Chamber and committees

Chapter 2 the Scottish Government's £100 million Cancer Strategy 'Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action' contains analysis of the changing population in Scotland and the future impact on cancer services. The full cancer strategy can be found here: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/03/9784

Scottish Government officials also work closely with cancer teams in NHS Boards every day and are frequently looking at the number of patients coming through with a suspicion of cancer, alongside reviewing available resource and capacity locally, to ensure everyone receives the best timely care possible.

We are supporting all boards including Ayrshire and Arran to implement policies to reduce missed appointments, such as providing reminder services through text, emails and social media. This allows reminder services to be tailored for patients who are most likely not to attend.

The majority of firearms legislation is reserved to Westminster. Air weapons legislation was devolved in 2012 and in 2015 the Scottish Government introduced a system of air weapon licensing under the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015. Scotland is the only part of the UK to have introduced an air weapon licensing system. The Scottish Government has long held the view that firearms law is complex and overdue for reform and the recent report by HMICS identified benefit in making the law easier to find and understand. We will continue to work with the UK Government to ensure that the law is fit for purpose.

The Scottish Government fully funds the inspection and repair of all category 1 defects, including potholes, on the trunk road network. However the monthly sums involved are tendered prices and cannot be shared as they are commercially sensitive.

Trunk road investment is not allocated, recorded or reported on the basis of local authority area.

The following table contains information provided by the trunk road maintenance agents (i.e. Operating Companies and Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO) contractors) for the last 3 financial years. Figures for this current financial year to date are also included. Information is not held for local authority roads.

The Scottish Government take the issue of the handling of asbestos within schools and other public buildings very seriously. The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that local authorities follow Health and Safety Executive recommendations for managing asbestos.

In addition, I wrote to all local authorities following the publication of the Cole Report on schools to underline their obligations in relation to verifying and enforcing building regulations, technical standards and the inspection processes which are in place to protect the public.

An estimate of the number of (a) children aged under 12 and (b) school children aged 12-17 who have had an eye examination and spectacles or contact lenses dispensed for myopia is given in the following table for each year since 2010. Information is not available on adults diagnosed with myopia.

Estimate of number of children diagnosed with myopia who have had a pair of spectacles / contact lenses dispensed during the year: 2010-2017

The Scottish Health Survey collects height and weight measurements from a representative sample of adults and children across Scotland each year. This provides the national estimates of obesity prevalence.

It is not possible to provide figures for all of the age-groups requested, as the survey assesses obesity differently depending on whether the individual is an adult (aged 16 and over) or a child (aged 2-15). The available age-groups are presented in the following table.

In line with our approach to other public health issues, the Scottish Government receives evidence-based advice from Health Protection Scotland (HPS), our national health protection experts, and also from Public Health England (PHE). They have the expertise to assess the scientific literature available on this topic, and keep it under review.

At the current time, there is not sufficient evidence to conclude that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) within the international guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have negative health impacts and the resulting evidence from UK and international research is reassuring.

The Scottish Government Guidelines for Services Providing Injecting Equipment (2010) specify that NHS Boards should ensure that all services in their area have robust policies and procedures in place in relation to the safe disposal of used injecting equipment.

In particular, Injecting Equipment Provision services should:

• Educate staff and clients to safely handle and dispose of used injecting equipment;
• Provide multiple options and locations for safe disposal of used injecting equipment;
• Inform staff and clients that they could be prosecuted if they are found disposing of used injecting equipment in a way that could put the public at risk.

Prescribers are also required to provide needle-clipping devices and/or sharps boxes as necessary for the disposal of sharps waste generated in the community through self-administration of medication. Black sharps boxes are available for domestic/personal use.