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From 1 October 2008 to 31 December 2008 (the last three full months for which data is available), Health Protection Scotland is provisionally aware of 14 cases of Meningitis B infection. This compares to 16 cases of meningitis B from 1 October 2007 to 31 December 2007.

The number of meningitis B cases reported to Health Protection Scotland (HPS) each year from 1999 is set out in the following table. Figures reflect the number of reported cases of meningitis B to the end of December each year.

Number of Meningitis B cases reported to HPS

Year
1999	105
2000	117
2001	106
2002	62
2003	86
2004	68
2005	66
2006	63
2007	73
2008*	57

Note: *2008 data is still provisional and may be subject to change.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17133 on 5 November 2008. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

All other NHS hospitals are cleaned by in-house teams.

The basis of the decision acknowledges the key role that cleaning and other services play in the delivery of clinical services. The Scottish Government therefore believes that NHS Scotland staff should be responsible for the direct delivery of these services thus removing or reducing scope for complexity at the interface between contractor and the NHS.

It is clear that when cleaning services are provided by NHS staff, it is easier to manage them and they can be better integrated. That means better patient care, a more seamless joining up of services and the ability to vary such services within hospitals, particularly cleaning services, when required.

The basis of the decision was to ensure better patient care, a more seamless joining up of services and the ability to vary cleaning and other services within hospitals when required. Our health boards are responsible for demonstrating value for money through sharing best practice, benchmarking with others and delivering on performance targets. The main cost element in the provision of cleaning services is staff and for some time now the rates of pay and other terms and conditions whether provided in house are broadly comparable.

I refer the member to answer to question S3W-16361 on 25 September 2008, for more detailed information. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Cost has therefore not been a key driver behind this development.

As I made clear in my statement to the Parliament on 21 May 2008 when I launched the Smoking Prevention Action Plan Scotland''s Future is Smoke-free which is based on the recommendations of the Smoking Prevention Working Group, the Scottish Government proposes to establish a research and evaluation framework to assess the impact the measures proposed within the action plan. This will form part of the wider tobacco control research and evaluation programme which is being developed by the standing sub-group of the Scottish Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco Control, which is being set up under the chairmanship of Dr Laurence Gruer, Director of Public Health Science, NHS Health Scotland. The primary purposes of this sub-group will be to review and make full use of existing research, identify gaps in research knowledge and evaluation practice in Scotland, and to make recommendations for a programme of activity to fill these gaps. The need for further research relating to the extent of use by young people of smuggled or personally-imported tobacco will be considered as part of that process.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0.

As I made clear in my statement to the Parliament on 21 May 2008 when I launched the Smoking Prevention Action Plan Scotland''s Future is Smoke-free which is based on the recommendations of the Smoking Prevention Working Group, the Scottish Government is keen to see proposed action to tighten the enforcement of illegal sales from legitimate business, matched by firm action on sales of smuggled and counterfeit tobacco. Fiscal policy matters are reserved to Westminster. However, in line with the HM Revenue and Customs and the UK Border Agency''s integrated strategy Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Together the Scottish Government, the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland and HM Revenue and Customs/the UK Border Agency have been exploring how best to work in partnership to reduce the impact of these illicit sales on Scottish communities. We will be making an announcement early in 2009 about this collaboration.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/05/19144342/0.

The Scottish Government is taking a wide range of measures to support fishermen in the west of Scotland. Our current priority is to resist vigorously the EU Commission''s unjustified and disproportionate proposal to close fishing grounds which are of key importance to this fleet.

The information on balance sheet debt was not held centrally prior to the financial year 2007-08. The Scottish Government is currently in the process of collecting the data for 2007-08 but at this time it is not complete and has not been validated. The information on non-balance sheet debt is not held centrally.

Information Services Division (ISD) holds certain information on complaints made against Hospital & Community Health and Family Health Services. Summary information is also held on NHS24 and Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service complaints. A set of four tables, under the title of NHS Complaints Statistics and setting out the available data, can be obtained from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46798).

It should be noted that:

The target for acknowledging NHS complaints is three days.

The target for responding to NHS complaints is 20 days.

Comprehensive information on the response times and outcomes for the Family Health Service complaints is not held centrally.

Specific information on whether complainants considered their complaint was dealt with satisfactorily is not held centrally.