Russell Findlay

8 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that over 600,000 people are on a hospital waiting list.  

3 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many transgender women are currently held within the female estate of the Scottish Prison Service; what crime, or crimes, each individual was convicted of and, in the case of any prisoners being held on remand, what crime they are accused of.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: On 10 March 2023, there were 7 transgender women located within the female estate in the care of the SPS. Out of those 7; 4 individual…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to report on the (a) prevalence and (b) nature of spiking, and whether it will create a specific criminal offence of spiking.

Answer · Keith Brown: The act of spiking is utterly abhorrent and we remain absolutely committed to working with partners to tackle all forms of violence against women. The Scottish Government has taken a proactive approach to understand the prevalence and address concerns about …

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of any trends in the number of suspected spiking-related incidents in the last 12 months.

Answer · Keith Brown: Analysis of spiking incidents is undertaken by Police Scotland on a weekly basis to ensure national oversight is maintained and understanding evolves. The Scottish Government is kept informed about any changes in the prevalence of spiking. Most recently, a r…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the night time and events industries in relation to tackling spiking.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14206 on 2 February 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committ…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make an assessment of any potential benefits of requiring venues to declare to the local licensing authority whenever an incident of suspected spiking has occurred.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government held several roundtable meetings to bring together partners to discuss the prevalence of spiking and a range of initiatives and information available on spiking. Representatives from COSLA and SOLAR (Society of Local Authority Lawyers…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any trends in reported incidents of spiking, and what steps it is taking to ensure that perpetrators are (a) caught, (b) prosecuted and (c) appropriately sentenced.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not intervene in or comment on the investigation, prosecution or sentencing of individual cases which are independent operational matters for Police Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the courts. Police Scot…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help prevent spiking incidents at universities and colleges.

Answer · Keith Brown: We expect universities and colleges to be places where students and staff are free from all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including spiking. Universities and colleges are autonomous bodies. However, they have a responsibility for the welfare and safe…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential benefits of increasing funding for anti-spiking policing or campaigns.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has taken a proactive approach to understand the prevalence, raise awareness and address concerns about the incidence of reported spiking in Scotland. Several roundtable meetings have taken place to help steer the joint Scottish Gover…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent spiking incidents at festivals and other outdoor events and gatherings.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government held several roundtable meetings to bring together partners including representatives from the major events sector to discuss the prevalence of spiking and a range of initiatives and information available on spiking, which they are ado…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential benefits of providing spiking test kits and associated training to licensed premises, including nightclubs and bars.

Answer · Keith Brown: Several roundtable meetings have taken place to help steer the joint Scottish Government and public sector response to the act of spiking. These meetings have been designed to discuss the range of initiatives and information available on spiking. Roundtable …

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help improve training for staff working in licenced premises to tackle suspected cases of spiking.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government held several roundtable meetings to bring together partners including representatives from the night-time industry and licensed premises sector to discuss the prevalence of spiking and a range of initiatives and information available o…

12 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many drug tests for any prohibited substance have taken place in prisons (a) in 2021-22 and (b) so far in 2022-23, broken down by how many test results were (i) positive, (ii) negative and (iii) inconclusive.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The following table provides the total number of drug tests conducted in each financial year, along with the results. Year Total Num…

12 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when an update to the Reconviction Rates in Scotland statistics will next be published.

Answer · Keith Brown: The heavy impact of the pandemic and subsequent court closures on reconvictions data must be balanced against user needs for information with the provision of meaningful and informative statistics that carry minimal risk of misinterpretation. We are currently…

12 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Parole Board for Scotland’s annual report for 2021-22 will be published.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Parole Board for Scotland is required to make a report on the performance of its functions to the Scottish Ministers as soon as practicable after the end of each year, after which this report is laid before Parliament. No specific date has been set as yet…

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the publication of the Drug Seizures and Offender Characteristics 2020-21 statistics has reportedly been delayed.

Answer · Keith Brown: As noted within the Scottish Government's calendar of forthcoming statistical publications (link provided below), the Drug Seizures and Offender Characteristics 2020-21 publication has been delayed to provide additional time for data collection and validation…

21 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports local authorities to ensure that the provision of local services meets the needs of local communities.

21 Nov 2022 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how much the Scottish Prison Service has spent on providing free mobile phones to all prisoners.

9 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to keep teachers and pupils safe while at school.

1 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to withhold farming payments from convicted criminals.

27 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any significant case review into the murder of Esther Brown, as referred to by the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament on 18 November 2021.

Answer · Keith Brown: If a person managed under Scotland’s Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) commits a further offence which results in the serious harm of another person, a Significant Case Review (SCR) must be undertaken. This SCR process is designed to examine…

19 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the existence and activities of a so-called "110 Overseas" centre in Glasgow, which, according to a report by the Spain-based human rights NGO, Safeguard Defenders, operates as a branch of the Chinese police service.

Answer · Keith Brown: As the First Minister indicated in Parliament on 27 October, she was aware of the report and stated “that those reports are deeply concerning, and I want to be very clear that we take them extremely seriously. Any foreign country that operates in Scotland mus…

19 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of all communications between the Scottish Ministers and law enforcement agencies in relation to the so-called "110 Overseas" centre in Glasgow, which, according to a report by the Spain-based human rights NGO, Safeguard Defenders, operates as a branch of …

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11684 on? 4 November 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

11 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported commitment to end the detention of under-18s in Young Offenders Institutions, whether it intends to raise the age of criminal responsibility. 

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 fully commenced on 17 December 2021. Section 78 of the Act requires the Scottish Ministers to review the operation of the Act. The Scottish Ministers must review the operation of the Act in general, and …

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any (a) internal and (b) external communications involving Scottish Ministers and officials regarding the functions and activities of Fitness for Judicial Office Tribunal proceedings that have taken place in Scotland under the procedure set out in the A…

Answer · Keith Brown: To date, there have been two Fitness for Judicial Office tribunals in Scotland. Both remain ongoing. The Court Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 sets out that the First Minister, must, if requested to do so by the Lord President, constitute a Fitness for Judicial O…

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any meetings, correspondence and other communications between Scottish Ministers, officials and any members of the judiciary, including the current Lord President, in respect of the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inq…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not have any records of meetings, correspondence and other communications between Scottish Ministers, officials and any members of the judiciary, including the current Lord President, in respect of the contents of a note reportedl…

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in response to the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

Answer · Ruth Charteris: As investigations into this matter are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment.

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any discussions involving Scottish Ministers or officials that may have taken place regarding the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019 in relation to the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not have any records of discussions involving Scottish Ministers or officials that may have taken place regarding the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019 in re…

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which Scottish Ministers, including the current and former Lord Advocates, have had sight of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

Answer · John Swinney: The former Lord Advocate, James Wolffe KC, and the former Solicitor General, Alison di Rollo KC, had sight of the note submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019.

8 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Scottish Ministers or officials, having been made aware of the contents of a note reportedly submitted to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by John Halley on 1 April 2019, contacted Police Scotland, and, if this is the case, whether it will provide details of any such contact.

Answer · Ruth Charteris: As investigations into this matter are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment.