- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by postcode of the number of central heating systems installed in private sector properties in the Dumbarton constituency since the commencement of the central heating installation programme.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Herresponse is as follows:
The managing agents for theprogramme in the private sector, Eaga Partnership, collect cumulativestatistics on the number of installations by main postcode area. There are noplans to collect statistics by constituency areas.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed in private sector properties in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) Argyll and Bute local authority area since the commencement of the central heating installation programme.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Herresponse is as follows:
Information is not kept inthe form requested but by postcode area. In the postcode area 292 systems wereinstalled in 2001-02, 473 in 2002-03, and 389 so far in 2003-04.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify the ‘risks', as referred to by executive directors at the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board meeting on 29 July 2003 in the context of justification of the siting of consultant-led maternity services at Paisley as an alternative to enabling women to access consultant-led services in Glasgow, particularly in the Queen Mother Hospital, and whether such ‘risks' are clinical or administrative
Answer
Argyll and Clyde NHS Boardoutlines their view of the risks attached to providing Glasgow basedconsultant-led maternity care to their residents who live north of the RiverClyde on page VII of the executive summary in their
Report on the Review andConsultation of Maternity Services (July 2003).
I have asked for a moredetailed report by April 2004 on the pattern of patient choice between Paisley and Glasgow. I stressthat women who choose to have their babies in Glasgow will continue to havethat choice.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the process and timescale will be for ministerial consideration of the decision by Argyll and Clyde NHS Board on 29 July 2003 to reorganise maternity services.
Answer
As with any proposals for significant service change or closure approved by NHS boards, I would only make a decision on whether to endorse the preferred option or not following careful consideration of the relevant local review.
In the case of maternity service proposals, I would have to be satisfied that the preferred option is consistent with A Framework for Maternity Services inScotland (February 2001) and the recommendations of the Expert Group onAcute Maternity Services (December 2002). These policy documents set out clear action points and recommendations intended to ensure that NHS Scotland provides modern, safe and sustainable maternity services that are appropriate to the needs of women and families in Scotland.
In the case of NHS Argyll and Clyde’s maternity service proposals, I have taken the time to both carefully consider all the available information and to meet with local representatives and campaign groups.
I consider that NHS Argyll and Clyde’s proposed model of maternity services is the best available option for providing high quality, safe and sustainable maternity services that are consistent with national guidelines. As such, I can confirm that the plans will see a consultant-led maternity unit at the Royal Alexandra and new midwife-led community units in Greenock and Vale of Leven. However, I have asked NHS Glasgow and NHS Argyll and Clyde to do more detailedwork on the pattern of patient choice between Glasgow and Paisley and to submit a report to me by April 2004.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 15 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will involve appropriate trade unions in the discussions on the formation of the Strategic Transport Authority, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer
The consultation on the proposednew transport agency and regional transport partnerships will continue until 17December. The consultation paper Scotland’s Transport, Proposals for a New Approach to Transportin Scotland is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, fromthe Scottish Executive and on the Scottish Executive website. It is important thatas many individuals and organisations as possible with an interest in improvingtransport delivery in Scotland - including appropriate trade unions - contributeto the consultation. I had a useful discussion with the Scottish Trades Union Congresson a range of transport issues including the proposed strategic transport authorityon 4 September.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for the Glasgow Drug Court after the end of the pilot in November 2003.
Answer
In view of the encouraging resultsso far, the Glasgow Drugs Court pilot will be extended to spring 2005 and in thissecond phase, the court will be able to take referrals at all stages in the courtprocess in addition to the present custody route. Referrals will also be extendedto include solemn cases. The period of the independent evaluation will be extendedto take account of these changes.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many quality partnership schemes have been established under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001; where such schemes have been established, and who the partners are in each scheme.
Answer
While there are examples in manyparts of Scotland of close partnership working between local transportauthorities and bus operators, there are no statutory quality partnerships. Initiativesby transport authorities include bus priority lanes, new and improved bus stations,improved passenger interchanges and shelters and park and ride facilities. Initiativesin response by bus operators include increased service frequencies, improved services,increased numbers of low emission and low floor buses and improved ticketing andpassenger information.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 1 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, and will take, to improve the quality of bathing water and beaches.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is committed to working for a cleaner and safer environment and works closelywith the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water and theagricultural sector to ensure that all sectors play their part in reducing pollutionto the water, reduce pollution to the water environment and to encourage the applicationof best practice to protect the environment.
Since the production of the Scottish Executive’s Bathing Waters: A strategy for improvement in March 2002, SEPAhas developed an action plan approach to inspect all pollution sources and applysteps to remedy any problems found and the Scottish Executive has sanctionedthe expenditure of £1.8 billion by Scottish Water during 2002-06 to upgrade itsassets, with priority action being taken to protect bathing waters. A number ofpilot projects are being taken forward by the Scottish Executive on the range ofsources and pathways of diffuse pollution from livestock farms in bathing watercatchments to assess the most cost-effective solutions to minimise diffuse pollutionrisks.
These actions are already havingan effect, and results from this year’s bathing season (the best yet for Scotland) reflectefforts made by all parties on this complicated issue.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 September 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the regulation of fares, frequency of service and standards of employment are included in future quality contract schemes.
Answer
Quality contracts are a toolprovided by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 for use by local transport authorities. Theact refers to fares and frequency of service as matters which may be included ina quality contract submitted to Scottish ministers for approval. The act makes nosuch provision in relation to standards of employment.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 September 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage the establishment of quality partnership schemes in all areas and what the timescale is for so doing.
Answer
The Transport (Scotland) Act2001 provides a toolkit of options for local transport authorities to revitaliselocal bus services; this toolkit includes quality partnerships. Comprehensive guidanceon the act was published in October 2001 and it is now for local transport authorities,working closely with bus operators, to decide how best to use the powers to deviselocal solutions to local problems. My officials are available to provide adviceas required.
