scottish Statutory Instrument which would give effect to this new measure, along with an associated draft Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, and is currently considering the responses.

Cost per patient at The State Hospital;

2007-08	£135,513
2008-09	£151,773
2009-10	£202,615
2010-11 (as at December 2010)	£224,014
2011-12 (estimated)	£209,531

 

With reference to my response to question S3W-37464 the budget for the smoke-free laws has not been applied separately from the budget for smoke-free legislation. This budget allows local authorities to enforce the smoke-free laws.

Separately identified in my response to S3W-37464 was the specific budget for the new Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010. This budget in the main will be used to raise awareness of the measures contained in the new act, specifically among tobacco retailers but also the general public. It will also be used to produce guidance materials for the trading standards service and to set up a national register of tobacco retailers.

As at 12 January 2011, £244,617 has been spent from the allocated budget. We expect to spend the remainder of the budget by the end of this financial year.

The Scottish Government maintains an interest in any relevant policy development in Europe and beyond. We have read the recent decision in the Netherlands with interest and note the reasons for this Exchange Principle as offering the opportunity to reduce the potential environmental impact in urban areas, reduce the impact on nature and improve the landscape. The development of Scotland''s electricity infrastructure is a matter for Scottish ministers.

The number of prescribed items for antibiotics for the year ended 31 March 2009 was 4,434,236. This relates to items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors but does not include medicines dispensed in hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

This information has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland. Further information on antibiotic prescribing can be found at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/6125.html.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38376 on 17 January 2011. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates are currently discussing implementation of the report with the respiratory Managed Clinical Networks National Advisory Group.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38376 on 17 January 2011 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Sleep Forum''s report on obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome gives a very clear account of the consequences the condition can have on people''s daily functioning and quality of life.