Chamber and committees

The information requested is not held centrally.

Most sudden deaths in people under 35 are likely to be due to an inherited cardiac condition, but without a post-mortem examination it is not always possible to be certain of the cause of death.

There may be around 30 such deaths a year in Scotland, but both the Cardiac Assessment of Young Athletes (CAYA) programme and the Familial Arrhythmia Network Scotland (FANS) are trying to achieve a better understanding of the numbers.

This information requested is not available.

During 2008-09 and 2009-10, the Government made available £200,000 to support the Cardiac Assessment in Young Athletes (CAYA) programme. It offers cardiovascular assessment of those aged between 15 and 25 who are engaged in competitive sports.

We have also supported the establishment of the Familial Arrhythmia Network Scotland (FANS). The network aims to raise awareness of familial arrhythmias, define and agree referral protocols, develop national guidance for clinical and genetic testing and establish a national register which will support long term follow-up. As we indicated in our Heart Disease and Stroke Action Plan, FANS should extend its activities to cover cardiomyopathies, as these represent another significant cause of sudden cardiac death.

Of the 885 individuals assessed so far by the Cardiac Assessment in Young Athletes (CAYA) programme, 176 have been referred for further treatment, in most cases because of raised blood pressure. None has been excluded from participation in competitive sports.

The information requested is included in the following table:

NHS Board	Number Of Electrocardiogram Machines	Number Of Echocardiogram Machines
Ayrshire and Arran	169	10
Borders	12*	2
Dumfries and Galloway	35*	3
Fife	27*	3
Forth Valley	62	5
Grampian	165*	15
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	330	42
Highland	305	8
Lanarkshire	106	8
Lothian	173	14
Orkney	59	1
Shetland	40	1
Tayside	220	12
Western Isles	25	2
National Waiting Times Centre Board	22	11
Total	1,750	137

Note: * Excludes equipment held in GP surgeries.

Source: NHS boards.

In 2008-09, there were 320,672 attendances across Scotland for Electrocardiography with an estimated cost of £38 per attendance.

We do not hold centrally the cost of operating an echocardiogram machine.

We want to ensure that Scotland''s children are given the opportunity to learn to swim and to enjoy swimming as a lifelong activity. This is why I recently announced funding of £800,000 to be invested over the coming year for a top-up swimming programme. This will support the improved delivery of swimming lessons and ensure that all children should have the opportunity to learn to swim before leaving primary school. Given the reductions in Scotland''s budgets by the UK Government, this represents a considerable investment in swimming for children.

Each local authority will have access to these funds but, quite rightly, it is for them to decide how best to design services in their area or supplement existing provision.

The Scottish Government does not hold comprehensive information on local authority provision of free year-round access to swimming for children. However I understand that whilst sportscotland do not systematically gather this data they have supplied general information which gives a good picture of local authority provision as well as the varied level of programmes offered. As an example, the following local authorities provide free year-round access to swimming for children:

Aberdeen: concession scheme for those on low income, disability benefit;

Angus: free swimming for under fours;

City of Edinburgh: free casual swimming for primary-aged children;

Dumfries and Galloway: free swimming Saturday mornings (under 18);

East Dunbartonshire: free to under fives;

Falkirk            : parents and toddlers in organised classes;

Glasgow: free to under 16s with a Glasgow Kidz card;

Inverclyde: free swimming offered;

Orkney: free to under fives;

Shetland: free swimming pre- school;

Stirling: free swimming to under 16s;

West Dunbartonshire: Monday to Friday concessionary membership (parents in receipt of benefits);

West Lothian : under 16s every Friday between 1 and 4pm.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36942 on 10 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found athttp://www.scottish.parliament.uk/AppsBusiness/PQA/Default.aspx.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The following tables provide a breakdown of each prison''s design capacity and average daily population for each complete financial year from 2006-07 and for the period 1 April to 28 October 2010:

HMP Dumfries

Year	Design Capacity	Average Daily Population
2006-07	179	200
2007-08	179	202
2008-09	179	205
2009-10	179	192
1 Apr to 28 Oct 2010	179	198

 

HMP Kilmarnock

Year	Minimum contracted capacity	Additional spaces purchased	Average Daily Population
2006-07	500	96	599
2007-08	500	144	641
2008-09	500	144	636
2009-10	500	48	549
1 Apr to 28 Oct 2010	500	48	547

 

The information requested can be found in the Financial Memorandum to the Bill, pages 73 to 86 inclusive at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/41-ChildrensHearingsb41s3-introd-en.pdf.