Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact gambling has on (a) public health, (b) indebtedness and (c) crime and what statistics it has regarding such impacts.
Answer · Tavish Scott: To date there has been no research undertaken on the impact gambling has on (a) public health, (b) indebtedness and (c) crime.</p><p>The UK Government intends to fund a national study prior to the implementation of the UK Gambling Bill and every two-to-three …
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact casinos have on the level of gambling.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The UK gambling addiction rate is approximately 0.6%-0.8% of the over-16 population. This is one of the lowest rates in the world. A national opinion poll published in April 2004, which was commissioned by the Department for Media Culture and Sport, reported …
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) casinos and (b) regional casinos it expects to be opened in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Casino Licensing is a function of local authority licensing boards and this information is not held centrally. However, there were 12 casinos licensed in Scotland as at 31 March 2004.</p>
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, accused persons qualifying for legal aid have been referred to the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office in each year since it opened; whether there are any plans for public defence solicitors to be paid on a case-by-case basis and, if so, when this wil…
Answer · Hugh Henry: For the purposes of the independent evaluation submitted to Parliament in September 2001, all persons eligible for criminal legal aid prosecuted in the Edinburgh courts between October 1998 and June 2000, and born in the months of January or February, were di…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its powers are in respect of applications for new casinos; what powers it has to regulate, or designate, regional casinos, and how many (a) casinos and (b) regional casinos there are in Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We have made it clear that whatever the UK regulatory framework, the position of this devolved government is that new casinos in Scotland will only be agreed if they are licensed by Scottish licensing boards and regulated by conditions set by Scottish ministe…
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often a child in need of a foster placement has been placed in an (a) secure unit and (b) young people’s unit as a result of a lack of available foster accommodation in each of the last five years.
Answer · Euan Robson: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether assessments for special educational needs carried out by educational psychologists are based on the needs of the child or resources available to the local authority; whether there are existing guidelines in respect of assessment for such needs and, if so, whether all local authori…
Answer · Peter Peacock: Assessments for special educational needs carried out by educational psychologists are based on the needs of the child. The <i>Manual of Good Practice</i> for all staff and professionals involved with children and young people with special educational needs; …
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid to solicitors in fees for civil cases in each year since 1990.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is given in the annual report of the Scottish Legal Aid Board for each year since 1990. Copies of these have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24448).</p>
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what data are held in respect of supervision orders; how the success of such orders is monitored, and how an order is followed up and acted upon.
Answer · Euan Robson: Data on supervision requirements is held by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. More detail on the types of Supervision and outcomes for looked after children is given in the <i>Children’s Social Work Statistics 2002-03</i> (ISSN 1479-7569) which…
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Legal Aid Board will introduce a block fee system in solemn cases; if so, how it will be implemented and when it will commence; whether there will be a transitional scheme, and how such a scheme will relate to any changes resulting from the Criminal Procedure (Amendm…
Answer · Hugh Henry: As part of the package of High Court reform the Executive is fully committed to putting in place appropriate legal aid arrangements. This will include a block fee regime for solemn legal aid. Interim measures are being developed to facilitate the introduction…
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the mandatory direction of accused persons to the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office will be reduced or abolished; if so, when and to what extent and, if not, what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Mandatory direction wasabolished in June 2000 and there are no plans for it to be re-established.</p>
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the administration costs of the Scottish Legal Aid Board have been in each year since 1990, shown also as a percentage of total costs in each year.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is given in the annual report of the Scottish Legal Aid Board for each year since 1990. Copies of these have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24448).</p>
23 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its policy to deny a child resident in Scotland looked-after status when it has been granted leave to remain in the country under asylum and immigration legislation.
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners who have participated in the STOP programme have reoffended within (a) six months, (b) one year and (c) two years of release in each year since the inception of the programme.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Information is not available in the form requested. The information currently available on returns to custody in Scotland is contained in…
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners who have been placed on the sex offenders’ register and released on licence have reoffended within (a) six months, (b) one year and (c) two years of release in each year since 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested cannot be provided from the information held centrally.</p><p>The available data on the number of persons released on licence from a determinate custodial sentence who were recalled to prison because they faced charges of a sexual na…
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children from each local authority have been placed in the young people’s unit as a result of the non-availability of foster accommodation in each month in each year since 1999.
Answer · Euan Robson: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring of the STOP programme is being carried out and by whom; when its results will be published, and to whom they will be made available.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>An evaluation of the STOP programme, which was accredited by a Panel of independent experts in September 2001, is currently being undertake…
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders who have been on the sex offenders’ register but have not been sentenced to a period of imprisonment have reoffended within a period of (a) six months, (b) one year and (c) two years in each year since 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Offenders on a sex offenders register cannot be separately identified in the convictions data held on the Scottish Executive Justice Department court proceedings statistical database. Police Force Record Offices operate a variety of recording systems for moni…
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 16 have been prosecuted in (a) sheriff courts and (b) the high court in each year since 1999, broken down into (i) solemn and (ii) summary proceedings.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table:</p><p>Persons Aged Under 16 Proceeded Against in Sheriff Courts and the High Court, 1999-2002 </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p> Court type</p> </td> <td> …
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of fiscal fines and whether it intends to review the policy.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The use of fiscal fines is a valuable and effective alternative to prosecution in less serious cases that would otherwise result in prosecution in the district courts.</p><p>The McInnes Report made a number of recommendations in relation to improving the use …
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to restrict the sale and promotion of knives.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are deeply concernedabout the knife culture and its contribution to violent crime.</p><p>There are already extensiveprovisions under the existing law which restrict the sale and promotion ofknives.</p><p>The Criminal Justice Act1988 makes it an offence to …
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many spaces for children in secure units (a) have been available in each year since 1999 and (b) are estimated to be available in each year to 2007.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The table shows the number of spaces for children in secure units since 1999.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center> </p> </td> <td> <p align=center>1998-99</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>1999-2000<…
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase the number of, and remuneration for, safeguarders.
Answer · Euan Robson: The number and remuneration of safeguarders is a matter for local authorities to determine. In respect of remuneration COSLA issued guidance in 2002 to local authorities following discussion with the Scottish Safeguarder’s Association. I understand that the g…
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many safeguarders there have been in each sheriff court area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information in the format requested is not held centrally. Sheriff Clerks do however retain lists of safeguarders and the current number of safeguarders is given in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> …
22 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has regarding HM Prison Low Moss and what the timescale is for implementing them.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Subject to planning permission being gained, the Scottish Prison Service plans to establish a new prison on the site of HM Prison Low Moss.…
22 Sep 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who has ultimate managerial responsibility for staff working for the Scottish Executive.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Permanent Secretary has that responsibility.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its civil servants have been (a) seconded from, (b) transferred from, (c) seconded to and (d) transferred to other UK departments in each year since 1999.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The number of staff who have moved between the Scottish Executive and other government departments is set out in the following table.</p><p>A move on a temporary basis to another Government organisation operating a Civil Service pension scheme is defined as a…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have taken place under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 in each year since it came into force, broken down by sheriff court.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 does not create any criminal offences and there can therefore be no prosecutions under this legislation .</p>
14 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) online and (b) telephone bookings have been made as a result of using visitscotland.com, expressed also as percentages of bookings as a result of using visitscotland.com.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This is an operational matter for visitscotland.com.</p>
14 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any advertisements about visitscotland.com are paid for in full, or in part, by VisitScotland and what arrangements are in place between VisitScotland and the provider of the website in respect of payment for advertisements.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Under the terms of the public private partnership agreement between the partners in the eTourism joint venture company, all VisitScotland marketing must promote exclusively and prominently the visitscotland.com website name and telephone number. eTourism Ltd …