Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of racially motivated hate crimes have been reported in the last five years, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Exact information on the numbers of racially motivated hate crimes is not available centrally. For information on the number of racially motivated incidents I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15791 on 10 May 2005, as corrected by the reply to qu…
7 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many automobile accidents reported in the last five years involved (a) drink driving and (b) speeding, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the Police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the “Stats 19<i>”</i> statistical report format. These returns do not cover "damage only" accidents.</p> <p>The only figures on drink driving a…
7 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average sentence was for criminals convicted of accessing and downloading child pornography on the internet in each of the last six years.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Cases involving the accessing, distribution and possession of child pornography are prosecuted under sections 52 and 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. However, the data held centrally does not distinguish between cases involving pornography dow…
7 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3695 by Susan Deacon on 4 February 2000, how many people have died as a result of (a) road traffic accidents, (b) using Class A drugs and (c) using volatile substances in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested is given in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>Underlying Cause of Death</p> <p>and Police Force Area</p></td> <td> <p>1999</p></td> <td> <p>2000</p></td> <td> <…
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances there have been of emergency vehicles being restricted in attending incidents as a result of illegal or inappropriate parking; what legislation applies in such cases, and what action it plans to take to address the issue.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are no centrally recorded statistics available. Section 103 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, made under the Road Traffic Act 1972, makes it an offence to cause any unnecessary obstruction of the road. Enforcement is a matter…
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of asylum seekers residing in Scotland who were required to travel to Liverpool or elsewhere in England for authorisation to work in each year since 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held by the Scottish Executive. The requirements and arrangements for asylum seekers to travel to Liverpool and elsewhere are matters for the Home Office.</p>
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of Scots who were required to obtain a visa for travel to the United States of America in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally.</p>
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the United States of America (USA) regarding the absence of visa facilities at the US Consulate General in Edinburgh; whether it will ensure that representations are made when the President of the USA visits Scotland for the G8 summit, and whether it wi…
Answer · Tom McCabe: We have not made any recent representations to the US authorities about visa-issuing facilities in Edinburgh, nor do we have plans to do so.</p>
1 Jun 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on CruiseScotland; whether it is still trading and what the extent is of any outstanding debt, and what the Executives strategy is for promoting Scotland as a cruise liner destination.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: CruiseScotland is still trading and has debts of around £7,000. It is currently in negotiations with Forth Ports plc to re-establish itself on a new basis, albeit under the same name. Under such a new format, CruiseScotland would be based on private sector me…
31 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15187 and S2W-16048 by Ms Margaret Curran on 10 and 3 May 2005, what issues ministers are considering in relation to S2W-15187, given that it is simply a request for information as to which PPP/PFI operators it considers are providing a service tha…
Answer · Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a range of issues connected with the question asked in S2W-15187. These include issues of substance, process and timing.</p>
31 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15184 and S2W-16049 by Ms Margaret Curran on 10 and 3 May 2005, what issues ministers are considering in relation to S2W-15184, given that it is simply a request for information as to which persons or bodies it has designated as Scottish public aut…
Answer · Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a range of issues connected with the question asked in S2W-15184. These include issues of substance, process and timing.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the roll-out of the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for the escort of prisoners has now reached.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>It is fully rolled out.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7558 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May 2004, whether the figure of £126 million for the net present value of the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for the escort of prisoners included VAT.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>VAT was not included in the NetPresent Value calculations.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the hospital information system (HIS) in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh has been successfully implemented and how many attempts it took to implement the system successfully, regardless of the supplier of the HIS.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for LothianHealth Board. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who was involved in the selection of the hospital information system currently in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for LothianHealth Board. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if the hospital information system in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh has not been successfully implemented, there are penalty clauses with the supplier for (a) complete or (b) partial failure of the system.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for LothianHealth Board. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the hospital information system in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was selected in open competition; how it was compared with other systems available, and what criteria were applied in the comparison.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for LothianHealth Board. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which hospital information system is in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The main hospital systemscurrently in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh are the iSoft Patient AdministrativeSystem and the iSoft laboratory system. The Trac system is in use in the accidentand emergency department.</p>
30 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which hospital information systems are in use in NHS hospitals.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The main hospitalinformation systems in use in NHS Scotland hospitals are iSoft’s Patient AdministrationSystem (13 instances), COMPAS Patient Administration System (15 instances),Meditech Hospital Information System (3 instances), Capula’s Oasis HospitalInfor…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoner movements there were from (a) police custody to court, (b) prisons to court, (c) hospital to court and (d) court to court and how many other prisoner movements there were in each month of 2004 (i) in total and (ii) broken down by Sheriffdom.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The information requested in(a)(i), (b)(i), (c)(i) and (d)(i) is published on the SPS website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.sps.gov.uk/…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-7558 and S2W-11075 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May and 19 October 2004, what the actual cash value of the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for the escort of prisoners was estimated to be at the time the answer to S2W-7558 was given (a)…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The financial value over the lifetime of the contract was given in answer to S2W-7558. This value is the estimated cash value based …
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-7558 and S2W-16514 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May 2004 and 24 May 2005, what the net present value will be of VAT payments to be made in relation to the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for the escort of prisoners, shown in figures co…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>No such calculation has been made because the net cost to SPS is nil as the VAT is fully recoverable.</p>
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent responsibilities in relation to the rules governing the issue in Scotland of warrants for the recovery of personal data for the purpose of investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences cover (a) reserved and (b) devolved matters.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The police in Scotland have the authority to seek and execute search warrants inconnection with their function to investigate crime. A warrant may be obtainedauthorising the search of a place or premises for a wide variety of material,including personal data,…
26 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent responsibilities in relation to judicial cooperation in criminal matters with other countries cover (a) reserved and (b) devolved matters.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Although the negotiation of international instruments falls within the reservation of international relations under Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Executive liaises where appropriate with UK lead Departments during this process. The impleme…
25 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive,further tothe answer to questionS2W-7812byCathy Jamieson on 19 May 2004,what the final total delegated budget has been for each prison and young offenders institution in each of the last three financial years and the present financial year to date and what the expenditure out-turn has bee…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>I refer the member to the answers to questions S1W-33583, S2W-7812 and S2W-16417 on 10 February 2003, 19 May 2004 and 24 May 2005 respecti…
25 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why on-time delivery of prisoners to court fell from 98% in July 2004 to 85% in December 2004 and what action it intends to take to address this.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>The major reason was the significant expansion of operations to cover the whole of Scotland and double the number of prisoner moveme…
25 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of visitors to Scotland who arrive via a port in north-east England.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: In 2003, the number of visitors who came to Scotland via a port in the north-east of England was estimated from survey data to be in the region of 98,000. This comprised 11,000 visitors passing through Newcastle Airport and 87,000 arriving through a sea port …
25 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the volume of travellers between Scotland and the EU accession states; what action it has taken to promote new direct flights to these states, and what strategy it has for obtaining information on movements between these destinations and for providing direct fli…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Direct air links between Edinburgh-Prague and Glasgow-Prague have already been established. Any approach by an airline to commence services from Scotland to the other EU accession states will be considered.</p> <p>In the 12 months to the end of March 2005, so…
25 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of people bound for (a) Scotland and (b) Edinburgh arriving in the United Kingdom by Eurostar in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no information on the number of people bound for (a) Scotland and (b) Edinburgh arriving in the United Kingdom by Eurostar in each year since 1999.</p>
25 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, and what discussions it has had, regarding the introduction of direct flights between Edinburgh and Munich.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Discussions have been held with airlines on the new direct air routes which could be supported by the Route Development Fund – this has included a potential connection between Scotland and Munich. The Executive will consider any approach by an airline to comm…