- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to approve the construction of grade-separated junctions at the Glamis and Kirriemuir junctions of the A90 to Forfar bypass.
Answer
We expect to publish draft enabling orders for this work early in the New Year.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to approve the construction of grade-separated junctions at the Glamis and Kirriemuir junctions of the A90 to Forfar bypass.
Answer
We expect to publish draft enabling orders for this work early in the New Year.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 4 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to provide support to the pig industry to meet the cost of new animal welfare requirements.
Answer
The 1991 ban on the use of stall and tether systems in the UK allowed 8 years for producers to implement the changes under their normal business arrangements.Pressure shall continue to be applied to the European Commission to come forward with its proposals for review of the 1991 Pig Directive to bring standards up to the level currently enjoyed by livestock here.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is required to be collected on the quality and country of origin of bacon imported into Scotland.
Answer
Imports of bacon require to meet health and hygiene production standards laid down in EU Directives. At the UK level, Customs and Excise collect data on the quantities of imported bacon by country of origin. Separate figures for Scotland are not available.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it proposes to take to improve the competitive position of the pig industry in Scotland.
Answer
I refer to the answer to question S1O-398, which was given in response to Mr Swinney at the Oral Question session today.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 28 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to introduce an effective labelling scheme for the pig industry that provides accurate information on country of origin.
Answer
My Department has been working closely with Scottish pig industry representatives in developing the Scottish Pork Quality Mark. This provides consumers with assurance as to the origin and quality of home produced product given the EU Labelling Directive does not generally require a "country of origin" declaration.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 27 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what will be the cost of implementing the changes at Stracathro Hospital as announced by Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust on 24 August 1999.
Answer
Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust is still considering the detail of the proposals and, therefore, cannot say what the financial implications of implementation would be at this stage. I will ask the Trust to convey this information to Mr Swinney when it becomes available.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-754 by Susan Deacon on 17 August, what is the operational status and operational history of the MRI scanners located at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Answer
There are currently 2 MRI scanners at Ninewells Hospital. As part of the initiative to reduce waiting lists, I understand both MRI scanners operated five days per week between January and March 1999. This was made possible mainly by existing radiology staff working additional sessions. However, staff could not sustain that level of activity beyond the short term and between April and June one MRI scanner operated for five days supplemented by two evening sessions. The evening sessions were suspended in July to enable the leave needs of staff to be taken into account but these will resume this month.In the meantime, the Trust is seeking to recruit the additional specialist team of staff necessary to increase MRI scanning activity. Depending on the availablility of suitably trained and experienced staff, the Trust expects to have the second MRI scanner operational three days each week by January 2000. Thereafter, the intention is to increase the service further until both scanners are operational five days per week.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 13 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the proportion of the Scottish Consolidated Fund that has been allocated to the Secretary of State for Scotland to perform his duties.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer I gave to Lord James Douglas-Hamilton's question S1W-745.
- Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for North Tayside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 17 August 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facilities are available to patients in the Tayside area, the location of the facilities, how long the facilities have been in place, and how the current provision compares to the provision of MRI facilities in the periods 1996-1997 and 1997-1998.
Answer
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for patients from across Tayside is provided by 2 MRI scanners at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee: one machine was installed in November 1998; and the other was redeployed in January 1999 as part of the transfer of services from Dundee Royal Infirmary. In 1997 and 1998 there was one scanner at Dundee Royal Infirmary and a mobile MRI unit in service one day each fortnight in the former Angus NHS Trust area. The mobile unit was withdrawn in April 1999 after the installation of the new scanner at Ninewells Hospital.
