- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) complaints and (b) claims for compensation regarding potholes it has received in each year since 2015, and what information it has for each local authority.
Answer
The following table contains information provided by the trunk road maintenance agents (i.e. Operating Companies and Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO) contractors) for the last 3 financial years. Figures for this current financial year to date are also included. Information is not held for local authority roads.
Year | Complaints | Claims |
2015-2016 | 1589 | 759 |
2016-2017 | 911 | 471 |
2017-2018 | 2509 | 1704 |
2018-2019 | 351 | 160 |
total | 5360 | 3094 |
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the level of asbestos in public buildings remains at safe levels, in light of reports that a classroom was found to contain asbestos dust.
Answer
The Scottish Government take the issue of the handling of asbestos within schools and other public buildings very seriously. The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that local authorities follow Health and Safety Executive recommendations for managing asbestos.
In addition, I wrote to all local authorities following the publication of the Cole Report on schools to underline their obligations in relation to verifying and enforcing building regulations, technical standards and the inspection processes which are in place to protect the public.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 4 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) under-12-year-olds, (b) 12- to 18-year-olds and (c) adults have been classified as obese in each year since 2010.
Answer
The Scottish Health Survey collects height and weight measurements from a representative sample of adults and children across Scotland each year. This provides the national estimates of obesity prevalence.
It is not possible to provide figures for all of the age-groups requested, as the survey assesses obesity differently depending on whether the individual is an adult (aged 16 and over) or a child (aged 2-15). The available age-groups are presented in the following table.
| | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
% of all children (aged 2-15) at risk of obesity 1 | 16% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 17% | 15% | 14% |
% of children aged 12-15 at risk of obesity 1 | 16% | 18% | 22% | 17% | 21% | 15% | 16% |
% of children under 12 (aged 2-11) at risk of obesity 1 | 16% | 17% | 14% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 13% |
% of all adults (aged 16+) obese 2 | 28% | 28% | 27% | 28% | 28% | 29% | 29% |
Source: Scottish Health Survey
1. BMI above 2nd percentile, below 85th percentile
2. BMI of 30 and over
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) under-12-year-olds, (b) 12- to 18-year-olds and (c) adults have been diagnosed with myopia in each year since 2010.
Answer
An estimate of the number of (a) children aged under 12 and (b) school children aged 12-17 who have had an eye examination and spectacles or contact lenses dispensed for myopia is given in the following table for each year since 2010. Information is not available on adults diagnosed with myopia.
Estimate of number of children diagnosed with myopia who have had a pair of spectacles / contact lenses dispensed during the year: 2010-2017
Calendar Year | Children aged under 12 years | School children aged 12-17 years |
2010 | 16,740 | 37,550 |
2011 | 16,640 | 38,460 |
2012 | 16,110 | 38,420 |
2013 | 16,470 | 38,910 |
2014 | 16,620 | 38,830 |
2015 | 16,980 | 37,930 |
2016 | 18,220 | 38,740 |
2017 | 19,920 | 41,450 |
Source: Ophthalmic Data Warehouse: extracted 27-04-2018
Note: Myopia estimated by looking at children with a negative spherical component to their prescription. Data is only available for those who had spectacles or contact lenses dispensed. Excludes private eye examinations.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 26 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken regarding the impact of mobile phones on (a) public and (b) children's health.
Answer
In line with our approach to other public health issues, the Scottish Government receives evidence-based advice from Health Protection Scotland (HPS), our national health protection experts, and also from Public Health England (PHE). They have the expertise to assess the scientific literature available on this topic, and keep it under review.
At the current time, there is not sufficient evidence to conclude that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) within the international guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have negative health impacts and the resulting evidence from UK and international research is reassuring.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 March 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 26 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to promote the safe disposal of syringes.
Answer
The Scottish Government Guidelines for Services Providing Injecting Equipment (2010) specify that NHS Boards should ensure that all services in their area have robust policies and procedures in place in relation to the safe disposal of used injecting equipment.
In particular, Injecting Equipment Provision services should:
- Educate staff and clients to safely handle and dispose of used injecting equipment;
- Provide multiple options and locations for safe disposal of used injecting equipment;
- Inform staff and clients that they could be prosecuted if they are found disposing of used injecting equipment in a way that could put the public at risk.
Prescribers are also required to provide needle-clipping devices and/or sharps boxes as necessary for the disposal of sharps waste generated in the community through self-administration of medication. Black sharps boxes are available for domestic/personal use.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action schools take to protect children from knife crime.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2018
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of how ride-sharing apps could be used to (a) reduce CO2 emissions, (b) reduce surface deterioration on congestion roads and (c) better facilitate public services.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not carried out any research on the impact ride-sharing apps could have on reducing CO2 emissions, reducing surface deterioration on congested roads or better facilitation of public services.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken regarding the (a) costs and (b) benefits of the bike sharing scheme in (i) Glasgow and (ii) Edinburgh.
Answer
Decisions on bike sharing schemes are a matter for local authorities, and therefore also their responsibility to analyse costs and benefits for their local areas. The Scottish Government is supportive of such schemes that increase active travel and make our towns and cities friendly and safer.
I would encourage local authorities to speak to Forth Environment Link who run the Stirling bike sharing scheme which has received funding from Scottish Government and as part of their grant conditions carry out research into the costs and benefits of the scheme. Both Glasgow and Stirling schemes have been very successful in getting people more active. Edinburgh does not yet have a bike sharing scheme but I understand Councillors are considering the different models.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had concessionary railcards in each year since 2012.
Answer
This information is not held by Scottish Government, as there is no Scotland-wide Concessionary Rail Travel Scheme. At their discretion, local authorities can provide travel concessions for their residents, such as free or reduced fares on rail, taxi and ferry services.
