Elaine Murray

20 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what projects supporting women offenders in the community it will provide support for in 2015-16, broken down by funding.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has identified an overall community justice budget for 2015-16 of £113.2 million – which includes over £95 million allocated under Section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to Community Justice Authorities to deliver criminal j…

20 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will allocate to (a) Fife and Forth Valley, (b) Glasgow, (c) Lanarkshire, (d)  Lothian and Borders, (e) Northern, (f) North Strathclyde, (g) Tayside and (h) South West Scotland Community Justice Authority in 2015-16 to help fund women’s justice support services.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has identified an overall community justice budget for 2015-16 of £113.2 million – which includes over £95 million allocated under Section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to Community Justice Authorities (CJA) to deliver crim…

20 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it allocated to each community justice authority for (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15, and how much it will allocate in 2015-16.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The allocation of funding to each community justice authority (CJA) area in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 is as follows: Fife and Forth Valley Glasgow Lanarkshire Lothian and Borders 2013-14 £12,562,852 £18,183,684 £11,668,036 £14,544,205 2014-15 …

19 Jan 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Dumfries and Galloway Council regarding its plans for Dumfries Learning Town.

15 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police (a) officers and (b) staff undertake the role of firearms enquiry officer.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I understand that Police Scotland currently has some (a) 27 full time equivalent (FTE) police officers across Scotland and (b) 34 police staff (33 FTE) undertaking the role of Firearms Enquiry Officer. There are also 24 staff involved in administration duties…

15 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police staff posts will be lost as a consequence of proposed changes to the firearms licensing function arising from the national firearms licensing review.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Police Scotland is currently consulting staff and trade unions on proposals to change the way the firearms licensing function is managed and delivered. No decisions have been taken as yet on the way forward, but I understand that there will be no compulsory r…

15 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not implemented the provisions of the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007, as amended by the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, with regard to the release arrangements that apply to prison sentences.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In 2008, the independent Scotland’s Choice – report of the Scottish Prisons Commission recommended that implementation of the release arrangements contained in the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 should ‘‘…follow the implementation of this…

15 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provided to projects supporting women offenders in the community, other than community justice centres, in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15, also broken down by project.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In 2013-14 and 2014-15 the Scottish Government allocated grant funding to support the development of projects providing community justice services for women, in line with the recommendations of the Commission on Women Offenders’ report. These grants were made…

15 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provided to community justice centres in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow, (c) Aberdeen and (d) Dundee in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government issued grant funding in 2013-15 to sixteen projects across Scotland, to support the development of community justice services for women. These grants were made in addition to the annual allocation of funding for community justice activ…

15 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to support for women offenders in the community in the 2015-16 budget.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has identified an overall community justice budget for 2015-16 of £113.2 million – which includes over £95 million allocated under Section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to Community Justice Authorities to deliver criminal j…

14 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) financial and (b) other assistance it can provide to homeowners to help with the costs of roof repairs.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Private home owners are primarily responsible for repairing and maintaining their own property. The Scottish Government does not provide assistance directly to home owners as local authorities have a broad range of statutory powers to provide assistance with …

14 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether secondary legislation is required to enable the establishment of the Scottish sentencing council and, if so, how long it will take to introduce it.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are provisions in the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 which will require to be commenced to establish the sentencing council. These are sections 1 to 13 and schedule 1 of the 2010 Act. In addition there is a requirement to bring forwa…

14 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has (a) identified and (b) acquired accommodation for the Scottish sentencing council.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We are working, in dialogue with the senior judiciary, with a view to setting up the sentencing council before the end of 2015 and this includes discussion regarding accommodation needs of the sentencing council.

14 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) setup and (b) running costs of the Scottish sentencing council will be.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Financial Memorandum to the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill estimated that the setup cost of the sentencing council would be £450,000 and the annual running costs would be £1-£1.1 million.

14 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the names of the (a) judicial, (b) legal and (c) lay members of the Scottish sentencing council.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Schedule 1 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 provides for the membership and procedures for appointment to the Scottish sentencing council. The council will be chaired by the Lord Justice Clerk. The appointment of other members will ta…

14 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20677 by Kenny MacAskill on 2 May 2014, what progress it has made on establishing the Scottish sentencing council.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is working, in dialogue with senior judiciary, to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place with a view to the Scottish sentencing council being established before the end of end of 2015.

13 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the 20 mph speed limit trial on the A7 in Langholm will conclude and when the results will be published.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The statutory process for the introduction of a 20 mph speed limit order necessary to introduce the trial will follow a successful outcome to the pre consultation currently ongoing with the local authority and community. It is too early to be clear on the tim…

13 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what progress has been made with the 20 mph speed limit trial on the A7 in Langholm.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Since announcing the 20 mph pilot in Langholm we have consulted with the local authority and wider community. In response to our consultation we have received a wide range of views from the local community and we are working with them and the local authority …

23 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its forthcoming measures to tackle domestic abuse will include (a) emotional, (b) financial and (c) coercive abuse and (d) parental alienation.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Programme for Government set out that the Scottish Government will consult on introducing a new specific criminal offence of committing domestic abuse. The consultation will seek views as to whether a specific offence would better reflect the true nature …

22 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the operation of the Justice Board would be enhanced by having members drawn from civic society.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The work of the Justice Board is supported by the Justice Leaders Network. The Justice Leaders Network brings together partners and stakeholders from across the justice system and related sectors to support the delivery of The Strategy for Justice in Scotlan…

22 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria are for appointment to the Justice Board.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Justice Board is a non-statutory body. Members are not appointed but attend in their capacity as senior leaders of key justice organisations. Justice Board members work together to support delivery of The Strategy for Justice in Scotland (2012) and to pro…

15 Dec 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when stage 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill will commence.

10 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a pilot of screening and treating inmates with hepatitis C in Scottish Prison Service facilities in light of new treatment regimens with reported cure rates in excess of 90% with a 12 or eight week treatment period.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework recognises the importance of ensuring prisoners in Scotland can access hepatitis C treatment. Around 10% of all new treatment initiations in Scotland every year are amongst those in prison. In May 2012, the S…

10 Dec 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the revised Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework to be published in 2015 will introduce opt-out testing and screening of prisoners on commencement of their custodial sentences.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The refreshed Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework is still in the early stages of development and evaluation of the existing framework is ongoing. No decisions have been made on any recommendations to be included in the refreshed framework, however …

1 Dec 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting town centre regeneration in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Town Centre Action Plan – One Year On Report, published on 4 November 2014 provides a progress update on work underway to support the regeneration of town centres. The report reiterates our ongoing commitment to put in place the right conditions to suppor…

26 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions a local authority can take when a person does not adhere to the conditions of a planning permission.

Answer · Alex Neil: Local authorities have the discretion to decide how, and whether, to take action when it comes to light that planning conditions are not or have not been adhered to. The Scottish Government planning guidance as set out in Planning Circular 10/2009: Planning …

26 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what right of appeal a resident has when a local authority refuses to enforce the conditions of a planning application on a neighbouring property.

Answer · Alex Neil: Failing to comply with a condition subject to which planning permission has been granted constitutes a breach of planning control. There is no right of appeal to Scottish Ministers where a planning authority does not take formal enforcement action in any spe…

17 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides toward the training of HGV drivers.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Professional training of drivers of vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers is a mandatory requirement under EC Directive 2003/59/EC. This seeks to raise the standards of new drivers and to maintain and enhance the professionalism of existing lorry a…

17 Nov 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on establishing a film studio complex.

14 Nov 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any grant support is available to assist homeowners who have responsibility for the upkeep of private roads and pavements.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The upkeep and maintenance of a private road is the responsibility of the owner. Under the Road (Scotland) Act 1984, a local roads authority has the power to instruct owners to maintain it to a reasonable standard in certain circumstances. It would be for the…