- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 22 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when Phase 2 of the review of the children"s hearing system will begin.
Answer
Shortly. Proposals for Phase 2 are being considered in the light of the issues raised by Phase 1 which include how to ensure the system delivers positive outcomes for all children referred through interagency working, how to engage better with parents and highlight their responsibilities, and the fit betweenthe children’s hearings system and other services for children.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 22 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to sub-divide the children's hearing system following Phase 2 of the review of the system.
Answer
The objective of the review is to develop and improve the children’s hearings system while respecting its fundamental principles, one of which is a single system for dealing with children who offend or who are in need of care and protection.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Euan Robson on 22 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage turnover was of children's panel members in (a) 1999-00, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03, (e) 2003-2004, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The information requested is given in a table Children's Panel Member Turnover, 1999-2000 – 2003-04, which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34684).
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending the central heating installation programme to people who are currently ineligible but have a partial or faulty central heating system where it can be demonstrated that there is risk of harm to the occupants.
Answer
If a central heating system is at risk of harm to the occupants, it should be condemned by a suitably qualified engineer. If it has been condemned, it has to be determined if the central heating system can be repaired. Only if the central heating system is irreparable can the occupants be considered for the central heating programme. The only exception to this is for the over 80s in the private sector who can have their central heating system upgraded or replaced if they have a partial or inefficient system.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12173 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 November 2004, what research projects are being carried out to monitor and evaluate the central heating installation programme; when these projects will report, and whether their reports will be made public.
Answer
We have published annual reports for the central heating programme and warm deal for 2001-02 and 2002-03, copies of which are available in the Parliament’sReference Centre (Bib. numbers 26024 and 34624). The annual report for 2003-04 is due to be published in 2005.We have commissioned a three-year research project to evaluate the impact of the central heating programme on fuel poverty. The first year report was published on 2 August 2004 on the Scottish Executive website and can be found at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/aichp-00.asp The Research Findings from that report were published the same day and can be found at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/drf187-00.asp. The second year report will be available in 2005.We have commissioned a three-year research project to evaluate the impact of the central heating programme on health. This research is due to be finished in 2006 and will be published.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11102 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, how many patients died within 28 days of discharge, broken down by age group, in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002 and (e) 2003.
Answer
The following tables show the number of patients who died within 28 days of discharge, broken down by age group, in the years 1999 to 2003 inclusive:
Deaths Within 28 Days of Discharge from a Surgical Specialty in a Scottish Hospital; 1999-2003
| Age Group | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| 0-14 years | 7 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 12 |
| 15 -24 years | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 25-44 years | 48 | 51 | 44 | 48 | 49 |
| 45-64 years | 259 | 261 | 265 | 254 | 269 |
| 65 and over | 1,168 | 1,170 | 1,104 | 1,176 | 1,171 |
| All Ages | 1,489 | 1,492 | 1,421 | 1,498 | 1,507 |
Deaths Within 28-Days of Discharge from a Medical Specialty in a Scottish Hospital; 1999-2003
| Age group | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| 0-14 years | 19 | 21 | 22 | 17 | 27 |
| 15 -24 years | 28 | 12 | 19 | 19 | 13 |
| 25-44 years | 119 | 140 | 163 | 146 | 143 |
| 45-64 years | 839 | 772 | 829 | 813 | 808 |
| 65 and over | 3,379 | 3,225 | 3,334 | 3,404 | 3,600 |
| All Ages | 4,384 | 4,170 | 4,367 | 4,399 | 4,591 |
Note: These statistics are derived from data collected on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) and Registrar General death records in Scotland. All records including deaths for each patient are linked together using “probability matching”. The “probability matching” algorithm uses all available identifying information (name, date of birth, postcode, hospital patient reference number etc.) to link the individual hospital records for each patient, thereby creating “linked” patient histories.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9672 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 17 June 2004, whether it still plans to make an announcement in respect of future spending plans and whether, when considering such plans, it has considered extending the free central heating installation programme to people under 60 on the higher rate component of disability living allowance.
Answer
Ministers have not yet takendecisions on the shape or role of future fuel poverty programmes beyond 2006. Wewill consult the Scottish Executive Fuel Poverty Forum and other interested parties on anyproposals before they are announced.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under 60 receive the disability living allowance and how much it would cost to include such people in the central heating installation programme.
Answer
Disability Living Allowance is a matter for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). According to the DWP statistics, as of the end of May 2004 there were approximately 176,100 people under 60 in Scotland in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance. The current average grant cost for the central heating programme is approximately £3,300. Assuming that all of the people under 60 in receipt of Disability Living Allowance in Scotland needed central heating installed, this would cost approximately £581 million, excluding any fees.
According to the Fuel Poverty in Scotland report, 7% of households who receive the care component of the Disability Living Allowance are in fuel poverty, as are 7% of households who receive the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance. These figures compare with the national average for fuel poverty of 13%.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what policies and measures it has in place to promote the local procurement of food by schools, hospitals and care homes.
Answer
It is Executive policy that purchasers should take account of healthy eatingobjectives when awarding contracts for food and catering services. By focussingon high quality, traditional and seasonal produce, we can help Scottish foodsuppliers compete for public contracts.
At the Scottish Public Procurement Conference in May the Finance Minister launched guidelines on incorporating sustainable development into public procurement of food and catering services. This guidance, which is available on the Scottish Procurement Directorate website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/FCSD/PCSD-POL/00017839/susdevguide.aspx.gives guidance to public procurement officials, including those in local authorities and health boards, on how issues such as local food can be incorporated within their procurement procedures without falling foul of European procurement regulations.
The Executive itself does not buy food other than through its catering contractor. Decisions on the procurement of food by schools, hospitals and care homes are ultimately the responsibility of those bodies, and not the Executive.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff have been employed in each of its departments in each year since 1999 and how many such staff have been employed on temporary contracts in each such year, shown also as a percentage of total staff.
Answer
The information available on the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff employed by the Scottish Executive in each of its core departments in each year since 1999 and the number and percentage of such staff employed on temporary contracts in each such year is set out in the tables below and is provided as a snap shot of staff in post at the 1 of April in each of the years. In addition some casual staff were employed through employment agencies. Detailed information for such staff for the period requested is not available.
Number Of Full-Time Equivalent Staff in Post in Scottish Executive Core Departments
1 April 1999
| | Full-Time Staff | Part-Time Staff | All Staff | Staff Employed By Scottish Executive On Temporary Contracts |
| (Number) | (%) |
| Total | 3,658 | 199.8 | 3,857.8 | 303.5 | 7.9% |
| Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries | 967 | 39.8 | 1,006.8 | 88.7 | 8.8% |
| Central Services | 1,002 | 37.9 | 1,039.9 | 137.9 | 13.3% |
| Centrally Managed Staff | 67 | 7.4 | 74.4 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Development Department | 476 | 20.2 | 496.2 | 15 | 3.0% |
| Education and Industry Department | 553 | 43.6 | 596.6 | 18 | 3.0% |
| Health Department | 235 | 20.5 | 255.5 | 14.5 | 5.7% |
| Home Department | 358 | 30.4 | 388.4 | 29.4 | 7.6% |
1 April 2000
| | Full-Time Staff | Part-Time Staff | All Staff | Staff Employed By Scottish Executive On Temporary Contracts |
| (Number) | (%) |
| Total | 3,813 | 205.6 | 4,018.6 | 146.6 | 3.6% |
| Central Services | 787 | 36.1 | 823.1 | 16.6 | 2.0% |
| Centrally Managed Staff | 202 | 8.2 | 210.2 | 9.9 | 4.7% |
| Development Department | 495 | 25.3 | 520.3 | 6 | 1.2% |
| Education Department | 335 | 23.4 | 358.4 | 4 | 1.1% |
| Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department | 277 | 20.9 | 297.9 | 7 | 2.3% |
| Executive Secretariat | 265 | 10.7 | 275.7 | 15.4 | 5.6% |
| Health Department | 292 | 19 | 311 | 13 | 4.2% |
| Justice Department | 182 | 21.9 | 203.9 | 8.8 | 4.3% |
| Rural Affairs Department | 978 | 40.1 | 1,018.1 | 65.9 | 6.5% |
1 April 2001
| | Full-Time Staff | Part-Time Staff | All Staff | Staff Employed By Scottish Executive On Temporary Contracts |
| (Number) | (%) |
| Total | 3,849 | 228.5 | 4,077.5 | 177.1 | 4.3% |
| Central Services | 800 | 46.8 | 846.8 | 35.5 | 4.2% |
| Centrally Managed Staff | 95 | 2.7 | 97.7 | 3 | 3.1% |
| Development Department | 481 | 27.5 | 508.5 | 8 | 1.6% |
| Education Department | 361 | 30.8 | 391.8 | 8.8 | 2.2% |
| Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Dept | 290 | 23.9 | 313.9 | 9.5 | 3.0% |
| Executive Secretariat | 278 | 14.9 | 292.9 | 21.3 | 7.3% |
| Health Department | 319 | 18.3 | 337.3 | 6.5 | 1.9% |
| Justice Department | 196 | 22.9 | 218.9 | 11.4 | 5.2% |
| Rural Affairs Department | 1,029 | 40.7 | 1,069.7 | 73.1 | 6.8% |
1 April 2002
| | Full-Time Staff | Part-Time Staff | All Staff | Staff Employed By Scottish Executive On Temporary Contracts |
| (Number) | (%) |
| Total | 4,060 | 257.1 | 4,317.1 | 274.3 | 6.4% |
| Centrally Managed Staff | 91 | 4.3 | 95.3 | 5 | 5.2% |
| Corporate Services | 628 | 41.8 | 669.8 | 52.2 | 7.8% |
| Development Department | 539 | 32.2 | 571.2 | 22.6 | 4.0% |
| Education Department | 290 | 25.4 | 315.4 | 25.8 | 8.2% |
| Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Dept | 319 | 23.7 | 342.7 | 18.9 | 5.5% |
| Executive Secretariat | 292 | 17.5 | 309.5 | 22.5 | 7.3% |
| Finance | 135 | 9.1 | 144.1 | 1 | 0.7% |
| Health Department | 355 | 20.8 | 375.8 | 5.5 | 1.5% |
| Justice Department | 221 | 29.1 | 250.1 | 17.1 | 6.8% |
| Ministerial Group | 83 | 2.2 | 85.2 | 2 | 2.3% |
| Rural Affairs Department | 1,107 | 51 | 1,158 | 101.7 | 8.8% |
1 April 2003
| | Full-Time Staff | Part-Time Staff | All Staff | Staff Employed By Scottish Executive On Temporary Contracts |
| (Number) | (%) |
| Total | 4,164 | 274.8 | 4,438.8 | 206.3 | 4.6% |
| Centrally Managed Staff | 92 | 5.4 | 97.4 | 4 | 4.1% |
| Corporate Services | 600 | 43.4 | 643.4 | 40.7 | 6.3% |
| Development Department | 472 | 20.6 | 492.6 | 18.9 | 3.8% |
| Education Department | 255 | 25.5 | 280.5 | 21 | 7.5% |
| Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department | 319 | 26 | 345 | 5.7 | 1.7% |
| Environment and Rural Affairs Department | 1,073 | 54 | 1127 | 63 | 5.6% |
| Finance and Central Services Department | 530 | 38.1 | 568.1 | 20.6 | 3.6% |
| Health Department | 363 | 23.9 | 386.9 | 9 | 2.3% |
| Justice Department | 205 | 24.2 | 229.2 | 7.9 | 3.4% |
| Legal and Parliamentary Services | 168 | 11.5 | 179.5 | 14.5 | 8.1% |
| Ministerial Group | 87 | 2.2 | 89.2 | 1 | 1.1% |
1 April 2004
| | Full-Time Staff | Part-Time Staff | All Staff | Staff Employed By Scottish Executive On Temporary Contracts |
| (Number) | (%) |
| Total | 4,188 | 291.7 | 4,479.7 | 168 | 3.8% |
| Centrally Managed Staff | 74 | 3.2 | 77.2 | 1 | 1.3% |
| Development Department | 305 | 13.8 | 318.8 | 13.7 | 4.3% |
| Education Department | 258 | 23.4 | 281.4 | 12 | 4.3% |
| Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Dept | 481 | 38.2 | 519.2 | 5 | 1.0% |
| Environment and Rural Affairs Department | 1,073 | 56.5 | 1,129.5 | 61.7 | 5.5% |
| Finance and Central Services Department | 533 | 40 | 573 | 12.6 | 2.2% |
| Health Department | 364 | 32 | 396 | 11 | 2.8% |
| Justice Department | 229 | 24.4 | 253.4 | 9 | 3.6% |
| Legal and Parliamentary Services | 168 | 14.2 | 182.2 | 14 | 7.7% |
| Office Of The Permanent Secretary | 703 | 46 | 749 | 28 | 3.7% |
