Johann Lamont

25 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has requested sight of the preliminary assessment of the dossier on alleged telephone hacking that was recently given to Strathclyde Police.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No. Any investigation into whether or not a criminal offence has taken place is a matter for the police, subject only to any direction the Lord Advocate might give.

25 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-01591 by Kenny MacAskill on 20 July 2011, what liaison there has been between the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Strathclyde Police regarding the recent allegations of telephone hacking.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is now a matter for the police and, as such, it is being treated in the same way as any other ongoing police investigation.

25 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice was first informed about the recent allegations of telephone hacking in Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I was informed of the existence of the material that has been made available to Strathclyde Police in July.

25 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for antisocial behaviour orders against private landlords were made by local authorities to sheriff courts in 2010 and have been made in 2011; how many resulted in a court prosecution and how many prosecutions resulted in action being taken against the landlord, brok…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) are provided for in Part 2 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004. They are preventative orders intended to protect people from further acts or conduct that would cause them alarm or distress. An order contains…

25 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sexual offence liaison officers are employed by each police force.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table provides information from the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland about the number of sexual offence liaison officers (SOLOs) employed by each police force: Police Force Central Scotland Dumfries and Galloway Fife Grampia…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to stop adults purchasing alcohol in order to then sell to under 18 year olds.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Retailers should avoid making a sale where they have reason to believe that the purchaser is acting as a “proxy” for a person under 18. If they fail to sell alcohol responsibly then the relevant licensing board will take action against them. It is already an…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Football Policing Unit is in place for the start of 2011-12 football season.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Football Co-ordination Unit for Scotland (FoCUS) was formally established on 11 July 2011, following the First Minister’s announcement on the Joint Action Group’s recommendations, and was in place for the start of the 2011-12 football season. This unit’…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an information sharing protocol between SFA member clubs and local police commanders is in place for the start of the 2011-12 football season.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information sharing protocols are already in place between a number of football clubs and local match commanders. Discussions are well underway between the police and football authorities on the development of a standard Information Sharing Protocol which w…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether good practice guidance in relation to football banning orders is in place for the start of the 2011-12 football season.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes. The Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (ACPOS) circulated good practice guidance to all Scottish police forces, and to members of the ACPOS Football Sub-group, on Thursday 14 July. This covers matters including the relevant legislation, unacce…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been in co-ordinating the work of Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs).

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The ACPOS Domestic Abuse Working Group is developing a protocol outlining the procedures for transferring cases between MARACs across Forces in Scotland. It will be used when high risk victims of domestic abuse, already involved in the MARAC process, move fro…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which police authorities hold regular Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs).

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Five of the eight Forces: Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, Fife Constabulary, Northern Police, Strathclyde Police and Tayside Police, engage fully with a Domestic Abuse Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) process within the respective Force are…

1 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Security Industry Authority investigations in Scotland have led to prosecutions.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There have been two prosecutions following Security Industry Authority investigations.

1 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many investigations the Security Industry Authority has carried out in Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Security Industry Authority have carried out three investigations in Scotland.

1 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Security Industry Authority investigations in Scotland have led to successful prosecutions.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There have been two successful prosecutions following Security Industry Authority investigations.

22 Mar 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to tackle fuel poverty.

Answer · Alex Neil: This year, we have helped over 200,000 people through the Energy Assistance Package through free heating help, insulation, tax credit and benefit entitlement checks and general energy efficiency advice. Since its implementation in April 2009 the EAP has deliv…

3 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there has been no Scottish Government response to the report of the short-life working group on school meals and clothing grants completed in 2008.

Answer · Adam Ingram: As the legislative requirement to provide free school meals and school clothing grants rests with education authorities, it is for them to take decisions based on the report <i >Review of identification and registration of those eligible for free school meals…

28 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation there has been of the use of the domestic abuse toolkit.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There has been no formal evaluation of the domestic abuse toolkit itself, which in part is a product of the Glasgow domestic abuse court pilot. However, the Scottish Government maintains an awareness of progress at local level through contact with Summary Jus…

28 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it receives regular reports on the use of the domestic abuse toolkit.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There is no formal reporting mechanism, but the Scottish Government maintains an awareness of progress in each area through contact with Summary Justice Reform Co-ordinators.</p>

28 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which sheriffdoms there is ongoing training in the use of the domestic abuse toolkit.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The domestic abuse toolkit is a framework developed to aid Sheriffs Principal and local criminal justice partners shape how they handle domestic abuse cases in their area. The toolkit therefore helps inform local practice and training, and as such, we would n…

28 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which sheriffdoms the domestic abuse toolkit is in use.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The domestic abuse toolkit was developed to aid Sheriffs Principal and local criminal justice partners begin the task of developing a specialist approach to domestic abuse cases in their area. Learning from the Glasgow domestic abuse court pilot, the toolkit …

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children living in severe poverty have benefited from the extension of free school meals.

Answer · Alex Neil: There is currently no officially recognised measure of severe poverty in Scotland and therefore I cannot provide a definitive answer.</p> <p >Uptake of free school lunches by virtue of the tax credit system is formally monitored through the annual School Me…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children living in severe poverty have benefited from the abolition of prescription charges.

Answer · Alex Neil: There is currently no officially recognised measure of severe poverty in Scotland and therefore I am unable to give a definitive answer.</p> <p >Prescription charges will be abolished on 1 April this year, subject to the will of the Scottish Parliament. Whil…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children living in severe poverty are in families that have received free heating help.

Answer · Alex Neil: There is currently no officially recognised measure of severe poverty in Scotland and therefore I am unable to give a definitive answer.</p> <p >The Energy Assistance Package offers low income families living in an energy inefficient household measures to i…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in severe poverty have benefited from the freezing of council tax.

Answer · Alex Neil: There is currently no officially recognised measure of severe poverty in Scotland and therefore I am unable to give a definitive answer.</p> <p >Analysis shows that, on average, people in the lowest income deciles benefit the most from the council tax freeze…

16 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with COSLA possible implications for charges for non-residential care arising from the UK Government’s proposed changes Disability Living Allowance.

Answer · Shona Robison: I can confirm that Scottish Government officials have been in discussion with CoSLA about the possible implications of the UK Government''s proposed changes to Disability Living Allowance. These discussions have included the potential implications for non-res…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to encourage public bodies to use Article 19 of the EU procurement directive.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39647 on 15 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has used community benefit clauses to gain contracts for supported employment.

Answer · John Swinney: Community benefit clauses in Scottish Government contracts have, to date, focussed on youth unemployment.</p> <p >To increase opportunities for supported employment and other third sector businesses we have taken a range of actions including introduction of…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to encourage the use of community benefit clauses.

Answer · John Swinney: In February 2008, the Scottish Government published a detailed report on community benefit clauses with practical information on how and when to use the clauses. Over the past 15 months there has been a programme briefing events on community benefits aimed at…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts public bodies other than local authorities have agreed under Article 19 of the EU procurement directive.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39647 on 15 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/…

14 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts local authorities have agreed under Article 19 of the EU procurement directive.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39647 on 15 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/…