Chamber and committees

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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

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Question reference: S2W-22177

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in (a) each NHS board area and (b) total were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the population and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

The exact number of people diagnosed with clinical obesity in Scotland in each of the last five years, is not available centrally. However, there are two sources from which estimates can be derived regarding the prevalence of obesity:

1. National estimates of the numbers of people consulting for obesity can be given based on the number of patients seen for the condition in general practices participating in PTI (Practice Team Information). PTI data are obtained from a sample of Scottish general practices whose population covers the full range of age, sex, deprivation and urban/rural classes existing in Scotland. The number of participating practices is too small to allow estimates for individual NHS board areas.

2. National prevalence estimates can be obtained from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey. The Scottish Health Survey website (http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scottishhealthsurvey/) shows the percentage of respondents regarded as obese (body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²) > 30) in each NHS board area, but does not give information on the underlying numbers. Information is also available from earlier surveys in 1998 and 1995.

The estimated number of patients who consulted their general practices in Scotland for “obesity” based on PTI data over the financial years ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 is shown in the following table 1. Obesity in these consultations was not precisely defined in terms of height, weight or BMI. These figures are likely to considerably underestimate the true number of obese people in Scotland because many people with obesity do not consult their GP practice. In addition, these figures exclude people with obesity who did not consult their practice during the year of the analysis. Also, patients may visit the general practice for a condition e.g. diabetes, hypertension, related to their obesity without obesity itself being recorded. The numbers shown in table 1 are less than a tenth of the Scottish Health Survey estimates.

Table 1. Estimated Number of Patients Contacting their GP or any Member of the Practice Team¹ Regarding Obesity; Financial Years Ending 31 March 2001 to 2005

Financial Year	Number of Patients Seen
GP Only	Full Practice Team
2000-01	25,600
2001-02	41,300
2002-03	40,400
2003-04	35,300	45,000
2004-05	28,800	36,700

Note: 1. The Practice Team includes GPs, practice nurses, district nurses and health visitors. Before April 2003 data is available on GP visits only.

Table 2 shows the percentage of respondents from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey who were obese (BMI > 30) in each NHS board area. Information on the underlying numbers is not provided on the Scottish Health Survey website.

Table 2. Percentage Obese (Defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) >30), by NHS Board and Sex, Ages 16+^1,2

	Men³	Women³
Argyll and Clyde	23.2	27.9
Ayrshire and Arran	25.3	26.6
Borders	23.4	23.6
Dumfries and Galloway	27.5	30.0
Fife	20.4	27.1
Forth Valley	17.2	32.0
Grampian	20.1	25.6
Greater Glasgow	21.5	23.9
Highland	23.3	27.8
Lanarkshire	25.5	25.9
Lothian	25.5	22.3
Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles	[29.4]	[26.8]
Tayside	16.2	28.0
Scotland	22.4	26.0

Notes:

1. Extract from Scottish Health Survey 2003, Health Board Tables, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/76169/0019728.xls.

2. Those with valid BMI measurement.

3. Figures in square brackets are based on small samples.

Additionally, Table 5.7 of the 2003 Scottish Health Survey (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/76169/0019729.pdf) shows trends in obesity over the 1995, 1998 and 2003 surveys for respondents aged 16 to 64. Between the 1998 and 2003 survey the proportion of obese men aged 16 to 64 years increased from 18.8% to 22.0%, and for women increased from 20.9% to 23.8%.

Question reference: S2W-22172

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 23 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) females and (b) males aged (i) under 16, (ii) 16 to 18 and (iii) 19 to 21 were identified as having a sexually transmitted infection in (1) total and (2) each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

The full range of information requested is not held centrally. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are treated in a number of locations, including genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, family planning clinics and primary care settings. Data from these locations are incomplete.

The information which is available from GUM clinic attendances is given in Table 1 – Patients aged 21 and under diagnosed with an STI in Scottish GUM clinics by NHS Board of residence, gender, year and age group; 2000-2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38635).

In addition, laboratory data on the four main STIs is routinely collected by Health Protection Scotland. The number of positive laboratory reports are very similar to diagnoses recorded at GUM clinics although chlamydia, which is the most frequent single diagnosis in this age group, is more likely to be diagnosed in other settings. The data in Table 2 - Laboratory reports of Chlamydia among persons aged 21 years and under by NHS Board of diagnosis, gender, year and age group; Scotland 2000-2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38636) contains the available data from laboratory reports, broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S2W-22163

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister or Deputy Minister for Education and Young People has any plans to visit schools in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire and, if so, whether it will give details of the schools to be visited and the reasons for each visit.

Question reference: S2W-22170

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 23 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for anti-depressants have been dispensed in each NHS board area in each of the last five years, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

The information requested is provided in the following tables. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals and hospital-based clinics.

Antidepressants Prescribed in Scotland - Financial Years 2000-01 to 2004-05

Number of Prescribed Items and Percentage Change (Year-on-Year)

NHS Board	2000-01	2000-01*	2001-02	2001-02	2002-03	2002-03
Ayrshire and Arran	221,504	7.14%	243,336	9.86%	257,624	5.87%
Borders	53,443	11.15%	60,232	12.70%	65,614	8.94%
Argyll and Clyde	271,526	8.56%	298,310	9.86%	322,404	8.08%
Fife	188,377	10.92%	206,229	9.48%	221,354	7.33%
Greater Glasgow	539,972	9.34%	589,782	9.22%	639,060	8.36%
Highland	101,523	10.20%	110,881	9.22%	117,976	6.40%
Lanarkshire	322,447	9.75%	355,414	10.22%	387,851	9.13%
Grampian	218,036	7.05%	236,928	8.66%	251,199	6.02%
Orkney	8,362	5.98%	9,031	8.00%	9,780	8.29%
Lothian	353,180	8.82%	383,564	8.60%	409,371	6.73%
Tayside	209,570	9.04%	227,574	8.59%	239,351	5.18%
Forth Valley	159,954	8.29%	176,243	10.18%	190,525	8.10%
Western Isles	13,221	6.47%	13,921	5.29%	14,739	5.88%
Dumfries and Galloway	93,064	12.55%	104,406	12.19%	110,857	6.18%
Shetland	11,085	3.37%	11,050	-0.32%	11,178	1.16%
Scotland	2,765,264	9.02%	3,026,901	9.46%	3,248,883	7.33%

Notes: *Change from 1999-2000.

NHS Board	2003-04	2003-04	2004-05	2004-05
Ayrshire and Arran	270,635	5.05%	273,690	1.13%
Borders	71,920	9.61%	77,163	7.29%
Argyll and Clyde	335,175	3.96%	344,166	2.68%
Fife	226,317	2.24%	229,122	1.24%
Greater Glasgow	672,772	5.28%	684,455	1.74%
Highland	124,837	5.82%	129,138	3.45%
Lanarkshire	407,986	5.19%	416,223	2.02%
Grampian	267,534	6.50%	277,851	3.86%
Orkney	10,610	8.49%	10,920	2.92%
Lothian	423,442	3.44%	428,340	1.16%
Tayside	251,243	4.97%	258,496	2.89%
Forth Valley	197,125	3.46%	201,302	2.12%
Western Isles	15,658	6.24%	16,512	5.45%
Dumfries and Galloway	115,347	4.05%	117,937	2.25%
Shetland	11,344	1.49%	12,050	6.22%
Scotland	3,401,945	4.71%	3,477,365	2.22%

Source: ISD.

Question reference: S2W-22162

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 23 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14332 by Peter Peacock on 2 March 2005, how many schools the Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have visited in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire since 25 August 2004, detailing each school visited and the date of, and reasons for, each visit.

The Minister and Deputy Minister for Education and Young People have made the following visits to schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire since 25 August 2004.

Date	Minister	Authority	School	Reason
25-02-005	Minister	Aberdeen City	Torry Academy	Meet staff and pupils. Discuss Ambitious Excellent Schools.
18-08-005	Minister	Aberdeenshire	Kellands School, Inverurie	Presentation of the John Muir award
20-01-006	Deputy	Aberdeen City	St Machar Primary	General Visit

Question reference: S2W-22106

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 23 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on drug-driving testing kits in each of the last five years, including 2006, broken down by police force area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Question reference: S2W-22185

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many rural home ownership grants have been awarded in each local authority area in each year since the scheme was created.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

Information in the form requested is only available since 1996-97. The number of rural home ownership grants (RHOGs) that have been awarded by local authority area in the period 1996-97 to 2004-05 is as follows:

Number of RHOG Approvals by Unitary Authority (1996-97 to 2004-05)

	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
Aberdeenshire	2	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1
Angus	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Argyll and Bute	2	1	1	4	4	8	1	10	9
Highland	18	19	19	16	22	15	27	36	42
Moray	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Orkney Islands	12	12	7	14	17	25	26	28	38
Perth and Kinross	12	3	5	1	2	1	3	1	18
Shetland Islands	5	1	5	6	2	5	3	1	4
Stirling	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
The Scottish Borders	6	5	3	4	2	1	2	3	5
Western Isles	4	3	2	3	2	0	1	3	2

Question reference: S2W-22183

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Johann Lamont on 20 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to revise the minimum and maximum payments available via home loss compensation in order to bring the payments into line with those available in England.

Question reference: S2W-22176

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on introducing country-of-origin labelling.

Question reference: S2W-22166

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 January 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for rural home ownership grants were made in each local authority area in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

The number of applications for rural home ownership grants (RHOGs) that have been made by local authority area in the period (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05, showing year-on-year percentage changes are as follows:

Number of RHOG Applications Received by Unitary Authority (2002-03 to 2004-05)

	2002-03	2003-04		2004-05
	Applications	Applications	% Change	Applications	% Change
Aberdeenshire	1	2	100%	2	0%
Argyll and Bute	1	12	1,100%	10	-17%
Highland	32	39	22%	45	15%
North Ayrshire	1	1	0%	1	0%
Orkney Islands	26	29	12%	39	34%
Perth and Kinross	8	1	-88%	25	2400%
Shetland Islands	3	4	33%	4	0%
The Scottish Borders	2	3	50%	6	100%
Western Isles	3	5	67%	3	-40%”