Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-06739

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all teachers in pre-school centres to have their own e-mail address.

Question reference: S1W-06734

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the ratio of computers of less than four years old to pupils in special schools, discounting those that are used mainly for administration purposes.

Question reference: S1W-06735

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the ratio of computers of less than four years old to pupils in pre-school centres, discounting those that are used mainly for administration purposes.

Question reference: S1W-06732

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the ratio of computers of less than four years old to pupils in primary schools, discounting those that are used mainly for administration purposes.

Question reference: S1W-06742

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all pupils in special schools to have their own e-mail address.

Question reference: S1W-06736

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all teachers in secondary schools to have their own e-mail address.

Question reference: S1W-05618

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to give any advice to Yorkhill Children's Hospital as it considers its long-term strategy for dealing with organs that have been retained without parental consent in previous years.

Question reference: S1W-05615

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct an inquiry to determine how many organs have been retained at Yorkhill Children's Hospital without parental knowledge and consent in the last twenty years.

Of the four NHS Trusts in Scotland delivering paediatric pathology services, all but Yorkhill NHS Trust included a statement in the post-mortem consent form covering the retention of organs or tissue for medical education or research.

The Scottish Executive Health Department has issued a Management Executive Letter (MEL(2000)21) dated 27 April 2000 which makes it clear that all Trusts in Scotland are expected to comply with the Royal College of Pathologists' "Guidelines for the retention of tissues and organs at post-mortem". In particular, they are expected to use the model form drawn up by the college for use when carrying out a post-mortem with the consent of relatives. That form contains specific questions about the retention of organs and their subsequent disposal. We have also drawn all Trusts' attention to the guidance published by the Medical Research Council on the use of samples of human tissue for research.

Yorkhill has considered very carefully, in conjunction with parents' representatives, whether it should inform parents that their children's organs have been retained without their consent. Parents' representatives took the view that a pro-active approach could be a distressing intrusion into the very different and highly personal ways in which parents and families cope with the loss of a child. The Trust has accepted that view, but will of course respond sensitively to any approaches it receives from parents.

The Trust is now undertaking a review over the next 6-12 months of the retained organs to identify those of particular and continuing educational value. All other organs would be disposed of with respect and dignity after allowing a suitable interval, possibly a year, for further parental inquiries.

The Scottish Executive is aware of the census of all hospital pathology departments in England being undertaken by the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health in England. He is expected to report in September, and consideration will be given to whether the recommendations he makes have any implications for the NHS in Scotland. We shall also consider whether any further action needs to be taken in the light of the recommendations of the interim report issued on 11 May by the public inquiry investigating paediatric cardiac surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Question reference: S1W-05616

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct an inquiry to determine how many organs are currently held at Yorkhill Children's Hospital without the knowledge of parents.

Question reference: S1W-05619

Asked by: Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 25 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a review of Yorkhill Children's Hospital's current procedure for the retention of organs to ensure that they comply fully with the guidelines published by the Royal College of Pathologists on 23 March 2000.