Russell Findlay

27 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what incident led to the reported possession of a firearm in a prison being documented in its recorded crime statistics 2022-23.

Answer · Angela Constance: There were no incidents of someone being found in possession of a firearm within a prison in 2022-23. When the Recorded Crime in Scotland Statistics 2022-23 were originally published on the 20th June they showed one such case. However, Police Scotland ident…

20 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the independent review into the planning for Dargavel Primary School.

1 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcomes have been of the engagement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs with the Scottish Sentencing Council regarding the review of sentencing guidelines produced by the council, and what action the (a) Scottish Government and (b) Scottish Sentencing Council …

Answer · Angela Constance: I met with the Chair of the Scottish Sentencing Council on 17 May. At that meeting, we discussed a range of matters relevant to the work of the Council. This included the approach that the Council plans to take to the review of guidelines that it produces. It…

30 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any discussions it has had with Renfrewshire Council regarding Dargavel Primary School.

25 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether the electric fire appliance provided to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has entered service, and, if it has not, when this is expected to happen.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is expecting to take delivery of the electric appliance in the coming weeks. The vehicle remains with the manufacturers, Emergency One in Ayrshire at this time. The appliance has now completed and passed its localised tes…

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to establish a register of interests for the judiciary.

Answer · Angela Constance: We continue to work on this issue and will provide an update to Parliament on this commitment when appropriate.  

22 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of the standard operating procedure being developed by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) in relation to transgender prisoners, as referred to by the chief executive of SPS in her evidence to the Criminal Justice Committee on 22 February 202…

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The standard operating procedure relating to the admission of transgender people in custody has been developed and is nearing the fina…

22 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of the Scottish Prison Service gender identity and gender reassignment policy review.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: SPS anticipates publication of the policy review in Autumn this year. This will include the revised policy, guidance, Equality and Hum…

19 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of what litigation requires to be concluded before it will initiate a public inquiry into prosecutions relating to the administration of Rangers FC.  

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The following litigation requires to be concluded: Imran Ahmad v the Lord Advocate: Proof before answer was heard by Lord Harrower in respect of quantum between 1-10 March 2023 and Lord Harrower made avizandum. The decision in this case is still pending. Da…

19 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the details of all expenditure that has been paid to contest concluded civil cases relating to prosecutions arising from the administration of Rangers FC.  

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The costs are recorded against all the civil cases relating to the prosecutions arising from the acquisition and administration of Rangers FC. The table below details expenditure from both the concluded and pending actions and includes legal costs and expert …

19 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid to litigants from all concluded civil cases relating to prosecutions arising from the administration of Rangers FC, broken down by financial year.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The following table below details the settlement costs and expenses paid to litigants from all concluded civil cases relating to the prosecutions arising from the acquisition and administration of Rangers FC, broken down by financial year.  2016-17 2019- 2…

11 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the next edition of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey will be published.

Answer · Angela Constance: The next set of results for the SCJS will be published in Autumn 2023. These results will cover a full years' worth of interviews through to December 2022. Along with the other large household surveys that rely on face-to-face interviews, the Scottish Crime …

9 May 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding reports that a new contract has been awarded by the Scottish Police Authority, valued at around £663,000, for the provision of additional forensic testing in relation to suspected cases of spiking.

3 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its legal challenge to the decision of the UK Government to issue a section 35 order in relation to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

2 May 2023 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government plans to take in light of his declared support for the Daily Record’s “Our Kids … Our Future” campaign to tackle violence against young people.

12 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the conclusion of the Glasgow Local Authority Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Significant Case Review that Esther Brown’s murder could not have been prevented.

Answer · Angela Constance: Our thoughts continue to be with Esther Brown's family, friends and local community. The Significant Case Review (SCR) process examines the actions and processes of the agencies involved in an individual’s management to ensure all reasonable steps were taken…

12 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of the Glasgow Local Authority Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements Significant Case Review relating to the murder of Esther Brown.

Answer · Angela Constance: Public protection is paramount and the Scottish Government is committed to learning from this Significant Case Review (SCR). We have accepted the two recommendations for the Scottish Government and will take these forward with MAPPA partners as appropriate. W…

12 Apr 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the guideline, Sentencing young people, issued by the Scottish Sentencing Council.

31 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the change of First Minister, whether it will provide an update on how many Special Advisers it now employs, broken down by (a) job title, (b) who they work for and (c) pay scale.

Answer · George Adam: Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers. All Special Advisers are appointed by, …

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has taken several years for the Victims Surcharge Fund to raise over £1 million, in light of the Scottish National Party's 2016 manifesto having stated that the fund "will provide more than a million pounds a year of funding for practical help for victims of crime".

Answer · Angela Constance: The amount raised by the victim surcharge is entirely dependent on the number and value of fines imposed by the courts. Only individuals or organisations who have been cautioned after the Victim Surcharge (Scotland) Regulations 2019 came into force on 25 Nove…

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many items of contraband have been detected by the Scottish Prison Service, to date, through the photocopying of prisoners' mail.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. After clarifying the specifics of the question with the member, her response is as follows:How many items of contraband have been detected by the photocopying of m…

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest estimate is of the number of serious organised crime gangs operating in Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: According to Police Scotland's most up to date information, there are 101 mapped Organised Crime Groups in Scotland as at 31 March 2023.  

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce legislation aimed at reducing violent crime, in light of the recent increase in non-sexual crimes of violence, as reported in the Recorded crime in Scotland: year ending December 2022 statistics.

Answer · Angela Constance: We are clear that any level of violence is unacceptable but believe that we already have legislation in place to tackle violent crime. By any measure, the overall trend has improved but there are still areas of concern. In 2023-24, in addition to the police b…

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Prison Service’s upcoming Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy will give consideration to the gender self-identification of prisoners in prisoner placement decisions.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The review of the Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy 2014 is currently ongoing. The review is considering the suitability …

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prison officers there were (a) at the end of each financial year since 2016-17 and (b) on the most recent date for which data is available. 

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The numbers of prison officers employed by SPS at the end of each financial year from 2016-17 to 2022-23 are set out in the following …

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether imprisoning violent offenders is an effective method of violence reduction.

Answer · Angela Constance: Protecting victims and the public from harm is the Scottish Government’s absolute priority. Prison will remain a necessary option, particularly for those who pose a risk of serious harm, in removing the individual from the community and reducing the likeliho…

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the final allocation of how the Recover, Renew, Transform programme funding was spent across the justice system in each financial year that the programme was active.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Recover, Renew, Transform (RRT) Programme launched in 2021 (although Scottish Government funding for remote jury centres – which went on to become part of the RRT programme – had begun in 2020/21). The tables below set out how RRT funding was allocated an…

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set a target for reducing violent crime.

Answer · Angela Constance: We are clear that any level or form of violence is unacceptable. In 2023-24, in addition to the budget for policing, we will be providing our partners with over £2m to support ongoing and innovative violence prevention activity across Scotland. To strengthen …

27 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last evaluated the work of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, and what the results of its last evaluation were.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit has been central to making Scotland a safer place since this government took office, with recorded non-sexual violent crime reducing by 25% since 2006-07. The work of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit is overseen by a g…

21 Mar 2023 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), in relation to the notice for a contractor to provide taxi services (Public Contracts Scotland reference FEB471362), how many (a) applications have been received, (b) applicants completed the required Declaration of Non-Involvement in Serious Organised Crime and…

Answer · Jackson Carlaw: The SPCB’s procurement function operates in accordance with its published Procurement Strategy and established industry practice including guidance published by the Scottish Government. There are robust processes in place to deliver sustainable contracts that…