Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid): NPA

Good morning. The first item of business is a statement by Malcolm Chisholm on the development in variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The minister will take q...

The Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm): Lab

I am grateful for the opportunity to inform the Parliament of the circumstances surrounding a blood transfusion incident involving variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob ...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

The minister will now take questions on the issues that were raised in his statement. I will allow about 20 minutes for the process.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): SNP

I thank the minister for the advance copy of the statement. His prompt decision to make a statement this morning is to be welcomed Given that scientists have...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I thank Shona Robison for those important questions—they go to the heart of the matter.The simple answer to Shona Robison's questions on the advisory committ...

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): Con

I congratulate the minister on giving the Parliament such a clear statement of the current situation. It is important that we use the opportunity this mornin...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I thank David Davidson for his questions. As I indicated, the SNBTS has begun its work on assessing the implications. I am sure that part of that assessment ...

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): LD

I thank the minister for coming to the chamber to make a statement as soon as practically possible after the statement that was made yesterday in the House o...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

The fact that there has been a gap of a few hours between the two statements is not a major issue. It was more important that we should do all the necessary ...

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): Lab

I thank the minister for his statement, which reminds us of the need to maintain our awareness of this most devastating of conditions and not to be complacen...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I thank Ken Macintosh for drawing the information about Strathclyde to the attention of the Parliament and for speaking about the Human BSE Foundation. I sha...

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): SSP

The minister has correctly emphasised the importance of the safety of our blood supply. He will recognise that at this time of the year in particular there a...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

Although Tommy Sheridan expresses the concern that this case might undermine blood donation, we all hope that it might have the opposite effect. Issues have ...

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): SNP

I welcome the minister's timely statement. He says that we will no longer provide blood products except where medically absolutely necessary. Previously, blo...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

The first point that I made on that matter related mainly to blood transfusions given during operations, and I understand that that is an area in which Scotl...

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): Con

The minister and several other members have referred to the current shortage of blood supplies. Given the fact that any further limitations on who is allowed...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I will be in that category soon as well, but it is not for me to give a view on that matter: it is for the clinicians to decide on it. However, I will commun...

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): SSP

We should obviously start by extending our sympathies to the two people in Scotland who are about to be given the news that they may have received contaminat...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I am sure that we all join Carolyn Leckie in extending our sympathies to the two individuals who are involved and, indeed, to all the other individuals and f...

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): SNP

What information is given to a potential recipient of a blood transfusion, or to someone who is authorised to consent to one on their behalf, so that consent...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

Consent is central, perhaps far more than it was in the past, but I will have to write to Christine Grahame about the precise information that is given.

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): Con

If we were to stop taking blood for transfusions from those who have received one, how quickly could that be implemented and what implications would it have ...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

That, too, is a central question, and the SNBTS has already started to work on it. The SNBTS is considering the implications of such a change, which will inc...