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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S3W-28943

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that parents are sufficiently informed about the planned changes to assessment and learning levels.

It is the responsibility of local authorities, schools and headteachers to support the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence by identifying priorities and providing opportunities for parents to learn about the changes to the education system.

We are also working with the local authority parental involvement network, parent councils and parent bodies, through seminars and newsletters, so that they have the information and advice they need to keep parents informed of the developments in Curriculum for Excellence. This will include a toolkit to support practitioners in the New Year.

Learning and Teaching Scotland''s Parents as Partners in Learning website has examples of good practice on how to tell parents what they need to know about the changes to their child''s education:

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentsaspartnersinlearning/about/cfevideos.asp.

The Framework for Assessment, which will provide guidance on assessment approaches for Curriculum for Excellence, will published early in the New Year.

Question reference: S3W-28942

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the replacement of the assessment levels A to F in the 5 to 14 curriculum reduces expectations on primary schools.

Question reference: S3W-28938

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the replacement of existing levels A to F in the 5 to 14 curriculum by two wider levels at primary stages will have an effect on rigour or on the raising of aspiration in primary schools.

Question reference: S3W-28610

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether people with anorexia nervosa are given bone-strengthening medication as part of their treatment.

Decisions on treatment options rest primarily with the clinician, in consultation with the individual, and where appropriate, the carer and family. Treatments will be based on a through assessment and tailored to the needs of the individual to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Medication may be used to treat co-morbid conditions with anorexia nervosa such as osteoporosis. However, all healthcare professionals should be aware of the risk of using drugs for co-morbid conditions that prolong the QTc interval. All patients with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa should have an alert placed in their prescribing record concerning the risk of side effects. ECG monitoring should be undertaken if there is a prescription of medication that may compromise cardiac functioning.

Patients with anorexia nervosa are routinely given vitamin and mineral supplements in an oral form during both inpatient and outpatient weight restoration and this may improve bone density. Hormonal treatment using oestrogen or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) does not have a positive impact on bone density and oestrogen is not recommended in children or adolescents due to the risk of premature fusion of the bones.

Other treatment for osteoporosis can have harmful cardiac and or renal side effects and have to be used with care, particularly in young people.

Question reference: S3W-28609

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether people with anorexia nervosa are routinely screened for osteoporosis.

Question reference: S3W-28608

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how long the waiting list is for each centre offering specialist care to people with anorexia nervosa.

Question reference: S3W-28606

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what public authorities offer staff the opportunity to donate blood at organised group sessions and whether such staff continue to be paid while taking time to donate blood.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), which organises and collects blood donations, currently works with a number of, but not all, public authorities, including fire and police organisations, local councils, universities, colleges and hospitals.

Data on whether staff from the relevant organisations who give blood are paid is not collated centrally. However, SNBTS believes that this is the case.

The SNBTS Accessibility Group is expanding as much as possible the blood donation collections that take place with other NHS bodies.

Question reference: S3W-28607

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 November 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive in which NHS board areas specialist care for people with anorexia nervosa is offered.

All NHS board areas provide a range of specialist inpatient and community-based care for people with anorexia nervosa, either directly or through arrangements with the independent sector.

The Eden Unit, which is a specialist NHS eating disorder inpatient unit at the Royal Cornhill Hospital, serves the north of Scotland NHS boards. In other board areas, NHS specialist inpatient care is provided in NHS hospitals or under contract with the independent sector at The Priory, Glasgow and Edinburgh Huntercombe Hospitals.

All NHS boards keep arrangements and services under review and are working towards improved access and outcomes for service users based on prevention, appropriate intervention and sustained recovery.

NHS boards in the south east are currently considering proposals for a 12 bed inpatient unit to be based at St John''s Hospital, West Lothian. Decisions are expected early next year.

Question reference: S3W-27938

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 October 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding working with schools and parents on young people's health.

A significant amount of guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding working with schools and parents on young people''s health. This includes guidance, which may not be primarily addressed to NHS boards but requires them to work in partnership with local authority children''s services and education authorities.

All guidance published by the Scottish Government is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent.

Question reference: S3W-27936

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 October 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W–22473 by Shona Robison on 27 April 2009, what plans it has to ensure that NHS Highland has an orthoptist pre-school screening programme in place.