- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 20 road stretches or junctions that have had the highest (a) accident and (b) fatality rates in each of the last five years.
Answer
Information in the form requestedis not available centrally.
Detailed statistics on road accidentsand casualties are published annually in Road Accidents Scotland, copiesof which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Road AccidentsScotland 2005, to be published on 24 November 2006, will include a range oftables giving accident rates per million vehicle kilometres and casualty rates perthousand population.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 14 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any concerns from the medical community about the use of hormone replacement therapy in Scotland.
Answer
The safety of medicines isreserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare productsRegulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and its independent advisory committee theCommission on Human Medicines (CHM) keep the safety of all licensed medicines,including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), under close review.
The MHRA and the CHM run theUK Yellow card Scheme which is used to collect information from healthprofessionals and patients on suspected adverse drug reactions. The MHRA hasadvised that all of the important information on the safety of HRT has comefrom large epidemiological studies. They are not aware of any studies thatdemonstrate that the balance and risks of HRT differ in Scotland.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 14 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission any studies into adverse affects of hormone replacement therapy.
Answer
The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department hasresponsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health andhealthcare needs in Scotland. CSO does notnormally commission research but supports research projects of a sufficientlyhigh standard initiated by the researchcommunity in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughoutthe healthcare and academic community.
CSO is currently funding onesmall project on the experience of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) amongyoung women with premature ovarian failure but nothing specifically on adverseaffects of HRT. CSO would be pleased to consider proposals for research in thisarea which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in the (a) fishing, (b) farming and (c) manufacturing sector in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available.
Answer
The following table showsthe number of people employed in the fishing, farming and manufacturing sectorin the years, 1997, 1999 and latest available.
| Industry | 1997 | 1999 | Latest Available |
| Fishing* | 8,194 | 7,330 | 4,971 (2005) |
| Agriculture** | 68,830 | 69,417 | 66,854 (2006) |
| Manufacturing | 327,000 (1998) | 315,000 | 236,000(2004) |
Notes:
*The number of fishermenemployed on Scottish based vessels.
**The total number of peopleemployed in agriculture (includes totalnumber of occupiers, spouses, and employees working, full-time, part-time,seasonally and casually).
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28171 by Rhona Brankin on 20 September 2006, what the options are for a longer-term strategy for red squirrel conservation and when such a strategy will be put into place.
Answer
The options for a longer termstrategy for red squirrel conservation are wide ranging and complex. Full detailsof these options are contained within the Red Squirrel Action Plan. I have askedScottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to publish the plan on their website and expectit to be available soon. As I stated in my previous response to the MSP, the actionplan is being considered as part of the SNH Species Framework for Action, whichis currently being developed.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 26 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28171 by Rhona Brankin on 20 September 2006, what additional measures are now underway to protect red squirrels.
Answer
Two grey squirrel control officershave been appointed to work in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, inwoodlands identified as priority areas for red squirrel conservation. They havebeen tasked with raising awareness of the squirrel pox virus amongst landowners and the public, offering training to land managers in live trapping andhumane methods of despatch of grey squirrels and carrying out control wheresuch assistance is required.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is making any representations on behalf of dairy farmers to supermarkets relating to the price they pay for milk.
Answer
I share the concerns of thoseworried about the level of returns being made by many milk producers but I cannotintervene directly in the market.
When I meet the major retailers,I emphasise how seriously the Executive views the importance of maintaining a sustainablefood chain with healthy trading relationships between suppliers and retailers.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive which communities in Tayside will not be broadband-enabled by the end of 2006.
Answer
We have already delivered accessto every Scottish community, as defined using census output areas. This was achievedthrough our £16.5 million Broadband for Scotland’s rural and remote areas project.
However, we recognise that thereare still some households or businesses who remain without access. The Executiveis working with independent technical consultants to examine this issue as wellas the viability of potential solutions. This work will complete later this yearand appropriate action will be outlined thereafter.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has invested to provide broadband connectivity in Tayside.
Answer
The Executive has invested £16.5million (including support from the European Regional Development Fund) implementinga Scotland-wide project which has delivered broadband access to every Scottish community.A separate figure for broadband investment under this project in Tayside is notavailable, but investment in the East of Scotland amounts to £2.7 million.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in Tayside have access to an NHS dentist.
Answer
As at 31 March 2005, 58,850children (74%) and 168,233 adults (55%) were registered with a NHS dentist inTayside.
In addition, patientsaccessed NHS dentists in Tayside for 5,305 single treatments or courses oftreatment in 2004-05.
