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Questions and answers

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

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-05771

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4809 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004, what the value is of each percentile.

The following table showsthe value of each percentile of the waiting times distributions.

Only values up to the 99^th percentile are given. The one percent of values that are longer than the 99^th percentile cannot individually be relied upon as these will include a mixture of actual times and times that are a result of recording errors. Of those patients who have actually waited longer for inpatient or day case treatment than the value of the 99^th percentile there will be some whose waiting times is affected by a period of unavailability by the patient for medical or social reasons.

For in-patients and daycase, the data reported on includes all patients who are routinely admitted from the waiting list from home and therefore includes the total wait experienced by patients who are excepted from the national maximum waiting times guarantees because for example they have been unavailable for treatment for medical or social reasons.

	Waiting Time (days)
Percentile	First Out-patient Appointments	In-patients/Day Cases
1^st	0	1
2^nd	0	1
3^rd	0	1
4^th	0	1
5^th	1	2
6^th	3	2
7^th	4	3
8^th	6	3
9^th	7	4
10^th	7	4
11^th	8	5
12^th	9	5
13^th	10	6
14^th	12	6
15^th	13	7
16^th	13	7
17^th	14	7
18^th	15	8
19^th	16	8
20^th	17	9
21^st	18	10
22^nd	20	11
23^rd	20	12
24^th	21	13
25^th	22	14
26^th	23	14
27^th	25	15
28^th	26	16
29^th	27	17
30^th	28	18
31^st	29	19
32^nd	30	20
33^rd	32	21
34^th	33	21
35^th	34	22
36^th	35	24
37^th	36	25
38^th	38	26
39^th	39	27
40^th	41	28
41^st	42	29
42^nd	43	30
43^rd	44	31
44^th	46	33
45^th	47	34
46^th	49	35
47^th	50	36
48^th	51	38
49^th	53	40
50^th	54	41
51^st	56	42
52^nd	57	44
53^rd	59	46
54^th	61	48
55^th	63	49
56^th	64	51
57^th	66	53
58^th	68	55
59^th	70	57
60^th	72	59
61^st	74	62
62^nd	76	64
63^rd	78	67
64^th	81	69
65^th	83	72
66^th	85	75
67^th	88	78
68^th	90	81
69^th	92	84
70^th	95	88
71^st	98	91
72^nd	100	96
73^rd	104	99
74^th	107	104
75^th	111	108
76^th	114	113
77^th	118	118
78^th	122	124
79^th	126	130
80^th	131	136
81^st	135	143
82^nd	140	150
83^rd	145	157
84^th	151	165
85^th	157	172
86^th	164	179
87^th	173	187
88^th	181	196
89^th	190	206
90^th	201	217
91^st	214	227
92^nd	230	238
93^rd	247	248
94^th	271	260
95^th	295	272
96^th	323	284
97^th	362	307
98^th	405	343
99^th	489	446

Notes

1. The 1^stand 99^th percentile values have changed from those give in PQS2W-4809. The SMR00 and SMR01 files are dynamic files with records continuallybeing added. Information relates to the quarter ending 30 September 2003and should be considered provisional

2. Inpatient /Day casedata is sourced from the SMR01 dataset. Outpatient data is sourced from theSMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant ledoutpatient clinic.

All answers to writtenquestions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility forwhich can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

Question reference: S2W-05774

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4809 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004, what the (a) range of values and (b) greatest value is for each NHS board area.

The following table showsfor each NHS board the equivalent information to that given in the answer toS2W-4809.

All answers to written questions are available on the Parliament’s website thesearch facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

For in-patients and daycase, the data reported on includes all patients who areroutinely admitted from the waiting list from home and therefore includes thetotal wait experienced by patients who are excepted from the national maximumwaiting times guarantees because for example they have been unavailable fortreatment for medical or social reasons.

	First Outpatient Appointments		Inpatients/Day Cases
	Minimum Value (days)	99^th Percentile Value (days)	Minimum Value (days)	99^th Percentile Value (days)
NHSScotland	0	489	0	446
Argyll and Clyde	0	469	0	432
Ayrshire and Arran	0	407	0	456
Borders	0	504	0	542
Dumfries and Galloway	0	418	0	447
Fife	0	451	0	523
Forth Valley	0	619	0	490
Grampian	0	413	0	375
Greater Glasgow	0	529	0	445
Highland	0	406	0	392
Lanarkshire	0	500	0	409
Lothian	0	469	0	506
Orkney Islands	0	208	1	316
Shetland Islands	0	315	0	280
Tayside	0	427	0	422
Western Isles	0	269	0	340

Notes:

1. The Scottish 99^thpercentile values have changed from those given in PQ S2W-4809, The SMR00 andSMR01 files are dynamic files with records continually being added. Informationrelates to the quarter ending 30 September 2003 and should be consideredprovisional.

2. In-patient /Day case datais sourced from the SMR01 dataset. Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led outpatientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-05835

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether each school class having exclusive access to four modern computers is still one of its targets and, if so, what percentage of classes now have such exclusive access.

The Scottish Executive has never set a target of each school class having exclusive access tofour modern computers. Information is collected in the School Census each yearthat allows the calculation of pupil:modern computer ratios in schools. The latestinformation, from the 2002 School Census (available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00272-00.asp)shows pupil:modern computer ratios of 3:1 in special schools, 5:1 in secondaryschools and 9:1 in primary schools. Decisions about the actual deployment of the computers are taken locally in the light of teaching practice andaccommodation requirements.

Question reference: S2W-05824

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what records are kept of visitors to prisons; how the keeping of such records varies between prisons, and whether any of these records are forwarded to any other organisation.

I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:

Records of visitors held aresubject to the terms of the Data Protection Act (1998). For operational andsecurity reasons, the data maintained on visitors is:

Name

Address

Relationship to Prisoner

Records have historicallybeen kept in manual format but the use of electronic storage is increasing. Asthe information held is subject to extant Data Protection legislation, its useis strictly controlled.

Question reference: S2W-05820

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-4961 and S2W-4962 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 January 2004, what statutory impediment prevents it forming, or participating in forming, companies for the provision of health services.

Question reference: S2W-05778

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4805 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004, whether it will publish the data for each NHS board and whether it will publish the mean values for each board in each future release of waiting list statistics.

The following table showsfor each NHS board the equivalent figures given in answer to S2W-4805. ISDScotland have no plans to publish arithmetic mean values for each board for thereason given earlier in the answer to S2W-4812.

All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.For in-patients and daycase, the data reported on includes all patients who are routinely admitted from the waiting list from home and therefore includes the total wait experienced by patients who are excepted from the national maximum waiting times guarantees because for example they have been unavailable for treatment for medical or social reasons.

	First Outpatient Appointments			Inpatients/Day Cases
	Median Wait (days)	Mean Wait (days)	Difference	Median Wait (days)	Mean Wait (days)	Difference
NHSScotland	54	86.9	-32.9	41	80.4	-39.4
Argyll and Clyde	52	79.4	-27.4	32	70.9	-38.9
Ayrshire and Arran	50	76.3	-26.3	48	82.9	-34.9
Borders	47	74.5	-27.5	35	70.1	-35.1
Dumfries and Galloway	54	74.3	-20.3	49	85.4	-36.4
Fife	66	89.3	-23.3	45	91.7	-46.7
Forth Valley	64	110.5	-46.5	49	90.8	-41.8
Grampian	55	86.6	-31.6	35	68.5	-33.5
Greater Glasgow	55	90.5	-35.5	34	74.9	-40.9
Highland	43	75.2	-32.2	40	75.5	-35.5
Lanarkshire	62	99.8	-37.8	50	86.6	-36.6
Lothian	49	82.9	-33.9	42	87.6	-45.6
Orkney Islands	23	37.5	-14.5	21	44.5	-23.5
Shetland Islands	46	58.3	-12.3	36	59.2	-23.2
Tayside	52	82.7	-30.7	43	83.2	-40.2
Western Isles	36	47.8	-11.8	45	72.9	-27.9

Notes:

1. Information relates to the quarter ending 30 September 2002 and should be considered provisional

2. In-patient /Day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset. Outpatient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led outpatient clinic.

Question reference: S2W-05785

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment it has made of the impact on its responsibilities of the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with DTI and other government departments on a range of trade issues, including discussions of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

The Scottish Executive is continuing to monitor the progress of the GATS negotiations, andmaintains an ongoing assessment of any potential impact of GATS on itsresponsibilities. This will continue to inform discussions with DTI on (GATS) inorder to ensure that Scottish interests are fully considered.

Question reference: S2W-05782

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1571 by Mr Jim Wallace on 13 August 2003, when it will publish the results of the survey of the income and expenditure of Scottish students..

Question reference: S2W-05846

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful candidates for posts in the Executive have been appointed from (a) within the former Scottish Office, (b) within the Executive, (c) elsewhere within the civil service, (d) public sector employment other than the civil service, (e) the private sector and (f) being unemployed.

Since 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003, thenumber of successful candidates for posts in the Senior Civil Service in the Executivewere appointed from:

(a) within the former Scottish Office	0
(b) within the Executive	2
(c) elsewhere within the civil service	0
(d) public sector employment other than the civil service	3
(e) private sector	2
(f) unemployed	1

Below SCS level this information is not held centrally. The Scottish Executive does however fully comply with the requirements of the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Code which is founded on the principle of fair and open competition for externally advertised posts.

Question reference: S2W-05845

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2004
Current Status: Answered by Mary Mulligan on 10 February 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed under its central heating programme and what its estimate is of the number of systems still to be installed under the current eligibility criteria.