Chamber and committees

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0312-01.htm

As health is a devolved issue, decisions regarding the introduction of new medicines and treatments are taken by each of the UK countries through their own appraisal and assessment arrangements in line with established national priorities.

Accordingly, information regarding the introduction of new medicines and treatments in Scotland are available from www.scottishmedicines.org.uk; for England from www.dh.gov.uk and for Wales www.wales.gov.uk.

The board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde agreed to continue funding of the 30 bed continuing care facility at St. Margaret''s until early 2012. The board will work with St. Margaret''s to agree an alternative model of care, and to ensure that they are not financially disadvantaged during the transitional period. It is now a matter for both sides to engage in dialogue to ensure that the change of role for these beds after early 2012 can be achieved and within the timescales indicated.

The Scottish Government actively sought the views of retailers and retail representative groups over an extensive consultation period (April 2008 until February 2009) in order to develop its regulatory impact assessment on proposals in Scotland''s Future is Smoke Free: A Smoking Prevention Action Plan http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0/.

The Scottish Government Consulted extensively with retailers and retail interest groups on proposals in Scotland''s Future is Smoke Free: A Smoking Prevention Action Plan:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0/.

The following table provides a breakdown of meetings held to discuss proposals:

Organisation	Number of  Meetings
The Scottish Grocers'' Federation (represents 350 retailers across Scotland with over 900 stores)	5*
The National Federation of Retail Newsagents (represents some 1,600 retailers)	3
The Scottish Retail Consortium (represents 75% of the retail market)	3*
Scottish Wholesale Association	2
The Independent Scottish Specialist Tobacconists'' Association	1
Tobacco Retailers Alliance (represents 25,000 retailers across the UK)	1
Sinclair Collis (vending machine operator)	1
Visits to tobacco retailers	2
Meetings with individual tobacco retailer	1
Scottish Licensed Trade Association	1*

Note: *Includes the Scottish Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco Control meeting in November 2008.

The primary purpose of the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) was to consider the impact of proposals on business and, in particular, on small businesses. Almost 65 per cent of meetings held to discuss the RIA were with tobacco retailers and 60 per cent of written representations in relation to the RIA were from tobacco retailers. Other representations made in relation to the RIA were from local government, health interest groups and tobacco manufacturers. Just over 80% of letters received by the Scottish Government in response to proposals in Scotland''s Future is Smoke Free: A Smoking Prevention Action Plan were from retailers. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0/

The regulatory impact assessment (RIA) on proposals contained in Scotland''s Future is Smoke Free: A Smoking Prevention Action Plan considered the impact of further regulating tobacco vending machines. The RIA recommended an outright ban of tobacco vending machines as being the most effective way of reducing sales to under-18s.

In developing the regulatory impact assessment on proposals to reduce the availability of tobacco from vending machines to under-18s, the Scottish Government met with Imperial Tobacco and its subsidiary Sinclair Collis, which provides, operates and maintains the majority of tobacco vending machines in Scotland. The Scottish Government attempted to make contact with the National Association of Cigarette Machine Operators on a number of occasions with no response. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association were also consulted on proposals.

NHS boards, through their Health Promotion Departments, undertake local targeted work on the risks of contracting sexually transmitted infections and on the importance of testing and treatment.

In addition the government is in the process of developing a national social marketing campaign which will aim to raise awareness and create a conversation on sexual health generally. This campaign, which will begin in summer 2009, will be supported by a national website and written information encouraging those who may have put themselves at risk of a sexually transmitted infection to be tested.

Human Reproduction and The Lancet medical journals published Swedish research in spring 2008 which stated that there is a robust and independent association between failure to conceive and chlamydia antibodies in men, independent of semen quality.

The Scottish Government has been advised however that while chlamydia infection can reduce male fertility, further research is required to determine the actual effect on fertility, as this is not clear.

We know that men are less likely to access health services generally. Recent NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Standards on Sexual Health set out a target to increase chlamydia testing in those under 25, and contain a specific target to increase the number of young men being offered a test.

Health boards are responsible for putting in place a range of measures which will reach young people in their local area and many are taking innovative approaches to reach young men.