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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: S2W-16611

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by John Scott on 6 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what arrangements are in place to allow security staff who are instructed to take their lunch at 11.30 am to eat at Holyrood, given that the garden level restaurant does not serve meals until 12.00 noon.

Question reference: S2W-20072

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many rural second and holiday homes there were in each year since 1999, expressed also as a percentage of total housing and broken down by ward.

Question reference: S2W-20894

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Duncan McNeil on 30 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it considers that the release of street names in members’ travel claim forms, where the destination is a home visit to a constituent, breaches confidentiality between the constituent and the member and whether the provision of such information is in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The SPCB recognises the need for confidentiality and trust between an MSP and a constituent. Where a street number and name are known to be that of a constituent, the SPCB would redact the number but leave the street name. If the street contained only two houses both the number and street name would be redacted. The SPCB relies on members to advise parliamentary officials as it would not be self evident whether an address is that of a constituent or a business address.

In deciding what information to release on allowances, the SPCB seeks to act within the provisions of the relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act.

The member will also be aware that the SPCB has created a joint member/official working party which can consider a range of issues, including this, in accordance with the approved remit and to make recommendations to the SPCB.

Question reference: S2W-20674

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by John Scott on 23 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will take steps to ensure that the distinctive Scottish-definitive stamps, the lion rampant (first class) and saltire (second class) are available to MSPs in book and self-adhesive format.

Question reference: S2W-20438

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 22 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12173 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 November 2004, what progress has been made with the research projects in relation to excess winter mortality and whether the findings will be made public.

No specific study has been undertaken in relation to winter mortality. However, the Scottish Executive is funding two major research projects evaluating the impact of the central heating programme.

The first is a long-term project being undertaken by the University of Edinburgh and TNS Social Research looking at the impact of the programme on the health of recipients. This work is expected to be completed towards the end of 2006.

The second is an annual survey of households included in each of the first three years of the programme. This research showed that in the first year of the programme nearly 90% of the people surveyed who were in fuel poverty were lifted out of it after receiving the programme.

Once the findings of these research projects are finalised they will be made available to the public.

Question reference: S2W-20436

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 21 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many excess winter deaths have been attributable to influenza in each year since 1999, broken down (a) by NHS board area and (b) into people aged (i) 60 to 74, (ii) 75 to 84 and (iii) 85 and over.

The numbers of deaths registered in the winter months (December to March) where influenza is recorded as the underlying cause of death are shown in the following table.

Because of the small numbers involved NHS board and age breakdowns have not been provided.

Deaths Registered with Influenza¹ as the Underlying Cause

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
December to March	142	5	5	2	5

Note: 1. 1999 data ICD9 code 487. 2000-2004 data ICD10 codes J10 and J11.

Question reference: S2W-20498

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Robert Brown on 21 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was made available to each local authority to assist private residential homes to train staff to achieve Scottish Vocational Qualification standard certification in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S2W-20435

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that fewer people die this winter from cold-related illnesses than in previous years, despite the forecast of a particularly harsh winter.

The Scottish Executive is taking action on a number of fronts.

The Chief Medical Officer will issue guidance to older people to keep warm, use the winter fuel payment to ensure their homes are adequately heated and to wear sufficient warm clothing when they go outside. He will also remind neighbours, relatives and carers to check up regularly on older people during cold weather.

The Scottish Executive supports an annual influenza vaccination campaign to vaccinate those aged 65 and over and those in risk groups under 65. This campaign includes a central information letter which is sent to all those aged 65 and over across Scotland reminding them that they are eligible for free flu immunisation.

In addition, the Executive’s central heating and Warm Deal programmes provide free central heating for pensioners who have none or whose system is irretrievably broken; to those over 80 whose systems are partial or inefficient, and insulation measures for all pensioners. The central heating programme also provides energy efficiency advice on keeping warm and keeping bills down, and the offer of a benefits health check to ensure that people are claiming the all the benefits to which they are entitled.

Question reference: S2W-20317

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 16 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a fast-track method of prioritising the central heating programme for those with certificated medical needs.

Question reference: S2W-20356

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 14 November 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions to hospital for self-harm there have been in each year since 1999, broken down into (a) adults, (b) adolescents and (c) children in each NHS board area.

The information is shown in the following table.

Hospital Discharges From Acute Hospitals with A Diagnosis of Deliberate Self-Harm - Years Ending 31 December 1999-2004 Inclusive

Year/NHS Board of Residence	Age (Years)
1999
All Areas	321	2,045	13,532	15,898
Argyll and Clyde	27	191	1,090	1,308
Ayrshire and Arran	24	195	1,178	1,397
Borders	4	50	268	322
Dumfries and Galloway	13	60	344	417
Fife	23	139	834	996
Forth Valley	12	85	773	870
Grampian	26	190	1,272	1,488
Greater Glasgow	63	322	2,466	2,851
Highland	4	49	284	337
Lanarkshire	32	175	1,135	1,342
Lothian	46	347	2,445	2,838
Orkney	2	3	25	30
Shetland	1	8	38	47
Tayside	42	190	1,100	1,332
Western Isles	-	3	43	46
Other	2	38	237	277
2000
All Areas	380	2,032	12,846	15,258
Argyll and Clyde	40	209	1,186	1,435
Ayrshire and Arran	30	184	1,153	1,367
Borders	5	38	264	307
Dumfries and Galloway	8	60	328	396
Fife	31	123	846	1,000
Forth Valley	24	99	695	818
Grampian	40	242	1,297	1,579
Greater Glasgow	50	297	2,346	2,693
Highland	14	41	288	343
Lanarkshire	35	186	1,237	1,458
Lothian	46	271	1,629	1,946
Orkney	2	7	25	34
Shetland	4	8	60	72
Tayside	46	221	1,254	1,521
Western Isles	3	11	43	57
Other	2	35	195	232
2001
All Areas	457	1,997	13,094	15,548
Argyll and Clyde	33	184	1,163	1,380
Ayrshire and Arran	25	181	1,280	1,486
Borders	9	47	288	344
Dumfries and Galloway	7	43	341	391
Fife	29	180	849	1,058
Forth Valley	32	119	712	863
Grampian	84	225	1,316	1,625
Greater Glasgow	50	330	2,565	2,945
Highland	18	41	310	369
Lanarkshire	52	220	1,481	1,753
Lothian	64	199	1,354	1,617
Orkney	1	8	21	30
Shetland	-	5	47	52
Tayside	52	181	1,113	1,346
Western Isles	-	6	53	59
Other	1	28	201	230
2002
All Areas	451	2,283	14,428	17,162
Argyll and Clyde	42	167	1,074	1,283
Ayrshire and Arran	38	231	1,360	1,629
Borders	10	55	344	409
Dumfries and Galloway	9	59	310	378
Fife	35	172	917	1,124
Forth Valley	29	104	771	904
Grampian	85	230	1,330	1,645
Greater Glasgow	41	366	2,615	3,022
Highland	8	42	224	274
Lanarkshire	41	182	1,508	1,731
Lothian	63	424	2,458	2,945
Orkney	1	4	20	25
Shetland	2	5	49	56
Tayside	37	207	1,134	1,378
Western Isles	5	12	85	102
Other	5	23	229	257
2003
All Areas	464	1,947	13,399	15,810
Argyll and Clyde	25	127	1,027	1,179
Ayrshire and Arran	49	235	1,238	1,522
Borders	8	43	316	367
Dumfries and Galloway	8	29	331	368
Fife	51	144	922	1,117
Forth Valley	15	63	680	758
Grampian	67	256	1,355	1,678
Greater Glasgow	50	260	2,407	2,717
Highland	24	45	216	285
Lanarkshire	51	155	1,377	1,583
Lothian	75	402	2,274	2,751
Orkney	-	7	19	26
Shetland	1	9	56	66
Tayside	32	144	986	1,162
Western Isles	6	13	53	72
Other	2	15	142	159
2004
All Areas	365	1,805	12,498	14,668
Argyll and Clyde	22	157	1,007	1,186
Ayrshire and Arran	52	246	1,220	1,518
Borders	12	42	341	395
Dumfries and Galloway	3	29	253	285
Fife	28	138	778	944
Forth Valley	12	59	567	638
Grampian	74	178	1,072	1,324
Greater Glasgow	38	248	2,212	2,498
Highland	17	52	503	572
Lanarkshire	30	172	1,250	1,452
Lothian	52	286	2,008	2,346
Orkney	-	3	19	22
Shetland	-	15	56	71
Tayside	19	146	976	1,141
Western Isles	4	18	69	91
Other	2	16	167	185

Notes:

1. Up to six diagnoses (one main, five secondary) are recorded on SMR01 returns. All six diagnoses have been used to select episodes for deliberate self-harm. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD10) codes X60 to X84 have been used to identify deliberate self-harm.

2. Other includes areas of residence outside Scotland, no fixed abode and unknown.