Gil Paterson

24 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on any further progress on the multi-modal study into the completion of the M8.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The consultants have held a series of Focus Groups and individual in-depth interviews in West Central Scotland and a Consultative Forum in Cumbernauld. The forum was well attended and provided the opportunity for comment on the range of problems and possible …

10 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether materials contaminated with CJD or MRSA are being treated through Eurocare's Cumbernauld plant.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The operators of the Eurocare plant at Cumbernauld are not permitted by the terms of their licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to treat materials contaminated with CJD, which should be incinerated.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">MRSA belongs to Hazard …

10 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the report commissioned by West Lothian Council into the re-opening of the rail link between Bathgate and Airdrie.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has received a copy of the report. It provides insufficient grounds for a serious consideration of re-opening the line.

3 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conviction rate was for each of the past five years for the crimes of (a) murder, (b) culpable homicide and (c) serious assault.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The percentages of prosecutions resulting in a conviction, where the main offence involved was murder, culpable homicide or serious assault, are given in the following table. Serious assault includes crimes classified as attempted murder.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPA…

27 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the judge presiding over a rape trial states any conditions of release at the time of sentencing.

Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no plans to change the current arrangements. It is for the courts to determine the sentence in any particular case. The Executive's role is to ensure that the sentencer has a range of disposals available to ensure that offenders can be dealt with effe…

26 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4714, to detail, by local authority area, what percentage of rape victims have their request to be examined by a female police surgeon granted and, of this percentage, what is the average distance travelled and time waited by these victims to receive…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held by the Executive.

26 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the development of a new definition of rape; whether, in so doing, it will take into consideration the views of victims of rape, and whether it will give a timescale for developing any new definition.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has no plans to change the definition of rape. As with other criminal offences, this is an issue that we keep under review and if in future the Executive does consider any change is required, we would of course consult all appropriate interests,…

26 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Women's Aid refuge spaces there are in Scotland and what steps it is taking to increase this provision.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: Groups affiliated to Scottish Women's Aid have a total of 325 refuge spaces. Information is not held centrally on spaces provided by non-affiliated groups.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Funding from the Scottish Homes element of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fun…

19 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police stations have dedicated rape suites and what steps it is taking to ensure that every police force establishes such a facility as a matter of priority.

Answer · Jim Wallace: In total there are 25 police stations with dedicated rape suites (5.5%). In addition police forces in Scotland have made provision for the use of other suitable facilities through their local social work departments and hospitals.

7 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that the health service is informed of the consequences of rape and is able to provide an appropriate service to those seeking help.

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is important that the NHS provides an appropriate response to those presenting as victims of abuse, including rape. Sympathetic, non-judgmental clinical investigation and treatment is essential. The NHS in Scotland has, in recent years, put in place proces…

7 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any copies of Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill were sent outwith Scotland.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The consultation document was initially circulated to those identified by the Executive as having interests in ethical standards for public bodies and/or repeal of S2 including Whitehall Departments. Copies were also sent to organisations and individuals that…

7 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the organisations that requested copies of Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill were sent multiple copies.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Organisations were generally sent single copies, although bodies such as local authorities were sent sufficient copies for each of their members. Where an organisation requested additional copies these were provided.

7 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 6,500 copies of Standards in Public Life: Consultation on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill were sent to organisations.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The consultation document was initially circulated to those identified by the Executive as having interests in ethical standards for public bodies and/or repeal of S2A. Initial consultees included local authorities; devolved public bodies; organisations with …

7 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assurance it can give that the mechanisms for treating clinical waste infected with CJD or methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus are sufficient to ensure that these highly infectious prions and bacteria are destroyed.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Current guidance on the disposal of clinical waste from patients with suspected or actual variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) is detailed in the 1998 report from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens and the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Com…

7 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the disposal mechanisms used for clinical waste generated in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Disposal of clinical waste generated by the NHS in Scotland is the responsibility of NHS Trusts and island health boards.<P>The majority of Trusts in Scotland, along with the island health boards, have clinical waste disposal contracts in place with private s…

31 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what reassurances it can give, and what measures it is taking to ensure that there is no reduction in the sentences of convicted rapists unless offenders actively participate in programmes for positive change while in custody.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is committed to providing opportunities to allow prisoners to take responsibility for their offending behaviour and take steps to reduce the risk of re-offending following release. Under current sentence management arrangements, most pr…

21 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund has been pledged towards projects aimed at changing youth attitudes regarding rape and violence against women.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The following councils will be using all or part of their award for such projects:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Falkirk - An Abuse Prevention Worker<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Glasgow - An Educational Resource Worker<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Inverclyde - A Zero Tolerance Development Wo…

15 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value is of financial savings which have been made across Scotland following the recent local government financial settlement.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Next year's settlement provides for real terms increases. Government Supported Expenditure (GSE) is set to rise by 3.7% and Aggregate External Finance (AEF) by 2.9%.

13 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of reported rapes, in each of the last five years, did not proceed to prosecution or had the prosecution abandoned because the complainant was unwilling or too distressed to proceed.

Answer · Colin Boyd: There are no figures for the numbers of rapes recorded by the police which resulted in reports to Procurators Fiscal for consideration of proceedings. Of the reported cases, we do not have figures about cases where criminal proceedings are not instituted by t…

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the average waiting time for a rape case to come to trial for each of the last five years and what efficiency measures are being taken to ensure that procedures in the Crown Court and Sheriff Court are speeded up.

Answer · Colin Boyd: We do not have information about the average waiting time for a rape case to come to trial. Rape must be prosecuted in the High Court and proceedings are subject to the time bar provisions which require a trial to commence within 12 months of an accused's fir…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making the funding of rape crisis and victim support services a statutory provision, and, if so, whether it will give a timescale for any such development.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There is already statutory basis for funding voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis or Victim Support services. Section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, makes provision for financial assistance by way of grant or loan to be provided to voluntar…

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the number of reports of rape on an annual basis for the last five years (a) which were made to the police or relevant authority, (b) where a prosecution did not take place with a breakdown of the reasons why, (c) where a prosecution was proceeded with a…

Answer · Jim Wallace: We do not hold all the information requested. The available information is set out below:<P>Number of rapes recorded by the police:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=568><TR><TD WIDTH="42%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=24><P></TD><TD WIDTH="9%" VALIGN="TO…

24 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of rape victims have their request to be examined by a female police surgeon granted and, of this percentage, whether it will detail the average distance travelled and time waited by these victims to receive attention in comparison with those who receive treatment from a m…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

24 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the overall cost of establishing and maintaining a Water Industry Commissioner; what will be the salary of the Commissioner and which body will be responsible for paying these costs.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The cost of recruiting the Water Industry Commissioner is estimated to have been £20,000 and was paid by the Scottish Executive. The cost of maintaining the Commissioner and his office from establishment on 1 November 1999 to 31 March 2000 is expected to be o…

17 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers have specialist training in dealing with victims of rape and domestic abuse and what percentage of these are female, and what measures it is taking to ensure that specialist training of all police officers is a national provision within police forces fro…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Approximately 11 per cent of police officers in Scotland, including detectives, are specially trained in dealing with victims of rape and 50 per cent of those trained are women. It is more difficult to quantify those specially trained to deal with domestic ab…

10 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many female police surgeons are currently employed in Scotland, what percentage this represents of all police surgeons and what measures it intends to take to promote the recruitment of female police surgeons.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Police surgeons are not Force employees but their appointments are arranged with the local police boards. Information provided by Forces indicates that, of 163 surgeons currently engaged by the police service in Scotland, 27 are female, which is 16.6% of the …

9 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial arrangements will be put in place to secure the future of the community of Longriggend following the closure of the remand centre there.

Answer · Angus MacKay: None.

8 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering developing a new definition of consent in the crime of rape; if so, whether it will take into consideration the views of victims of rape when developing any new definition, and what the timescale is for the introduction of any such new definition.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has no plans to change the definition of consent in the common law crime of rape. If in future the Executive does consider such changes, we would of course consult all appropriate interests, including victims groups.

8 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it first knew about the redundancies at Dal'ell Plate Mill; whether it has had any discussions with British Steel (CORUS) regarding these job losses and, if not, why not, and what its understanding is of Dal'ell Plate Mill's future.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Executive first learned of these redundancies on 8 February. My officials have discussed the circumstances with local management. The Scottish Executive does not speculate on the future commercial decisions of companies.

8 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deputy fiscals left the service after (a) six months; (b) 12 months and (c) 24 months service in each year since 1996.

Answer · Colin Boyd: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=612><TR><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>YEAR</TD><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>PFDs left with 6-11 months service</TD…