Gil Paterson

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number and dates of meetings held by the National Group set up to oversee the implementation of the National Strategy to Address Abuse in Scotland.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The National Group to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland has had two meetings to date. The first meeting took place on Tuesday 12 June, and the second on Tuesday 25 September. The next meeting is due to take place on Tuesday 15 January.

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement abuse prevention schemes in schools as referred to in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is currently awaiting the final evaluation of the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust's "Respect" educational pilot project which was run in schools and youth groups in Edinburgh and Glasgow earlier this year. Careful consideratio…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often members of the judiciary are required to undertake refresher courses.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The judiciary are independent of the executive and there are no formal requirements to undertake refresher training. The independent Judicial Studies Committee are responsible for judicial education and their future programmes do include provision for refresh…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training is compulsory for members of the judiciary once qualified.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The judiciary are independent of ministers and there is no requirement for compulsory training. In practice, however, all new appointees as Judges or Sheriffs have a period of induction training before sitting alone. This training includes sitting with other …

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what formula it is using to calculate the need for new refuge places in each local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive has regard to the amount of provision already available in the local authority area against the level deemed to be necessary by the 1991 CoSLA recommendations on refuge provision. The types of accommodation available against those deeme…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new refuge places have become available as a result of the #2 million funding announced in its press release of 14 May 2001.

Answer · Margaret Curran: As stated in the press release, the £2 million funding has provided an additional 42 refuge places and replaced or upgraded a further 27 refuge places. This is the first year of a three-year £10 million package to increase and improve refuge provision.

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11534 by Mr Jim Wallace on 7 December 2000, whether there have been any further developments relating to research on vulnerable witnesses and investigation of the treatment of sexual offence witnesses in court.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Two research projects are currently being developed. The first will aim to collect data on the operation of the current law of evidence in sex offence cases, to provide a baseline for the future evaluation of the impact of any changes resulting from the Sexua…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11730 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 January 2001, what the outcomes have been of discussions with the End Child Prostitution and Pornography Trafficking Campaign and of the public consultation exercise which was to take place earlier this year.

Answer · Jim Wallace: In July 2001 the Scottish Executive and the UK Government jointly published proposals for amendments to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 following our review of the Act with interested groups, including ECPAT(UK). The consultation period for these ends on 19 Octobe…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many treatment programmes for perpetrators of domestic abuse it is currently funding.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive provides funding to criminal justice social work services for the following programmes which focus solely on offenders convicted of domestic violence, as part of a probation order:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Domestic Violence Probation Project (covering …

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12709 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 February 2001, whether the Scottish Executive Central Research Unit has completed its Crime and Criminal Justice Research Programme for 2001-04 and, if it has, how much funding it is planning to devote to research on dom…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The new Crime and Criminal Justice Research Programme is likely to be published towards the end of the year. As with previous programmes, the new research programme will provide broad indications of those policy areas which might benefit from research. It is …

27 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will recommend the introduction of expert witnesses by the Crown in rape and sexual assault cases to give evidence on the psychological and emotional reaction of victims to attacks.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending chaired by the Honourable Lady Cosgrove was published on 12 June 2001. It made a total of 73 recommendations including a recommendation that the Crown should consider leading evidence to assist the jury in a sex…

26 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the introduction of specialist prosecutors in cases of sexual crimes.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The prosecution of crime is itself a specialised activity. However, the prosecution of sexual offences requires not only the knowledge of the relevant law, which is common to all criminal law practitioners, but also understanding of the effect on the victim a…

26 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce clear structures for communication between the criminal justice system and women complaining of incidences of male violence to ensure that such women are kept fully informed throughout proceedings.

Answer · Colin Boyd: In September 2000 I advised the Justice and Home Affairs Committee that I intended to establish a dedicated victims assistance service within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This service called the Victim Liaison Office (VLO) is one of the Cro…

26 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce mandatory training for all criminal justice personnel to raise awareness of the impact of sexual violence on women and girls.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Victim awareness is a matter of general concern to the Scottish criminal justice system and is being pursued through the Scottish Strategy for Victims. The Scottish Police College provides training programmes to help the police meet the needs of victims of se…

26 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to create a statutory definition of rape.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There are no plans at present to create a statutory definition of rape. The law is kept under review. The Lord Advocate made a reference to the High Court on 28 June seeking clarification of the law on rape.

26 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement the 1998 Convention of Scottish Local Authorities guidance regarding police investigations of complaints of sexual assault.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The importance and sensitivity of this matter has long been recognised by the Scottish Executive and the police. Departmental guidance asks Chief Constables to do their utmost to ensure that victims of sexual assault are treated with tact and sympathy. This g…

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the merger of the two leading cancer charities, the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the Cancer Research Campaign, will have on cancer care.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No immediate effect on cancer care is anticipated. However, the Scottish Executive welcomes the potential opportunities offered for the future from the amalgamation of these two highly respected and well recognised organisations and hopes that the new merged …

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to issue new guidance to protect children from the dangers of the internet.

Answer · Jack McConnell: On 21 March this year I announced the setting up of an action group to review existing guidance, to propose any necessary revisions and to make recommendations about any further guidance the group might consider necessary. The group expects to report to minis…

4 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3500 by Malcolm Chisholm on 31 May 2001, whether the Small Area Health Statistics Unit study into the possible health effects of landfill sites will report findings in respect of Scotland separately, as well as within the overall findings for Great B…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-16161 on 18 June 2001.

4 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3500 by Malcolm Chisholm on 31 May 2001, whether health boards have supplied any information to the Small Area Health Statistics Unit in connection with its study into the possible health effects of landfill sites.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-16161 on 18 June 2001.

4 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3500 by Malcolm Chisholm on 31 May 2001, what the nature was of the data provided by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to the Small Area Statistics Unit.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-16161 on 18 June 2001.

4 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Small Area Statistics Unit study into the possible health effects of landfill sites will report separately on any birth defects and miscarriages, cancer occurrences, respiratory problems and dermatological effects experienced by people living near such sites.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16161.

4 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Small Area Statistics Unit study into the possible effects of landfill sites will compare possible health effects of landfill sites on people living within 3 km of such sites with those on people living three to 7 km from sites.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16161.

4 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Small Area Statistics Unit study into the possible health effects of landfill sites will identify specifically the health effects of such sites on people living within a three kilometre distance of sites.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) study will compare health outcomes in people living within 2km of landfill sites with the health outcomes in the rest of the population. The 2 km band was chosen to optimise the study design and is in line with th…

29 May 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Lothian and Borders Police to discuss Internet pornography.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive, Crown Office and police forces are acutely aware of the scope that the Internet provides for the sexual exploitation of children. There are ongoing discussions between the Executive and ACPOS, including officers from Lothian and Borders Police,…

23 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive from which budget the #2.2 million granted to Victim Support Scotland in 2000-01 specifically to help victims of sexual assaults, referred to by the Deputy Minister for Social Justice on 28 March 2001 (Official Report, col. 1032), came and where and how this money was spent.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Victim Support Scotland receives funding from the Scottish Executive under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.<P>Victim Support Scotland (VSS) provides emotional and practical support to all victims of crime. The grant to VSS in 2000-01 was £2.…

23 May 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Greengairs is included in the current Small Area Health Statistics Unit study into possible health effects of landfill sites.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) Study is a statistical study looking at overall health outcomes in populations living near landfill sites in Great Britain. It will not report on individual sites. SEPA have provided data to SAHSU on all known lan…

28 Mar 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to Her Majesty's Government regarding legislation to protect children in Scotland being abused as a result of use of the Internet.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with The United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including the regulation of the Internet. <P>The Executive fully recognises the need for the utmost vigilance in this area. On 21 March Mr Jack McConnel…

22 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to whom its Equality Unit's database of women's organisations will be made available; what the criteria are for inclusion in the database; when it will be available, and what the reasons are for any delay in its completion.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Executive is committed to reviewing the Women in Scotland Consultative Forum, including the women's database. <FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">It is open to any organisation which has an interest in women's issues or which represents women to be incl…

8 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12771 by Susan Deacon on 23 February 2001, which NHS Trusts and health boards (a) currently authorise or (b) plan to authorise school nurses to make the emergency contraceptive Levonelle available to children over 12 years of age.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.