Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27525 on 28 September 2015. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27525 on 28 September 2015. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27525 on 28 September 2015. 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.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed changes to the blood pressure clinic at the Vale of Leven Hospital in September 2015. The changes reflect the diminishing level of demand for the clinic which moved from weekly to fortnightly in 2014. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that, since the start of 2015, demand has dropped further again (to, on average, two patients per week) and the clinic has been run monthly. However, the health board has been clear that the vast majority of local people will continue to be seen in either the general medical clinics at the hospital or via their local GP surgery. Only those requiring specialist treatment, estimated by the health board to be around one person from the local area per month, will be seen at the hypertension clinic provided jointly with the University of Glasgow at the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. This reflects the position for all patients in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

When this government ended a decade of damaging uncertainty by approving the Vision for the Vale in 2009, we were clear that as much planned care activity as possible should be provided locally. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde remains committed to this and continues to review opportunities to repatriate services, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. By 2014-15, 65% of all local patients’ day case procedures, 63% of all local patients’ outpatient appointments, and 30% of all local patients’ elective procedures took place at the Vale. In terms of overall patient activity: inpatient activity has increased by 37% when compared with the 2009-10 position and day case activity has increased by 29% (an increase of over 1,000 cases) when compared with 2009-10.

I recognise and agree the importance of keeping Parliament informed on negotiations. As I have explained to Parliament previously, there is a need to strike a balance between satisfying the legitimate need for parliamentary scrutiny whilst leaving space for a negotiation that will protect Scottish interests.

The Joint Exchequer Committee (JEC) is a forum for intergovernmental discussion. I have undertaken to write to the Convenor of the Finance Committee after each JEC to provide him with a communique which sets out the issues discussed. This has been done on all occasions.

The Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award is run by the Outward Bound Trust. The Scottish Government worked in partnership with the Outward Bound Trust to agree a package of funding for the award between 2012-15. As part of this agreement the funding was structured to reduce annually over the three year period while still enabling the Outward Bound Trust to expand the award in line with the business plan they had submitted to the Scottish Government.

Through discussions with the Scottish Government, it was agreed that £100,000 in 2015-16 would enable the trust to continue to deliver, maintain the expansion and meet the costs of the award detailed in their business plan. The Scottish Government is fully committed to supporting young people to fulfil their potential and I am delighted to confirm, based upon information provided to the Scottish Government, that the Outward Bound Trust is on track to meet its agreed objectives.

The Scottish Government has received no reply from the Prime Minister on this matter to date.

The Health and Safety Executive, a UK agency, is the lead for safety in the workplace and has responsibility for enforcement of the related asbestos legislation and regulations.

The latest available Scottish court statistics cover the last five years from 2009-10 to 2013-14. During this time there was one prosecution which resulted in a conviction in 2013-14, where the main offence was under Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 regulation 4(10)(A).

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings Database

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, responsibility for the control and management of asbestos in local authority schools rests with the local authority.

This information is not held centrally.

However, under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, local authorities are required to make and keep an up to date record of the location of all schools which contain, or are presumed to contain, asbestos.