Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15065 on 03 June 2013. 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.

It is not possible to make a full assessment of the epidemiology of preventable sight loss for the whole population of Scotland using published (available) data from Information Services Division (ISD).

For those conditions strongly associated with preventative eye disease (cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease) it is possible to make the following observations from the published data from ISD.

Primary Care/Optometrists: For the year ending 31 March 2012, high street optometrists performed 1,913,565 free NHS eye examinations in Scotland (36.4 per cent of the population).

Optometrists are able to record information on certain eye conditions, including cataracts, whether or not the patient is a diabetic, or has glaucoma. A patient can also present with more than one condition, and this is also recorded, with each condition recorded separately.

For the year ending 31 March 2012 the proportion of the total number of examinations (including those that presented without a certain eye condition and those with conditions, including multiple conditions) was 15.0 per cent for cataracts, 5.5 per cent for those with diabetes, and 2.3 per cent for glaucoma (including ocular hypertension).

For the year ending 31 March 2012, a total of 48,745 people were referred to a hospital eye service from an optometrist.

Hospital Admissions: For the year ending 31 March 2011, a total of 34,560 cataract procedures were performed for the whole of Scotland in the NHS.

The available data on preventable sight loss is published on the NHS Information Services Division (ISD) website.

For hospital admissions related to eye-care conditions the available information can be found at the following links:

Procedures data:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Hospital-Care/Publications/2012-09-25/IP_DC_OP_Procedures_Sep12.xls

Diagnosis data:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Hospital-Care/Publications/2012-09-25/Diagnosis_HB_Sep12.xls?9992

For free NHS eye examinations performed by high-street optometrists the available information can be found at the following link:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Eye-Care/Publications/data-tables.asp?id=842#842

Although we welcome the progress that has been made, it is disappointing that not all boards have yet met our commitment. However, we remain absolutely determined to ensure that 25 per cent of people under 18 with type 1 diabetes have access to insulin pump therapy as quickly and as safely as possible.

Boards have reported that they are working to support a number of different aspects of their insulin pump services in order to meet our ambitious commitment. This work has included: in some cases establishing, from scratch, an insulin pump service, ensuring staff are in place and that they have the skills and experience to deliver a safe and effective service and ensuring patients, who for personal reasons have chosen not to take advantage of a pump, are fully aware of the benefits of pump therapy.

All boards have action plans in place that are updated regularly to ensure that they are able to safely meet our commitment as soon as possible.

In order to support boards further in achieving our goal, we are providing an additional £3 million worth of insulin pumps and consumables to boards, on top of the £2.5 million that was provided in 2012.

Furthermore, we have established a new support team of diabetes experts. The team will provide specialist advice and training for local staff with tailored improvement packages. This will help to address local needs by helping boards to safely increase the capacity and expertise of their insulin pump services.

The maintenance of local roads is a matter for local authorities. The Scottish Government is providing local government in Scotland with over £10.3 billion in 2013-14.

In addition, a National Road Maintenance Review concluded in July 2012. This Review identified 30 initiatives aimed at ensuring all road authorities in Scotland could manage and maintain our roads more efficiently. A Strategic Action Group has been set up to oversee the implementation of these initiatives. I jointly chair this group with Councillor Stephen Hagan, COSLA Spokesperson for Regeneration and Sustainable Development. The next meeting is scheduled for 26 June 2013.

Further information on the National Road Maintenance Review is available at:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/maintenance/road-maintenance-review

The draft Second Report on Proposals and Policies sets out a package of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the targets set under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. The report details contributions from across the Scottish economy, including from the housing and transport sectors, and summarises the analysis that has been undertaken to develop those proposals and policies.

For housing, these include the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland which will refurbish Scotland’s homes to make them more energy efficient, proposals for developing minimum standards of energy efficiency for private sector housing and social housing, and working with stakeholders to transform both the financial and new build markets through programmes such as the Greener Homes Innovation Scheme.

For transport, these include initiatives to promote adoption of low carbon vehicles; to promote behavioural change and modal shift to active travel and public transport; and to promote sustainable communities. To achieve this, we are working in partnership with a range of public and private organisations whilst continuing to invest in improvements to public transport infrastructure – for example the Borders Railway, scheduled to open in 2015, is expected to take 60,000 peak trips off roads in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian each year.

Following the meeting of the EU Appeal Committee on 29 April 2013, we expect that the European Commission will formally adopt restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids which will take effect on 1 December 2013, and which the Scottish Government will implement.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13895 on 13 May 2013. 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.

We do not collect data on the level of neonicotinoids in gardens.

The Scientific Advice for Scottish Agriculture undertake a regular survey on pesticide use on crops grown in Scotland but this does not cover amateur use.

This week’s decision in Europe will mean that amateur use of products containing imidacloprid, thiamethoxam or clothiandrin will not be allowed after 1 December 2013.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-14394 on 7 May 2013. 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.