Chamber and committees

Throughout the Angus area the Rapid Response Unit deployed to patients with chest pains will be either the Cardiac Response Unit (CRU) or an accident and emergency unit (AEU), both of which have the same thrombolytic capability. While the AEU is available on a 24-hour basis throughout the area, the CRU is only operational in an area that may broadly be described as to the north of Forfar and during peak times.

If objections are not withdrawn, Schedule 1 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 sets out the circumstances which cause a Public Local Inquiry to be held and those where, if Scottish ministers are satisfied, they may decide the holding of an inquiry is not necessary. There is no specified timetable in either case.

Both resources, that is the cardiac response unit (CRU) and the ambulance accident and emergency unit (AEU), have the same thrombolytic capability as defined in the answer given to question S1W-30941. The CRU was introduced into Angus to provide a dedicated resource capable of delivering a fast response to and early thrombolysis for those patients who may require such treatment. When the CRU is deployed, then it is backed up by an AEU to transport the patient to hospital.

Two out of the four accident and emergency units operating in the Angus area have a thrombolytic capability.

Tayside Acute Hospitals NHS Trust put forward £10 million plans to develop an Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Treatment Centre (ADTC) at Stracathro Hospital to the trust board on 30 October. The ADTC business case was approved by the trust board and will now be submitted to NHS Tayside Board for consideration.In terms of Arbroath Infirmary, a service planning workshop was held with clinicians on 26 September to identify services which would compliment those services being provided at Stracathro Hospital as a result of the Acute Services Review. Capital investment planning will follow once the service delivery has been agreed.

Tayside Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been reviewing its acute service delivery and, as a result, planned (subject to approvals) capital investment at Stracathro Hospital is £10 million; this is to develop an Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Treatment Center (ADTC). As part of the ADTC development, capital investment for 2002-03 is planned to be £585,000. Clinicians and managers at Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust have also met to discuss the service delivery implications of the Acute Services Review on Arbroath Infirmary. Future capital investment will follow from service delivery decisions to best meet the needs of the Angus population and the residents of Arbroath.The capital investment at Stracathro Hospital and Arbroath Infirmary for the last five financial years is as follows:

	Stracathro Hospital(£000)	Arbroath Infirmary(£000)
2001-02	71	30
2000-01	Nil	16
1999-2000	131	643
1998-99	211	102
1997-98	348	195

Further information, if required, can be obtained directly from the trust.

Ambulances described as having thrombolytic capability are equipped with 12-lead Electro Cardiograph (ECG) machines with telemetry, and clot-busting drugs.

The rapid response unit deployed to patients in Angus with chest pains will be either the Cardiac Response Unit (CRU) or an accident and emergency ambulance carrying the thrombolytic equipment, subject to availability and conditions as detailed in the answer given to question S1W-29905.Rapid Response Units (RRUs) are being introduced across Scotland as part of the service's roll-out of priority-based dispatch. These units will be dispatched as a first response to Category A (life-threatening) calls where there is not available an accident and emergency ambulance capable of responding within eight minutes. Where the RRU is dispatched then it is backed up by the first available accident and emergency ambulance.Both the provision of thrombolytic services in Angus and the implementation of priority-based dispatch across Scotland are part of the Ambulance Service's continuing commitment to provide the most appropriate and efficient response to its patients.

We intend to promote credible alternatives to widespread closure of our fishing grounds. The processing sector also has other sources of supply and is not wholly dependent on whitefish. Together, these should limit the economic impact on processors of any measures agreed by the Council of Ministers in December.

The introduction of a levy on plastic shopping bags would be a reserved matter for HM Treasury.