- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce drug testing for drivers who are tested for alcohol.
Answer
Legislation on drugs and driving is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act. Driving a motor vehicle while unfit through drugs is an offence. The police may take a person whose driving appears to be impaired to a police station for examination by a police surgeon.
The police however have no powers to test drivers for drugs at the roadside comparable to their powers to test for alcohol. Primary legislation would be required to introduce such a power and it would be for the Westminster Parliament to introduce such legislation. The Scottish Executive has recently commissioned research to investigate the prevalence of recreational drug use and driving in Scotland.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 10 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that all primary and secondary teachers are fully trained in information technology.
Answer
£23 million will be spent in Scotland by the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) to offer training to every teacher and school librarian in the use of ICT in their subject area.In addition the Scottish Executive has commissioned a training course aimed at helping primary headteachers plan and manage ICT.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 7 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of Scotland's population received NHS care in the years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.
Answer
Data on the total numbers of episodes of NHS care for inpatient and day case treatment and the total number of consultant outpatient and Accident and Emergency attendance's for the years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 is provided in the table. Comprehensive information for all aspects of treatment carried out within a primary care setting is not available.
It is not possible to provide the proportion of the population who have received NHS care in hospital as many patients have had more than one episode of treatment or attended an outpatient clinic on more than one occasion.
NHS In Scotland: Inpatient1, Day Case1, Outpatient2 and Accident and Emergency Activity; Years Ending 31 March 1997 - 1999
| | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99p |
Total Inpatient Episodes3 | 969,283 | 982,804 | 981,574 |
Total Day Case Episodes | 384,291 | 414,869 | 437,819 |
Total Outpatient Attendance's | 4,720,866 | 4,759,628 | 4,857,736 |
Total Attendance's at A&E | 1,550,704 | 1,571,608 | 1,556,258 |
p
Provisional
1
Includes NHS activity in joint-user and contractual hospitals.
2
Excludes NHS activity in joint-user and contractual hospitals.
3 Includes transfers between specialities, between significant facilities or between NHS hospitals.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its policies on issues relating to smoking and tobacco.
Answer
The White Paper Smoking Kills which was published on 10 December 1998 sets out a comprehensive strategy to combat smoking throughout the UK. The Scottish Executive endorses the White Paper as a framework for action. However, in taking the policy forward, we have been careful to ensure that the measures outlined are being specifically tailored to Scottish priorities and circumstances.A copy of the White Paper is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre [SPICe].
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek the discontinuation of PVC saline bags following withdrawal of such bags by the US Food and Drug Administration over concerns regarding the release of toxins.
Answer
No. Advice from the Medicines Control Agency is that the use of pre-filled plasticised PVC bags containing infusion solutions such as sodium chloride is not considered to pose any unacceptable risk to patients.It is understood that the US Food and Drug Administration has not withdrawn PVC bags but is undertaking a risk assessment of a specific plasticiser, which was scheduled for completion at the end of November.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that young carers under the age of 16 years are entitled to request an assessment under the provisions of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995.
Answer
As indicated in our paper Strategy for Carers in Scotland and as discussed in the debate on 25 November, the carers' legislation working group which we are setting up will consider what provisions are necessary to ensure that carers under 16 years can have an assessment of their care needs.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that convicted felons are unable to telephone the victims of their crimes from their place of incarceration.
Answer
Under the Directions to the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 1994 (as amended) a Prison Governor can prohibit a prisoner from making telephone calls to persons who have indicated to the Governor, in writing, that they do not wish to receive telephone calls from that prisoner.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposed M74 Northern Extension compares to the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh in cost benefit terms.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to pages 112-115 of the report on the Strategic Roads Review which was published and made available to Members on 4 November.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what the discounted accident savings of the proposed M74 Northern Extension are relative to the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh scheme.
Answer
I refer Mr Gibson to pages 112-115 of the report on the Strategic Roads Review which was published and made available to Members on 4 November.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what it anticipates the impact will be of a 2.4% increase in funding net of non-domestic rates on front line police services in Strathclyde in financial year 2000-01.
Answer
The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2000-01, which includes the Police Grant Aided Expenditure will be announced shortly. Police GAE is not hypothecated and it is for individual authorities and joint boards to determine their expenditure plans.
