Parliamentary questions
Gil Paterson
788 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any further event is planned to ensure that the NHS guidelines on domestic abuse are properly disseminated following the announcement by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 10 March 2003.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34645 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
13 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the implementation of the NHS guidelines on domestic abuse.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: For monitoring purposes the Scottish Executive Health Department will include NHS boards' progress in responding effectively to domestic abuse in the NHS Performance Assessment Framework in 2004.
13 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that all NHS managers are aware of the guidelines on domestic abuse.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: <I>Responding to Domestic Abuse - Guidelines for Health Care Workers in NHS Scotland</I> has been widely distributed to all chief executives of boards and trusts, directors of nursing and midwifery, medical directors, directors of public health and other seni…
13 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of (a) rape and (b) assault with intent to rape were made to procurators fiscal in each year since 1997, broken down by police force.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: This information is not held centrally at present, but action is currently being taking to improve how this type of information is recorded. It is hoped that it should be possible to complete the improvements to our record keeping systems in the coming months.
11 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the standard of work carried out by Amey Highways Ltd on the clearance of litter from the central reservations, verges and slip roads of the M876 and M9 is satisfactory.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The performance of Amey Highways Ltd on the clearance of litter from the M876 and M9 is monitored by the Scottish Executive and the independent Performance Audit Group (PAG). The Scottish Executive and PAG are generally satisfied that the standard of work car…
11 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any default notices have been issued to Amey Highways Ltd in respect of the clearance of litter from the central reservations, verges and slip roads of the M876 and M9; if so, how many such notices have been issued, when they were issued and whether any payments have been withheld…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No default notices have been issued to Amey Highways Ltd in respect of litter clearance on the M876 and M9.
11 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Performance Audit Group carries out inspections of the M876 and M9 and how many inspections the group has carried out on each road.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Performance Audit Group (PAG) carries out inspections on the M876 and M9 every two weeks. These inspections examine the overall condition of the route and any Operating Company on-going operations or works contracts.<P>In addition, PAG carries out detaile…
26 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) rapes and (b) assaults with intent to rape were prosecuted in each year since 1997, broken down by police force and procurator fiscal area.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The available information on persons proceeded against where rape or assault with intent to rape was the main offence is given in the table, which is extracted from the Scottish Executive Justice Department's court proceedings database. Information by procura…
26 Feb 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is carried out at landfill sites and their surrounding areas with regard to the sites' impact on health.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Responsibility for the protection of the health of local populations rests jointly with the local NHS board and the local authority. Monitoring of the local incidence of disease is a matter for these bodies. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is respo…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what percentage of cases where rapes have been reported no further action was taken in each year since 1997, broken down by police force.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who was involved in drawing up the proposals to introduce a block fee structure for civil legal aid; what consultation was carried out regarding the proposals, and what other fee structures were examined.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Law Society of Scotland drew up the initial proposals, following wide consultation with the legal profession and with the assistance of an outside academic. The Scottish Legal Aid Board provided technical assistance in evaluating the detailed structure an…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how value for money will be assured if payment for civil legal aid changes to a block fee system.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The new system will reward the efficient processing of business from the client's and taxpayer's point of view by paying for measurable blocks of work completed, rather than time spent or letters written. The current system does not do that effectively. In ad…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how non-court work will be valued under a block fee system for civil legal aid.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The proposed new block fee system - which will replace one that is already in existence - will provide for a fee in respect of each major stage in a case. The relevant fees have been designed to cover both work in court and other work undertaken to progress t…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the announcement by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice on 18 February 2003 regarding changes to civil legal aid, at what key stages solicitors will receive payment for work.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The proposals will require a solicitor in a defended action in the sheriff court to report to the Scottish Legal Aid Board when a particular procedural stage passes (for example, options hearing and closing the record); whenever a significant development occu…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24729 by Mr Jim Wallace on 17 April 2002, what progress has been made with the independent research project into the impact of fixed payments.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The research specification is almost complete and will shortly be issued to the research community for tendering.
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault among adolescents.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive is funding a National Office for the Rape Crisis Network. Its objectives include raising public awareness about the reality of sexual violence for women and girls.<P>The "Respect" package, which should be available to schools shortly, aims to ch…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what case tracking procedures are in place in (a) police forces and (b) the Scottish Courts Service.
Answer · Jim Wallace: All Scottish police forces use unique references to track incidents. These then form part of standard ISCJIS (Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems) tracking numbers which can be used throughout the Scottish Criminal Justice System.<P>A…
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what DNA decontamination protocol is followed after forensic examinations in forensic examination suites.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Control measures within forensic examination suites are matters for individual police surgeons, the body of police surgeons within each force, the force itself and the police authority.
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in rolling out the Zero Tolerance "Respect" pilot project.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive is funding the Zero Tolerance Trust to amend the "Respect" materials in the light of the pilot evaluation, print 100 copies of the packs and arrange seminars for education specialists to promote the "Respect" materials. This …
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any discussions regarding setting up third-party reporting sites in respect of (a) racist offences, (b) sexual assaults and (c) domestic violence.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Arrangements for third party reporting are a matter for the police in consultation with local authorities, community organisations and other relevant agencies.
19 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many unsolved rapes there are in each police force area in respect of which samples are available that could be re-tested using new technology.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.
10 Feb 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) rapes and (b) attempted rapes have been reported to the police in each year since 1997 and how many convictions were secured following such reports, broken down by (i) police force and (ii) local authority area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The available information on crimes of rape and assault with intent to rape which were recorded by the police, and on persons with a charge proved in court where rape and assault with intent to rape was the main offence, is given in the following tables. Data…
23 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many supervised residential accommodation places for sex offenders are available in each local authority area.
Answer · Hugh Henry: There are no supervised residential accommodation places specifically designated for the use of sex offenders. Across Scotland there are approximately 100 hostel places funded under the 100% funding arrangements for criminal justice social work for the use of…
22 Jan 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to widen access to libraries.
Answer · Mike Watson: Library services are a matter for individual local authorities. The COSLA Public Library Standards have been in place since 1995 and these include recommendations on extending library opening hours, provision for the needs of disabled users and access to serv…
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for interdicts with power of arrest attached under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No statistics are kept for the number of applications for interdict with a power of arrest attached made under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for interdicts under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No statistics are kept for the number of applications for interdict made under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001.
9 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for interdicts under sections 8 to 11 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriff court area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Statistics are available for certain proceedings under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. These do not specify whether interdict was applied for but, as shown below, give the numbers of applications for non-harassment orders and the numbers of orders gr…
7 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times in each year since 1999 the Parole Board for Scotland has been asked by social work departments to recall a sex offender that they believe to be in breach of licence and how many times the board has refused.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
7 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders have been recalled for breach of licence in each year since 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information is not available in the form requested. Information relating to the recall to custody of prisoners released on licence is published in the annual report of the Parole Board for Scotland. The board's report for 2001 was laid before the Parliame…
7 Jan 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation has been carried out into projects developed with funds from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF).
Answer · Margaret Curran: BNSF councils are required to put in place their own arrangements for monitoring and evaluating pathfinder projects. The Executive will also undertake an overall evaluation at the end of the programme.