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The General Register Office forScotland (GROS) publishes an annual paper on drug-related deaths in Scotland. Theinformation presented in these papers, which includes data on deaths involving methadone,is compiled from death registrations and associated returns from procurators fiscaland forensic pathologists.The papers, which include backgroundinformation on the methodology and definitions used, may be found at http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/drug-related-deaths/index.html.

Correspondence of this type betweenthe European Commission and a member state is regarded as confidential.

This information is not heldcentrally. The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionatecost.

According to our records, the Scottish Executive has not had any correspondence with the European Parliament regardingGlasgow Housing Association. The European Parliament has not contacted the ScottishExecutive regarding petition number 0863/2005.

A letter from the European Commissionregarding the Glasgow housing stock transfer was received by the Scottish Executiveon 1 August 2006. The reply was sent on 2 October 2006.

No.The current guidelines Drug Misuse and Dependence – Guidelines on ClinicalManagement, published in 1999, were produced jointly by the health departmentsof all four UK countries and ratified by the then Scottish Office Department ofHealth. The guidelines are for all clinicians, not just for GPs. Scottish Executiveofficials have “observer” status on the UK group which is currently meeting to update the guidelines.

As part of the Scottish Executive’sreview of the place of methadone in the treatment of drug misusers, Health Departmentofficials have written to NHS boards in Scotland seeking information on their arrangementsfor monitoring the implementation of the current UK guidelines Drug Misuse and Dependence– Guidelines on Clinical Management and any local clinical guidelines.

As part of their continuing professionaldevelopment, GPs are expected to keep up-to-date with the latest developments inclinical practice, including the latest guidelines which relate to their areas ofclinical practice.

GPs working in practices providingan enhanced service for drug misusers under the terms of the General Medical Servicescontract will be required to adhere to the standards laid down in the specificationof this enhanced service. Although each NHS board’s specification will vary accordingto local circumstances, the drug misuse and dependence guidelines are the clinicalmanagement standard on which all current drug misuser services are based.

The guidelines Drug Misuse andDependence – Guidelines on Clinical Management are designed to guide doctors inthe clinical management of their drug misusing patients. Any doctor not fulfillingthe standards and quality of care in the appropriate treatment of drug misusersthat are set out in the guidelines will have this taken into account if, for anyreason, consideration of their performance in this clinical area is undertaken.Such consideration would be for the appropriate NHS board as employer, or the GeneralMedical Council if the case were referred to them.

However, the final decision toprescribe methadone rests with the individual practitioner in consultation withand based on the specific health needs of their patient. There may be circumstancesin which a GP would be justified in not following the guidelines.

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

Housing associations are independentorganisations. Every housing associationmust operate in line with its constitution in filling any membership places on itsboard, including tenant members. Communities Scotland, as housing regulator,would expect the board to demonstrate that this process enables tenants, if theywish, to participate in the management of the organisation.

Glasgow Housing Association’s(GHA’s) constitution states that elections will be held for the tenant board membersand that such elections will allow all tenants either directly or indirectly tobe involved in the election of tenant board members. It is for the GHA’s board todecide how elections will be held.