Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-25539

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the suicide rate was in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland and (b) the Lothians, broken down by local authority area.

Suicides are defined as deaths due to intentional self-harm and events of undetermined intent. The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) and the Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO) provide a wide range of statistics on suicides in Scotland, including the numbers in each local authority area in each year, available at:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/deaths/suicides.html (GROS).

http://www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/suicide/suicides_data/suicides_national.asp (ScotPHO).

The information on the GROS website includes five-year moving averages, and the data on the ScotPHO website includes suicide rates for each local authority for five-year periods. As such, these figures may be a better indicator for each area than annual numbers, which may well be affected by year-to-year fluctuations.

The following table gives the figures that were requested for 2006 and 2007. As some of the rates are based on small numbers of deaths, they should be interpreted with caution. The figures for the earlier years were given in the answer to question S2W-27556, on 23 August 2006. The corresponding figures for 2008 will be published on 7 August 2009 in Scotland''s Population 2008: the Registrar General''s Annual Review of Demographic Trends.

Suicides: deaths due to intentional self-harm and events of undetermined intent rates per 100,000 population in Lothian and in Scotland.

Local Authority	2006	2007
East Lothian	10	4
Edinburgh	12	15
Midlothian	13	6
West Lothian	9	15
Scotland	15	16

Source GROS.

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.

Question reference: S3W-25383

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the non-completion rate was in each university in each of the last three years.

Statistics relating to non-continuation rates at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The table below contains this data for the three most recent years.

Non-Continuation Following Year of Entry: Full-Time First Degree Entrants

	2004-05		2005-06		2006-07
Institution	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Total Scotland	3,205	10.7	3,135	10.1	3,150	10.6
The University of Aberdeen	200	9.6	225	10.4	175	8.3
University of Abertay Dundee	180	16	80	7.9	75	7.6
Bell College¹	105	25.4	130	24.4
The University of Dundee	240	9.2	235	10.3	165	8.2
Edinburgh College of Art	20	7.5	15	4.7	30	6.5
The University of Edinburgh	160	4.1	180	4.6	175	5
Glasgow Caledonian University	420	15.5	435	12.7	420	13.2
Glasgow School of Art	10	4	5	1.9	5	2.6
The University of Glasgow	315	8.6	270	7.4	325	8.9
Heriot-Watt University	110	9.1	110	9.4	120	10.1
Napier University	315	17.4	320	17.9	315	16.9
The University of Paisley¹	370	21.8	335	17.1
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh	135	14.5	135	14.3	90	10.4
The Robert Gordon University	165	10.9	140	9.4	160	10.6
The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama	15	9.6	10	7.2	10	6.3
The University of St Andrews	25	2	25	2	20	2.1
The University of Stirling	35	2.8	90	6.6	105	7.7
The University of Strathclyde	370	12.4	340	11.2	315	10
UHI Millennium Institute	10	22.6	55	24	105	28.2

Source: Data from the Higher Education Statistic Agency (HESA). Numbers rounded to the nearest five; 0.1 and 2 rounded to 0. Percentages are calculated from unrounded values.

Notes:

1. In 2006-07 Bell College merged with the University of Paisley to become the University of the West of Scotland. There are no figures available from them as yet.

Figures relating to non-continuation are published by HESA on their website. More information on non-continuation rates for the rest of the UK can be accessed from their website:

For 2007-08:

http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1438&Itemid=141.

For 2006-07 http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/view/1178/141/.

For 2005-06 HESA - Higher Education Statistics Agency - PIs 2005/06: Non-continuation rates.

Table T3a in each case gives information on the percentage of students no longer in higher education one year after entry. They have been produced for full-time undergraduate students only. These are the latest figures available from HESA along with the releases from the previous two years.

Question reference: S3W-25130

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average student debt was of a student leaving a higher education institute in Edinburgh in each of the last five years.

Data on the average debt held by former students leaving higher education in Edinburgh is held by the Student Loans Company. This information is provided in the following table. The table includes information on students who participated in higher education at either a higher education institution or college in Edinburgh. The vast majority will have participated in higher education at a higher education institution.

Average debt is calculated at the point of entering repayment (i.e. 31 March of the cohort year) rather than at the point of leaving higher education. Hence the 2009 cohort year refers to those students who left higher education in 2008, the 2008 cohort year refers to those students who left in 2007 and so on.

Average Debt of Borrowers Who Participated in Higher Education in Edinburgh

Account Cohort Year	Count of Borrowers	Average Debt
2005	6,000	£6,900
2006	6,000	£6,730
2007	5,800	£6,710
2008	5,800	£6,120
2009	5,600	£6,370

Source: Student Loans Company.

Notes:

1. Count of Borrowers rounded to the nearest 100.

2. Average Debt rounded to the nearest £10.

3. Institutions based in Edinburgh and included in the table are: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art, Queen Margaret University College, Free Church of Scotland College “ Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Stevenson College - Edinburgh, Telford College “ Edinburgh, Edinburgh School of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, Edinburgh Napier University and Scottish Agricultural College.

Question reference: S3W-25129

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of graduates from Scottish higher education institutions gained employment in Scotland as a first destination in each of the last three years, broken down by university.

The following table shows the percentage of graduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) who were in employment in Scotland six months after graduating. The data is shown by institution with the total for all Scottish HEIs given at the top.

Percentage of Graduates from Scottish HEIs in Employment in Scotland by Institution

Institution	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
All Scottish HEIs	56.5%	57.0%	61.6%
Bell College	48.3%	49.1%	61.0%
Edinburgh College of Art	38.7%	50.9%	42.2%
Glasgow Caledonian University	70.4%	61.5%	79.4%
Glasgow School of Art	49.8%	49.5%	45.7%
Heriot-Watt University	45.8%	52.0%	52.3%
Napier University	54.5%	55.0%	60.8%
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh	68.0%	62.3%	70.5%
Scottish Agricultural College	44.3%	26.0%	37.7%
The Robert Gordon University	72.9%	75.3%	72.3%
The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama	36.9%	50.0%	45.3%
The University of Aberdeen	59.9%	58.3%	61.8%
The University of Dundee	64.0%	65.6%	70.4%
The University of Edinburgh	44.3%	44.5%	45.6%
The University of Glasgow	53.7%	57.6%	58.5%
The University of Paisley	67.7%	73.5%	78.8%
The University of St Andrews	19.5%	17.0%	21.3%
The University of Stirling	65.6%	63.1%	69.7%
The University of Strathclyde	67.7%	69.4%	71.5%
UHI Millennium Institute	42.6%	38.4%	46.9%
University of Abertay Dundee	62.4%	52.5%	49.8%

Notes:

The data for this table was provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

The figures in this table have not been adjusted for non-response.

Overall response rates for 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are 71%, 73% and 70% respectively.

Question reference: S3W-25438

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level of debt held after leaving university by former students from the Lothians region was in each year since 1999.

Data on the average debt held after leaving higher education by former students is held by the Student Loans Company. The table below shows this information for the Lothians region, which comprises of East Lothian, Edinburgh (City of), Midlothian and West Lothian local authority areas.

Average debt is calculated at the point of entering repayment (i.e. 31 March of the cohort year) rather than at the point of leaving higher education. Hence the 2009 cohort year refers to those students who left higher education in 2008, the 2008 cohort year refers to those students who left in 2007 and so on.

Data prior to account cohort 2002 is not available.

Average Debt of Borrowers in the Lothian Region

Account Cohort Year	Count of Borrowers	Average Debt
2002	4,200	£4,540
2003	4,800	£5,430
2004	4,600	£6,220
2005	4,600	£6,570
2006	4,400	£6,440
2007	4,100	£6,410
2008	4,100	£5,840
2009	3,900	£5,970

Source: Student Loans Company.

Notes:

1. Count of Borrowers rounded to the nearest 100.

2. Average Debt rounded to the nearest £10.

Question reference: S3W-25382

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of alcohol-related hospital admissions was repeat admissions in the Lothians region in 2008.

Data for calendar year 2008 is not currently available. The latest available information is for year ending 31st March 2008.

The number of repeat admissions for patients with an alcohol-related diagnosis treated in NHS Lothian is shown in the following table.

The number of alcohol related admissions and repeat alcohol-related admissions (also expressed as a percentage), to general acute hospitals in NHS Lothian health board of treatment in 2007-08.

Number of Admissions	6,680
Repeat Admissions	2,374
Percentage Repeat Admissions	35.50%

Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland. SMR01 (Scottish Morbidity Record 01). Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland has recently reviewed and changed its core alcohol related code set. Figures may not be directly comparable with previously published figures, as these are based on a different coding set. Full details of this consultation are available at:

http://www.alcoholinformation.isdscotland.org/alcohol_misuse/files/ICD10_codes_final_report.pdf.

Question reference: S3W-25381

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of NHS Lothian patients experiencing strokes was admitted to a specialist unit within 24 hours in 2008.

These data are not available for 2008. The most recent data for numbers of patients experiencing strokes, admitted to specialist units within NHS Lothian are shown in the following table for 2005-07.

Percentage of Patients Admitted to a Stroke Unit in NHS Lothian Hospitals Within One Day of Admission, 2005-07.

Hospital	2005	2006	2007
Royal Infirmary Edinburgh	38	50	41
St Johns Hospital	18	25	38
Western General Hospital	62	54	69

Source: Information Services Division Scotland national report Stroke Services in Scottish Hospitals 2005-07. The next stroke care audit will be published in September 2009.

Question reference: S3W-25131

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of school leavers in the Lothians region entered higher education in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S3W-25439

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduate teachers there have been in the Lothians region in each of the last three years and how many went on to gain employment in (a) less than six months, (b) six months or more and (c) a year or more, broken down by local authority area.

All teachers in Scotland are graduates. The number of teachers in each local authority is published each year in Teachers in Scotland, available on the government website using the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/PubTeacherCensus.

The publication also contains information on the number of teachers on the probationer induction scheme. All graduates joining the induction scheme gain employment at the start of the next academic year, as this is guaranteed under the scheme.

Information is not collected centrally on the full employment history of individual teachers.

Question reference: S3W-24933

Asked by: Gavin Brown, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 15 July 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the (a) numbers and (b) unemployment rates of claimants in each ward of (i) City of Edinburgh, (ii) East Lothian, (iii) West Lothian and (iv) Midlothian Council in each of the last five years, using claimant count as the basis for such calculations.

Data on the number and rates of people claiming an unemployment related benefit by multi-member electoral ward is not held centrally.

Data on the number of people who are claimant count unemployed by the old ward boundaries (which existed until the 2007 local government elections) is shown in the following tables.

This data is produced by the Office for National Statistics and shows both the number of people claiming an unemployment related benefit and the rate as a proportion of the resident working-age population. The Office for National Statistics produce this data for February 2004 onwards. Hence it is not possible to provide a full annual figure for 2004.

Table 1: Numbers And Rates of People Claimant Count Unemployed by City of Edinburgh Council Wards (2005-08)

Ward	Number of Claimants				Rate
Ward	2005	2006	2007	2008	2005	2006	2007	2008
Alnwickhill	71	76	73	68	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.5
Baberton	32	37	35	34	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7
Balerno	29	26	33	35	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.7
Broughton	154	162	126	128	2.6	2.7	2.1	2.1
Calton	147	156	121	117	2.6	2.7	2.1	2
Colinton	31	33	25	29	0.5	0.6	0.4	0.5
Craigleith	59	57	38	40	1.4	1.3	0.9	0.9
Craiglockhart	36	36	26	26	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.6
Craigmillar	328	294	231	222	7.5	6.7	5.3	5.1
Cramond	45	41	36	35	1.1	0.9	0.8	0.8
Dalmeny / Kirkliston	84	87	77	75	1.7	1.8	1.5	1.5
Dalry	212	192	166	157	3.2	2.9	2.5	2.3
Davidson''s Mains	41	38	29	30	1	0.9	0.7	0.7
Dean	63	58	45	43	1.2	1.1	0.8	0.8
Duddingston	85	101	71	83	1.7	2.1	1.5	1.7
East Craigs	91	101	83	91	1.9	2.2	1.8	1.9
Fairmilehead	40	40	27	26	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.5
Firrhill	99	102	96	96	2.1	2.2	2.1	2.1
Fountainbridge	135	155	125	116	2.5	2.8	2.3	2.1
Gilmerton	91	88	60	70	1.6	1.6	1.1	1.2
Granton	222	247	218	218	4.8	5.4	4.7	4.7
Gyle	58	52	44	47	1.1	1	0.8	0.9
Harbour	224	235	200	196	4.5	4.7	4	3.9
Holyrood	200	204	190	188	3.9	4	3.7	3.7
Kaimes	183	174	155	126	3.8	3.6	3.2	2.6
Leith Links	131	139	115	112	2.6	2.7	2.3	2.2
Lorne	193	235	187	184	3.7	4.5	3.6	3.5
Marchmont	54	47	45	34	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.6
Meadowbank	123	131	121	117	2.2	2.3	2.2	2.1
Merchiston	77	60	55	49	1.3	1.1	1	0.9
Milton	110	111	100	94	2.5	2.5	2.3	2.2
Moat	132	140	134	113	2.7	2.9	2.7	2.3
Moredun	170	171	155	164	3.7	3.7	3.3	3.5
Mountcastle	99	105	87	82	2.1	2.2	1.9	1.7
Muirhouse / Drylaw	377	385	300	295	7.2	7.3	5.7	5.6
Murray Burn	260	281	256	274	4.9	5.3	4.8	5.2
Murrayfield	50	41	31	37	1	0.8	0.6	0.7
North East Corstorphine	57	47	42	45	1.3	1	0.9	1
New Town	73	75	60	52	1.3	1.3	1	0.9
Newhaven	204	220	193	201	4	4.3	3.8	3.9
Newington	47	50	41	38	1	1.1	0.9	0.8
North Morningside / Grange	61	56	49	38	1.3	1.2	1.1	0.8
Parkhead	215	231	210	211	4.4	4.7	4.3	4.3
Pilton	258	290	228	228	5	5.6	4.4	4.4
Portobello	104	108	89	73	2.4	2.4	2	1.6
Prestonfield	49	52	45	47	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8
Queensferry	77	85	63	70	1.3	1.4	1.1	1.2
Restalrig	212	221	206	212	4.2	4.4	4.1	4.2
South East Corstorphine	48	50	44	47	1	1.1	0.9	1
Sciennes	60	53	35	33	1.1	1	0.6	0.6
Shandon	132	146	126	121	2.1	2.3	2	1.9
Sighthill	159	173	130	128	2.6	2.8	2.1	2.1
South Morningside	50	42	28	36	1	0.8	0.6	0.7
Southside	130	133	114	102	1.9	2	1.7	1.5
Stenhouse	125	132	112	106	2.8	2.9	2.5	2.4
Stockbridge	75	64	57	52	1.4	1.2	1.1	1
Tollcross	142	148	109	103	2.4	2.5	1.8	1.7
Trinity	52	52	50	46	1.1	1.1	1.1	1

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Table 2: Numbers And Rates of People Claimant Count Unemployed by East Lothian Council wards (2005-08)

Ward	Number of Claimants				Rate
Ward	2005	2006	2007	2008	2005	2006	2007	2008
Aberlady / Gullane / Dirleton	16	15	12	12	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.6
Cockenzie and Port Seton	35	34	27	36	1.3	1.2	1	1.3
Dunbar East	52	40	33	35	2.1	1.7	1.4	1.4
Dunbar / West Barns	58	39	34	43	2.6	1.7	1.5	1.9
East Linton / Gifford	34	28	26	28	1.3	1.1	1	1.1
Haddington Central	42	37	30	35	1.9	1.7	1.3	1.5
Haddington East / Athelstaneford	42	38	31	31	1.6	1.5	1.2	1.2
Haddington West / Saltoun	26	22	16	21	1.1	0.9	0.7	0.9
Longniddry	16	14	11	16	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.6
Musselburgh Central	39	44	33	37	1.6	1.8	1.4	1.5
Musselburgh East	43	48	39	42	2	2.1	1.8	1.9
Musselburgh North	39	38	37	46	1.9	1.9	1.8	2.2
Musselburgh South	31	27	30	35	1.2	1	1.2	1.4
Musselburgh West	28	28	30	30	1	1	1.1	1.1
North Berwick East	22	16	17	19	1	0.8	0.8	0.8
North Berwick West	16	17	14	17	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.8
Ormiston / Pencaitland	34	31	28	25	1.4	1.2	1.1	1
Prestonpans East	41	41	35	40	1.9	2	1.7	1.9
Prestonpans West	52	58	51	53	2.3	2.7	2.3	2.4
Tranent West	40	41	42	44	1.9	1.9	2	2.1
Tranent / Elphinstone	24	29	26	28	1	1.2	1.1	1.2
Tranent / Macmerry	59	55	46	54	2.5	2.3	1.9	2.3
Wallyford / Whitecraig	53	47	42	53	2.2	1.9	1.8	2.2

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Table 3: Numbers And Rates of People Claimant Count Unemployed by Midlothian Council Wards (2005-08)

Ward	Number of Claimants				Rate
Ward	2005	2006	2007	2008	2005	2006	2007	2008
Arniston / Cockpen	58	68	49	54	1.7	1.9	1.4	1.6
Bilston / Roslin	41	49	44	40	1.5	1.8	1.6	1.5
Bonnyrigg North	34	39	38	40	1.3	1.5	1.4	1.5
Bonnyrigg South	54	56	44	44	1.9	2	1.5	1.5
Dalkeith / Eskbank	70	77	55	52	2.9	3.1	2.2	2.1
Dalkeith / Newton	50	55	39	38	1.8	2	1.4	1.3
Dalkeith / Woodburn	89	97	70	82	3.2	3.5	2.5	2.9
Easthouses / Mayfield North	91	104	87	81	3.3	3.8	3.1	2.9
Gorebridge South	62	68	59	63	2.4	2.6	2.3	2.4
Loanhead	60	58	50	54	2.3	2.2	2	2.1
Mayfield South	56	64	45	51	2.1	2.4	1.7	1.9
Newbattle / Pathhead	29	29	29	27	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.1
Newtongrange	59	56	42	55	2.1	2	1.5	1.9
Penicuik North	40	47	36	36	1.2	1.4	1.1	1.1
Penicuik South East	40	42	38	50	1.5	1.6	1.4	1.9
Penicuik South West	35	41	31	40	1.2	1.4	1.1	1.3
Penicuik / Roslin	51	51	46	46	1.8	1.8	1.6	1.6
Poltonhall / Rosewell	47	45	35	40	1.7	1.7	1.3	1.4

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Table 4: Numbers And Rates of People Claimant Count Unemployed by West Lothian Council Wards (2005-08)

Ward	Number of Claimants				Rate
Ward	2005	2006	2007	2008	2005	2006	2007	2008
Almond	75	77	82	92	2.5	2.6	2.8	3.1
Armadale Central	95	112	114	120	3.5	4.2	4.2	4.5
Armadale West	79	83	90	101	2.4	2.6	2.7	3.1
Blackburn	114	127	121	133	3.5	3.8	3.7	4
Boghall	92	106	100	110	3.6	4.2	3.9	4.3
Breich Valley	81	104	82	98	2.4	3	2.4	2.9
Calderwood	40	42	39	38	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.1
Carmondean	66	64	64	70	1.8	1.7	1.7	1.9
Craigshill	166	190	172	163	5.4	6.1	5.6	5.3
Croftmalloch	81	89	90	97	2.7	2.9	3	3.2
Deans	80	84	78	87	2.2	2.4	2.2	2.5
Dedridge	108	110	94	92	3	3.1	2.6	2.6
Durhamtoun	44	53	55	73	1.8	2.1	2.3	3
East Calder	40	43	43	45	1.2	1.3	1.3	1.4
Easton	51	58	56	63	1.8	2	1.9	2.1
Fauldhouse	86	100	97	96	2.6	3.1	3	3
Houston	45	66	65	67	1.5	2.1	2.1	2.2
Howden	99	89	80	78	2.7	2.5	2.2	2.2
Kingsfield	26	29	27	26	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.7
Kirkton	35	29	19	36	1	0.8	0.5	1
Knightsridge	87	96	80	78	2.2	2.4	2.1	2
Ladywell	114	125	112	108	3.6	4	3.6	3.4
Limefield	63	66	54	65	2.1	2.2	1.8	2.2
Linhouse	50	55	51	56	1.5	1.6	1.5	1.7
Middleton	62	74	59	71	2.1	2.5	2	2.3
Murieston	31	35	26	21	0.9	1	0.7	0.6
Newland	87	85	86	102	3.2	3.1	3.1	3.7
Oatridge	61	68	68	72	2	2.3	2.2	2.4
Polkemmet	110	122	121	129	3.8	4.3	4.2	4.6
Preston	46	40	31	39	1.2	1	0.8	1
St Michael''s	44	46	47	50	1.5	1.6	1.6	1.7
Strathbrock	57	70	67	66	2	2.4	2.3	2.3

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Chamber and committees