Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4O-00574

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports the retail sector.

Question reference: S4W-04673

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on each of the proposed major developments by NHS Lanarkshire referenced in Table 4 (iv).3 of the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2008.

The information requested is included in the following table below.

Project	Position
Airdrie Community Health Centre	Under construction - due for completion in June 2012
Bellshill Resource Centre	Complete
Carluke Community Health Centre	Complete
Carnwath Health Centre – provide extension for the storage of medical records; enhanced security to perimeter of premises	Complete
Central Health Clinic, Cumbernauld - provision of access controls to car parking areas	Complete
Coatbridge Health Centre – general refurbishment to internal areas	Complete
Coathill Hospital, Airdrie - external ground works to hard and soft landscape; conversion of canteen to offices, new entrance/reception and general internal refurbishment	Complete
Dental Health Services, Biggar - provision of modular building within existing Biggar Health Centre site to provide a single dental surgery with decontamination facilities and support accommodation	Complete
Forth General Medical Practice, Forth - existing GP premises purchased; further expenditure to provide additional treatment areas, general internal refurbishment, including improved statutory compliance on Hot and Cold Water System	Complete
Greenhills Dental and GP Extension - existing dental facilities refurbished plus an additional 3 dental surgeries with full decontamination facilities. Also 3 additional GP consulting rooms with support accommodation provided	Complete
Hamilton Resource Centre	Project replaced with purchase of Douglas Street Community Health Clinic which opened in 2009
Harthill Health Centre - expenditure on general internal refurbishment, external fabric repairs, car park repairs, external lighting and general internal refurbishment	Complete
Hunter Health Centre, East Kilbride - all works on internal refurbishment and improvement to ventilation systems	Complete
Wishaw Health Centre, Wishaw	This project is currently being pursued under the primary care investment programme using the HUB procurement process
East Kilbride Resource Centre, East Kilbride	Was originally a joint venture with South Lanarkshire Council, which the Council is no longer pursuing. NHS Lanarkshire is currently pursuing the provision of this facility under the primary care investment programme using the HUB procurement process
Coatbridge Dental & Integrated Resource Centre, Coatbridge	Buchanan Centre opened in 2010
Learning Disability Assessment and Treatment Centre at Kirklands, Bothwell	Kylepark opened in 2010
Adults with Complex Needs in North Lanarkshire, Coathill, Coatbridge	Glencairn opened in 2010
Adults with Complex Needs in South Lanarkshire, Caird House, Hamilton	Caird House and Beckford Lodge opened in 2011
Kilsyth Health Centre, Kilsyth	This project is currently being pursued under the primary care investment programme using the HUB procurement process
Clydesdale Hospital	Due to the impact of the Change Fund and the shift from hospital-based to community-based care this project is no longer proceeding
Ladyhome Hospital, Douglas - additional car park provision, minor internal alterations to provide new treatment area and upgrade patient toilets and general circulation areas	Complete
Larkhall Health Institute - refurbishment of clinical areas and extend premises to provide additional office accommodation	The refurbishment programme is due to commence in early 2012 and will be complete by Easter
Lockhart Hospital, Lanark - all works on internal refurbishment and minor internal alterations to toilet and general circulation areas.	Complete
Lymphoedema Services relocation at Strathclyde Hospital	Complete
Shotts Health Centre - expenditure on internal refurbishment, external fabric repairs, car park repairs, external lighting and fire safety work.	Complete
Townhead Clinic, Airdrie - all works on internal alterations to various rooms and internal refurbishment.	Complete
Udston Hospital, Hamilton - expenditure on altering previous Day Hospital accommodation to offices for public health teams. Additional car parking provided; resurfacing of existing car park; anti-ligature precautions in wards, and general internal refurbishment	Complete
Viewpark Health Centre - all works on internal refurbishment	Complete
Wester Moffat Hospital, Airdrie - expenditure on additional car parking, additional storage, and internal alterations to provide additional office accommodation	Complete
Acute Mental Health – Monklands	Alternative options for the ongoing modernisation of mental health services have been developed. A paper on next steps is expected to go to NHS Board in 2012
Acute Mental Health - Hairmyres	Further scoping work will be required to take forward this development
Monklands General Hospital	The original investment to redevelop Monklands Hospital was associated with the plans within A Picture of Health which were based on the premise that there would be two emergency hospitals and one planned care hospital (Monklands) which is no longer the case. Whilst there has been continued investment of at least £5m per annum in Monklands, the hospital requires significant re-development and work on this is ongoing.
Acute – Wishaw General and Hairmyres	There was some specific investment in the two acute hospitals associated with the plans within A Picture of Health which were based on the premise that there would be two emergency hospitals and one planned care hospital which is no longer the case.

Source: NHS Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S4W-04541

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements are placed on (a) bus services, (b) rail services and (c) licensed taxis to safely accommodate passengers who use wheelchairs.

Disability discrimination legislation is reserved to the UK Government.

The timetable by which buses must be fully accessible is set out in the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000. All new buses have had to be fully accessible since 31 December 2000. All other single decker buses must be fully accessible by 1 January 2016 at the latest, all double decker buses by 1 January 2017 at the latest and all coaches by 1 January 2020.

All new rolling stock and station facilities comply with legislation to safely accommodate wheelchair users. Funding from ScotRail and external parties since the Franchise commencement has enabled accessibility enhancements to be delivered to existing station facilities and rolling stock where practical.

The powers within the Equality Act 2010 with regard to the duties to assist taxi passengers in wheelchairs have yet to be commenced by the UK Government. The Scottish Government issues best practice guidance to licensing authorities covering a range of issues. This includes a section on accessibility and provides information for authorities to develop accessibility policies using their discretionary powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

Question reference: S4O-00455

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to NHS boards on the provision of x-ray services.

Question reference: S4O-00447

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism regarding the importance of culture to winter tourism.

Question reference: S4W-03647

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the Scottish Breast Screening Programme, in light of the announcement of a review of the programme in England.

Scotland takes it’s advice on screening from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC). The NSC currently recommends screening for breast cancer. The NSC’s recommendations are based on strong evidence and are reviewed regularly in light of significant new evidence. The findings of this review will be shared with the NSC and any new analysis or findings that warrant action will be looked at against the NSC criteria.

Question reference: S4W-03659

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 3 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of changes in the fox population in towns and cities.

The Urban Fox Populations in Scottish Towns and Cities (2006) report was published by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) in 2006. The report looked at urban fox populations in selected towns and cities in Scotland and was undertaken as part of a rabies outbreak contingency planning exercise. The full report can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/22104748/0.

Question reference: S4W-03660

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 3 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities on the control of foxes.

Question reference: S4O-00343

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it issued to local authorities regarding non-domestic rates, following the publication of the draft budget.

Question reference: S4O-00245

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received to the consultation on the draft Scottish Social Housing Charter.