Kenny MacAskill

20 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of proceeds of district court fines sent to HM Treasury has been in each year since 1999.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table:</p><p>Value of fines sent to Exchequer (£000s)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>1999-2000¹</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>2000-01…

15 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the Public Defence Solicitors&#34; Office (PDSO) is allocated a fixed percentage of the custody court duty plan rather than applying as an individual agent as is the case with private firms; whether it is satisfied that this allocation does not constitute preferential treatment for th…

Answer · Hugh Henry: In 2000, following theremoval of the general scheme of direction of legally-aided clients withbirthdays in January and February to the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office(PDSO), the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) and the Edinburgh Bar Association (Summary)agre…

15 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much European Social Fund funding has not been utilised in each year since 1999.

Answer · Allan Wilson: In the European Social FundProgramme which started in the year 2000 the spending targets have been meteach year and all funds have been utilised.</p>

15 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all funds allocated to community learning strategy partnerships for adult literacy and numeracy projects in 2001 were used for this purpose; if not, what steps will now be taken to ensure that the funds are so used, and what action will be taken against any local authority not usi…

Answer · Allan Wilson: Our information is that the funds allocated to the partnerships since 2001 have been used for activities relating to adult literacy and numeracy.</p><p>Funding for adult literacy and numeracy for 2006-2008 will be routed as previously through the GAE of local…

15 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for auditing organisations in receipt of European Social Fund funding; who sets the criteria; how organisations in receipt of such funding are advised of the criteria prior to receiving funding; what feedback these organisations receive after audits have taken place;…

Answer · Allan Wilson: (a) What are the criteria for auditing organisations in receipt of European Social Fund (ESF) funding?</p><p>Organisations in receipt of ESF are audited by their external auditors for annual accounts and ESF final claims, and they may also be audited by the E…

15 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much European Social Fund money has been clawed back from (a) colleges and (b) other organisations in each year since 1999.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The amount of EuropeanSocial Fund money clawed back from colleges and others each year in theprogramme which started in 2000 is shown in the following table:</p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=323> <thead> <tr> <td> …

15 Dec 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many passengers travelling via Glasgow Prestwick airport commute to Edinburgh city centre.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the relevant transport operators and the airport owner. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>

13 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has in projects associated with the redevelopment of Granton waterfront.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>The redevelopment of the Granton waterfront is being led by Waterfront Edinburgh Limited. This is a joint venture company supported by the Cit…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had to the proposed UK Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill; under what circumstances it is envisaged that the Home Secretary will be able to direct chief constables in Scotland under the terms of the bill, and what representations it has made, or proposes to make, r…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: <em>We havehad substantial input to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill and that willcontinue as the bill goes through its Parliamentary Stages in the UK Parliament.As regards clause 25 of the bill, amendments were tabled on 21 December to restrictthe…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many armed response (a) vehicles and (b) officers there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The following table gives informationprovided by police forces for the number of police officers authorised to use firearms.Information on the number of armed response vehicles is not held centrally.</p><p>Number of OfficersAuthorised to use Firearms</p><tabl…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions armed response officers have attended incidents in each year since 1999, broken down by police force.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the questionS2W-9736, answered on 12 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questionsare available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what definition of hardship is used to decide whether the Scottish Legal Aid Board will meet fees or expect deductions to be made from sums recovered in advice and assistance applications.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The board judges each case onits own merits and applies the ordinary meaning of the terms employed. In particular,the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of hardship is “severe suffering or privation”.The standard to be met before payment can be made from …

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote Edinburgh as a destination following the restructuring of area tourist boards; what funding will be available for Edinburgh as a distinct and specific destination; what input there will be from local government and businesses in the city to any marketing of Edinburgh, …

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The promotionfrom next year of Edinburgh and the Lothians as a leisure tourism destination willfrom April 2005 be the responsibility of the VisitScotland network office in Edinburgh, while business tourism in thearea will be promoted by the city’s Convention …

9 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time spent in prison is for prisoners sentenced to (a) less than three months, (b) three to six months and (c) six months to one year.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The available information is given in the following table:</p><p>Calculated Time-Served Factors by Sentence Length, 2003</p><table border=0…

9 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is, per prisoner, of reception and induction to prison.

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>Such information is not available. The average annual cost per prisoner place in 2003-04 was given in the SPS Annual Report and Accou…

8 Dec 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take on firearms offences.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: While firearms legislation is reserved, we are working closely with the UK Government to tackle gun crime. In 2004, we brought in new laws to protect the public from the misuse of air weapons and increased penalties for the illegal possession or distribution …

2 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend its central heating installation programme, in order to take into account the need for emergency replacements so that elderly people are not without heating for five months over the winter period.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Waiting times, along with all other aspects of the customer service provided by Eaga, who manage the contract on behalf of the Scottish Executive, are kept under constant review. The popularity of the programme inevitably means thatrecipients have to wait, so…

2 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of excess winter deaths among people over 65 this winter.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Because the methodology used to estimate the number of “excess winter deaths” uses data for a complete 12 month period (August to July), information for the winter of 2004-05 is not yet available.</p><p>The latest information available may be found in the ans…

30 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time football development officers there are in each local authority area and what their salary costs are, broken down into those employed by (a) it, (b) a local authority, (c) the Scottish Football Association and (d) sportscotland.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The information requested is not held centrally. No football development officers are employed by the Executive or <b>sport</b>scotland.</p>

30 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish an updated statistical bulletin on motor vehicle offences and what the reasons are for its position on the matter, and why there has been no publication of the bulletin since 2000.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The statistical bulletin on motor vehicle offences was discontinued after publication of the figures for 2000. Since then, the information involved has been incorporated into the annual statistical bulletin on criminal proceedings in Scottish courts. This pro…

30 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has of the number of police officers whom it intends to recruit in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The recruitment and deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables.</p>

30 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has of the number of police officers who will retire in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The estimated number of officers expected by the eight Scottish police forces to retire over the next three years (excluding any retirements on the grounds of ill-health) are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>2005-06<…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been of people who have caused road accidents that have caused the death of one or more people by careless driving while under the influence of drink and drugs in the last year for which figures are available and in each of the previous five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Causing Death by Careless Driving while Under the Influence of Drink or Drugs¹, 1997-2002</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conviction rate was for (a) dangerous and careless driving, (b) drink driving, (c) speeding, (d) unlawful use of a vehicle and (e) vehicle defect offences in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against in Court for Selected Offences¹, by Police Force Area, 1999-2002</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=623> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=ce…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conviction rate was for (a) common assault, (b) breach of the peace, (c) drunkenness and (d) breach of social work order in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against in Court for Selected Offences¹, by Police Force Area, 1999-2002</p><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Polic…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conviction rate was for (a) rape and attempted rape, (b) indecent assault and (c) lewd and indecent behaviour in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against in Court for Selected Offences¹, by Police Force Area, 1999-2002</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=576> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=ce…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conviction rate was for (a) homicide, (b) culpable homicide, (c) serious assault and attempted murder and (d) robbery in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against in Court for Selected Offences¹, by Police Force Area, 1999-2002</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=612> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=ce…

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was to each of its departments of (a) ministerial cars and drivers, (b) taxis, (c) rail travel, (d) the use of helicopters, (e) airline tickets and (f) chartered aeroplanes in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested for taxis, rail travel and airline tickets is set out in the following tables. Restructuring of departments in the Scottish Executive in the period between 1999 and 2004 affects some of the year on year comparisons. Information about…

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of sex offence cases brought to court resulted in a conviction in each of the last five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.</p><p>Percentage of Persons Proceeded Against for Crimes of Indecency¹ with a Charge Proved, 1998-2002</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Crimes of In…

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence in bus stations have been reported to the police in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not identify the location of the crime.</p>