Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-11834

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to determine whether a proposal for a service change made under the guidance, CEL 4 (2010), Informing, Engaging and Consulting People in Developing Health and Community Care Services, should be subject to an independent scrutiny panel.

This is ultimately a matter for ministerial discretion, based on a range of factors. Ministers may decide to establish an Independent Scrutiny Panel to assess the safety, sustainability, evidence base and value for money of proposals. The Panel will seek to ensure that proposals are robust, person-centred and consistent with clinical evidence and/or best practice, national policy and that all practical options have been considered. Ministers have been consistently clear that independent scrutiny will be deployed where, in their view, the benefits outweigh the costs.

Question reference: S4W-11829

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards have asked for advice on whether a proposal for a service change should be classified as major change, as set out under the guidance, CEL 4 (2010), Informing, Engaging and Consulting People in Developing Health and Community Care Services, and how many it has designated as such, broken down by proposal.

Scottish Government officials regularly discuss service redesign proposals, including their consistency with national guidance, policies and frameworks, with all territorial NHS boards. As informed by such dialogue with the Scottish Government and Scottish Health Council, boards often determine themselves that certain service proposals are “major” and proceed accordingly.

Since the CEL 4 (2010) Guidance issued, the Scottish Government has designated two proposals as major: the Community Maternity Unit at Inverclyde Royal Hospital and NHS Grampian’s maternity services review.

Question reference: S4W-11832

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to determine whether a proposal for a service change made under the guidance, CEL 4 (2010), Informing, Engaging and Consulting People in Developing Health and Community Care Services, should be classified as major change.

This is ultimately a matter for ministerial discretion, based on a range of factors such as the potential number of local people or patients affected, and consequences for local access to NHS services. The Scottish Health Council provides detailed guidance to NHS boards on considering whether service proposals may be major or not. This can be accessed on the Council’s website at:

http://www.scottishhealthcouncil.org/publications/guidance.aspx.’

Question reference: S4W-11835

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has given to NHS boards in delivering formal option appraisals made under the guidance, CEL 4 (2010), Informing, Engaging and Consulting People in Developing Health and Community Care Services.

The Scottish Government’s CEL 4 (2010) Guidance is clear about the key reference material to assist boards in delivering effective and appropriate options appraisal, including the Scottish Capital Investment Manual, HM Treasury Green Book, and Scottish Health Council advice on the public engagement aspects of options appraisal, which can be accessed on the Council’s website at:

http://www.scottishhealthcouncil.org/publications/guidance.aspx.

Question reference: S4O-01655

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the A9 Safety Group on speed limits for HGVs on the A9.

Question reference: S4F-01074

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2012

To ask the First Minister what action is being taken to minimise disruption from industrial action over the festive season.

Question reference: S4W-11608

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 14 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether a private landowner is obligated by law to remove giant hogweed.

There is no general legal obligation on land owners or occupiers to remove giant hogweed.

In certain circumstances it is possible to require specific land owners or occupiers to take action. Scottish Ministers, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commissioners can create Species Control Orders using powers contained in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, if a voluntary approach to controlling invasive non-native species has failed. Such an order could require a land owner or occupier to remove giant hogweed, although the powers have not yet been used.

Alternatively, local authorities can use powers contained in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to address circumstances where they consider the condition of a piece of land adversely affects local amenity. In addition local authorities can use powers contained in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to require action where they consider the state of premises to be prejudicial to health.

Question reference: S4W-11586

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 14 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-00909 by Alex Salmond on 25 October 2012 (Official Report, c.12688), whether it will provide a breakdown by company of each of the 11,000 jobs "employed directly in renewable energy across Scotland".

Information is not available in the format requested. I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11359 on 6 December 2012, which provides a breakdown by sector of the estimated 11,136 jobs supported by the renewables industry and its supply chain in 2011-12. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4T-00151

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that NHS boards do not manipulate waiting time figures in order to meet targets.

Question reference: S4W-11395

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards recommend green space recuperation therapy for people with mental illness.

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