- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 July 2014
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on islands being able to secede from an independent Scotland.
Answer
Scotland has 93 inhabited islands with a total population of over 103,000 people (latest 2011 Census day estimates). Our island communities are long-standing and much-valued parts of Scotland and that would continue in the event of independence. This is reflected in section 30 of the draft Scottish Independence Bill, which provides that the particular needs of island communities must be taken into account when the Scottish Government is carrying out its functions, and in the Government’s proposals in Empowering Scotland’s Island Communities published on 16 June.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 July 2014
To ask the Scottish Government how its proposed constitution for an independent Scotland would address calls for secession.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21856 on 15 July 2014. 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.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 July 2014
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the white paper on independence did not refer to (a) the principles of and (b) calls for secession in an independent Scotland.
Answer
Question 558 in Scotland’s Future made it clear that, in the event of independence, Scotland’s territory will remain as it is now.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 July 2014
To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, what provisions in the proposed carers legislation will involve carers in the discharge process of patients and whether there will be a specific duty on NHS boards and local authorities.
Answer
It is very important to fully involve carers in the discharge planning of the people they care for who are patients. The good practice which exists needs to be spread across Scotland and we will make sure that this happens.
The consultation on the carers’ legislation sets out our proposals to help ensure more consistent and sustainable support to improve outcomes for carers and young carers across Scotland. One of the key principles of the legislation, and of the regulations underpinning the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, is to ensure greater carer involvement in the shaping, planning, and delivery of services that carers and the people they care for use.
We are currently analysing the consultation responses to the carers’ legislation and will publish our response in Autumn 2014.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21127 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, what steps it is taking to ensure that the number of people being initiated for treatment continues to increase.
Answer
The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework contains an explicit target reflecting the government’s desire to see treatment numbers increase, and performance against these targets is monitored through national indicator data and during annual Scottish Government visits to NHS boards.
The current financial year is the final year of the framework, and the refreshed framework, to be published next year, will reflect the conclusions of the treatment and therapies subgroup on priorities for hepatitis C therapy in light of the rapidly evolving treatment landscape. Policy on hepatitis C targets may therefore be different in the future.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21127 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, what progress each NHS board is making on achieving the national target for treatment initiations for 2013-14, and whether it expects the overall target to be met.
Answer
The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework does not contain any board-specific targets for treatment initiations. Progress against the national target for number of persons commencing therapy is detailed in the following table.
The targets set out in the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework were informed by a long-term goal to significantly change the shape of the epidemic in Scotland, and were based on the hepatitis C therapies in use at the time the framework was written. Since the framework was published there have been changes to standard therapies for hepatitis C in Scotland, including the introduction of protease inhibitors in 2012-13, which have improved treatment outcomes for many patients, and which mean more people commencing treatment are clearing the virus.
Decisions about initiating treatment must be made by clinicians and patients together. Some patients may choose to delay commencing treatment for a range of reasons, in discussion with clinicians.
Year | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14* |
Number of persons commencing therapy | 904 | 1049 | 1002 | 1052 | 1000 |
Scotland target | 750 | 1000 | 1100 | 1150 | 1200 |
*Data for 2013-14 is provisional
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21125 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, what target the refreshed framework will set to reduce cases of hepatitis C.
Answer
No decision has been made on targets within the refreshed framework. Targets for hepatitis C treatment will be informed by progress in delivering the current priorities, as reflected in data on indicators; by end of framework reports from NHS boards, which will be received towards the end of 2014-15; by the Treatment and Therapies Sub-group, which will report to ministers before Christmas 2014.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21128 by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2014, whether it will devise a strategy to engage with people who have hepatitis C who have previously (a) not completed treatment and (b) completed treatment but still have the condition.
Answer
The Sexual Health and Bloodborne Virus Framework highlights the importance of developing strategies to treat those chronically infected with hepatitis C. This fully encompasses all infected individuals, including those who have not completed treatment and those who have not achieved a sustained viral response.
Data is collected locally and nationally on individuals commencing but not completing treatment, and those who do not achieve a sustained viral response. Those who have previously commenced treatment will be known to services and in the vast majority of cases will be seen regularly for review by the clinical team.
The table below sets out national data on the number of patients commencing treatment each year. A significant proportion are individuals recommencing treatment. This increased significantly in 2012-13 following the introduction of protease inhibitors.
Patients who had previously been treated for HCV, and commenced another course of therapy in Scotland* by financial year** |
Financial year | Number of patients recommencing a course of therapy* (A) | Total number of patients initiated on therapy* (B) | % (A/B) |
2009-2010 | 86 | 788 | 10.9% |
2010-2011 | 80 | 927 | 8.6% |
2011-2012 | 95 | 905 | 10.5% |
2012-2013 | 218 | 967 | 22.5% |
2013-2014 | 147 | 895 | 16.4% |
*Excludes data from two clinics in NHS boards: Dumfries & Galloway and Lothian. | |
**Data reported is provisional. | | |
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 29 May 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19628 by Alex Neil on 20 February 2014, whether it will provide an update on the progress of the publication of the report of the Scottish Public Inquiry into Hepatitis C/HIV.
Answer
Lord Penrose, Chairman of the Scottish Public Inquiry into Hepatitis C/HIV acquired infection from NHS treatment in Scotland with blood and blood products (The Penrose Inquiry) wrote to me on the 26 February 2014 updating me on the inquiry’s progress.
The Penrose Inquiry is independent of Scottish Ministers and it is for the Chairman to decide on the progress and timetabling of the Inquiry.
The inquiry is currently in the process of issuing warning letters arising from the final report and the Chairman has agreed to provide me with another progress report at the end of May 2014.
The most recent information relating to the report can be found on the inquiry’s website at: http://www.penroseinquiry.org.uk/
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2014
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 29 May 2014
To ask the Scottish Government, following the reported call by the Solicitor General for the law on domestic abuse to be strengthened, what steps it will take to look at introducing a new domestic abuse offence into criminal law; what the timetable will be, and what discussions it has had with stakeholders.
Answer
Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority for Scottish Ministers and for Scotland’s justice system. In addition to increased investment in initiatives to tackle domestic abuse, we took swift action in 2010 to close a loophole in the criminal law to ensure cases of domestic abuse could continue to be dealt with under a new threatening or abusive behaviour criminal offence.
We are giving the proposals for a specific domestic abuse offence, and a separate domestic abuse aggravator, careful consideration. This will include engaging with justice agencies and key stakeholders, including Scottish Women’s Aid and ASSIST, to hear their views and these discussions will inform consideration of next steps. This forms part of our wider work to address the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls and other forms of threat and violence.