- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 9 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8859 by Susan Deacon on 13 September 2000, what the projected figure is for the number of geriatricians at 30 September 2000 and what the projected requirement is for 2000-01.
Answer
Information on all medical grades working in the specialties of geriatrics and old age psychiatry as at 30 September 1999, which is the latest available, are shown in Table 1 below.
Details on projected requirements for staff other than at consultant grade is not held by the Executive and is a matter for individual boards and Trusts. The number of new consultants required to cover expected retirals and developments within the service for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 are shown in Table 2. This however should be taken as an indicator only, as the exact number of new consultants needed to deliver services cannot be predicted with accuracy because it is affected by individual decisions to retire.
The number of trainees who will become fully trained and will be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) for the years in question is given in Table 2, Annex B of NHS MEL (2000) 24, published on 28 April 2000. A copy of this is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 7379).Table 1 - Staff working in Geriatrics and Old Age Psychiatry employed in the NHS in Scotland by Grade
| Geriatrics | Old Age Psychiatry |
Total | 415 | 123 |
Consultant | 93 | 43 |
Associate specialist | 2 | 2 |
Staff | 17 | 8 |
Specialist registrar | 28 | 15 |
Senior registrar | 2 | 1 |
Senior house officer | 127 | 21 |
House officer | 12 | - |
Hospital practitioner | 12 | 9 |
GMP (Para. 94) | 123 | 24 |
Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.
Notes:
1. Figures shown are Headcount at 30 September 1999.
2. Includes honorary appointments.
Table 2 - New Consultant Requirements in Geriatrics and Old Age Psychiatry in the NHS in Scotland
| | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 |
Geriatrics | 1 | 1 |
Old Age Psychiatry | 7 | 2 |
Notes:
1. Information supplied by individual health boards.
2. Figures shown are the number of retirements and the number of newly created posts expected from service developments outlined in individual Health Improvement Programmes and Trust Implementation Plans.
3. Funding for all new posts is a matter for health boards.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 9 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9398 by Sarah Boyack on 13 September 2000, when the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland will publish the results of their consultation exercise on the condition of local roads.
Answer
This is entirely a matter for the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 5 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that pensioner poverty will be eradicated.
Answer
In our Social Justice strategy, we have set long-term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives. We have just announced a £300 million package including a warm deal for all pensioners, a national concessionary travel scheme and a package of care support to deliver early progress towards these targets. In addition we are working closely with the UK Government which has responsibility for tax and benefits policies to improve the incomes of pensioners.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the care and treatment of elderly people in residential and nursing homes is considered to be part of National Health Service provision.
Answer
The Minister for Health will make a statement on 5 October regarding NHS responsibility for care in residential and nursing homes.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to combat any low morale in the prison service in particular in Peterhead because of any uncertainty over closure.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
In a period of change, Scottish Prison Service Management remains committed to working with staff in the way that it has earned its Investors in People recognition. But the SPS faces competitive challenges requiring us to make significant changes in our working practices designed to improve our competitiveness and increase job security. Our current aim is to proceed without compulsory redundancies.
There is uncertainty over the future of Peterhead. Once a decision has been taken it will be conveyed as soon as possible to those directly involved. Our estates review is focussed on the need to improve the SPS estate and the SPS's competitive position, thereby improving the value for money the SPS provides to the taxpayer and is no reflection on the high standard of work undertaken by our staff.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 4 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any estimate has been made of additional funding which will be available to the Scottish Budget as a result of any additional revenue raised through the climate change levy and, if so, what the estimate is for the current and next financial year.
Answer
The climate change levy does not come into effect until 1 April 2001. As a result of the levy an additional £3.2 million per year has been made available to the Scottish Budget from 2001-02.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 3 October 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9394 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 14 September 2000, whether probationary teachers were ever used as markers previously and, if so, when and how many.
Answer
The recruitment of markers is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. However, I understand from SQA that they are unaware of any probationary teacher having been used as a marker prior to the 2000 exam diet.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 29 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the security of employment of the 1,000 United Biscuits employees in Scotland in the event that United Biscuits is taken over by Nabisco, given that Nabisco is backed by Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst, the same investment firm as Viasystems.
Answer
The Scottish Executive always takes an interest in any proposed take-over which may have employment consequences in Scotland, and would make representations as and when necessary.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 September 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children (a) were involved in and (b) died in accidents in rivers, the sea and other waterways in (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97, (iii) 1997-98, (iv) 1998-99, (v) 1999-2000 and (vi) 2000 to date.
Answer
No information is collected centrally on non-fatal or fatal accidents specifically associated with rivers, the sea or other waterways. The following table presents available information covering all deaths from drowning or submersion, and from water transport accidents, regardless of location.
Deaths aged under 16 years of age, Scotland
Cause of death | ICD9 code1 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Accidental drowning or submersion | E910 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Submersion (drowning) undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted | E984 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Water transport accidents | E830-E838 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
Notes:
1. International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to the Scott Wilson Scottish Borders railway feasibility study (page 8) and to the answer to question S1O-2029 by Mr John Home Robertson on 22 June (Official Report col. 711), whether it will now commission a supplementary report into the potential export of timber using the southern section of the line.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not intend to commission a study into the potential export of timber via the southern section of the Borders railway. The Borders railway feasibility study concluded that under current market conditions a south Borders railway would be unlikely to improve the competitiveness of the Border forests with other sources of timber.
