Robert Brown

7 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in reference to paragraph 136 of Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: a Framework for Action, what action has followed the review of current plans and practices for the identification and treatment of offenders with alcohol problems in criminal justice settings.

Answer · Shona Robison: A portfolio of three complementary studies has been developed and are funded by Scottish Government to drive forward this commitment. As a result of an initial scoping exercise undertaken, these studies are more extensive than previously outlined in the frame…

7 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in reference to paragraph 122 of Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: a Framework for Action, what progress the working group to update core services for alcohol treatment and support has made.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Essential Services working group has been established as a time-limited sub‘group of the Scottish Ministerial Advisory Committee on Alcohol Problems (SMACAP) to update core services for alcohol treatment and support. </p> <p >The group meets on a monthly…

31 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the European Commission about notification of the minimum pricing proposal and, if none, whether it plans to make contact and, if so, when.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We continue to keep the European Commission informed of progress. None of the provisions in the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill require notification under the Technical Standards Directive.</p>

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have waiting lists for offenders placed on community service.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally. It is the responsibility for each local Community Service scheme to monitor and record performance in accordance with the national guidance which forms part of the National Objectives and Standards for Social Work Servi…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to improve the quality of analysis of offending and the risk of reoffending in social enquiry reports identified in the Social Work Inspection Agency report, Improving Social Work in Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We are currently working with expert stakeholders, including the Association of Directors of Social Work, the Social Work Inspection Agency and the Risk Management Authority to revise the guidance on criminal justice social work reports for the court. One of …

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides guidance to local authorities with regard to the management of serious violent offenders.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive provides guidance to local authorities in the form on National Objectives and Standards for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System.</p> <p >We are working with partners to introduce a new, more consistent approach to risk…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in response to the deficiencies identified with regard to the management of serious violent offenders in the Social Work Inspection Agency report, Improving Social Work in Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is working closely with partners to ensure the consistent assessment and management of violent offenders in communities across the country.</p> <p >The report recommended that the first step should be to strengthen current practice a…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many speech and language therapists were employed in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on staff in post is published annually by NHS Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland, as part of the workforce census as at 30 September each year. Data for speech and language therapists staff in post by NHS region and NHS…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for (a) children and (b) adults for speech and language therapy interventions from first presentation, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32923 on 26 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busines…

30 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for (a) children and (b) adults to be assessed for speech and language therapy services, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on waiting times for speech and language therapy is not currently collected centrally. </p> <p >The Scottish Government has funded, as part of the National Workforce and Workload Programme, a project to develop an extension to the Allied Health P…

18 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will lodge amendments to Part 2 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill to safeguard the independence and standing of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Order-making powers in Part 2 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill apply to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland in the same way as they do to other public bodies listed in schedule 3 to the Bill. Any proposals for an Order under Part 2 of …

17 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to assist enforcement action against landlords where direct evidence from tenants is unlikely to be available.

Answer · Alex Neil: I established a high level stakeholder group “ the Private Rented Strategy Group in September 2009 chaired independently by Professor Douglas Robertson to take forward the conclusions of the Private Rented Sector Review which was published in March 2009. The …

17 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a landlord accreditation scheme.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government supports Landlord Accreditation Scotland (LAS), a national body which allows letting agents and landlords who meet required standards to become accredited.</p> <p >LAS was set up in April 2008 with the aim of promoting best practice …

17 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide local authorities with a power of entry and inspection of private rented accommodation where there are complaints regarding the quality of the landlord’s management or the behaviour of the tenants.

Answer · Alex Neil: I established a high level stakeholder group “ the Private Rented Strategy Group in September 2009 chaired independently by Professor Douglas Robertson to take forward the conclusions of the <i >Private Rented Sector Review</i> which was published in March 20…

16 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the 2014 Commonwealth Games organising committee.

Answer · Shona Robison: Glasgow 2014 Limited (the organising committee) is a company limited by guarantee under the joint ownership of Scottish ministers, Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth Games Scotland. </p> <p >In addition to the chair, the board comprises representatives f…

16 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates that the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be delivered within budget.

Answer · Shona Robison: The announcement on 16 November 2009 that the games budget would be boosted to £453.6 million (at 2007 prices) followed a thorough review of all aspects of games delivery. That review has given the government and its games partners confidence that this enhanc…

16 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28930 by Shona Robison on 16 November 2009, whether the budget for the 2014 Commonwealth Games is still £453.6 million.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32465 on 13 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…

11 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 16 have been held in prison establishments and young offenders’ institutions under section 44 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >There have been no children under 16 held in prison establishments or young offenders'' institutions under section 44 of th…

11 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what interactions it has had with the Student Loans Company regarding the job reductions announced in January 2010.

Answer · Michael Russell: The redundancy announcement is the result of changes to student finance service delivery for English students attending English universities, between the Student Loans Company (SLC) and the UK Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) an…

11 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding job reductions at the Student Loans Company in Glasgow.

Answer · Michael Russell: The redundancy announcement is the result of changes to student finance service delivery for English students attending English universities, between the Student Loans Company (SLC) and the UK Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) an…

10 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31079 by Stewart Stevenson on 4 February 2010, what the basis is of the assertion that the projects listed had a higher benefit cost ratio than the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL), given that the published figures are GARL, 1.28, Borders, 1.36, Edin…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The business case for all major transport projects is reviewed and updated on a regular basis as more information becomes available on costs, benefits and the wider impacts considered within the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. This helps improve the ro…

10 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31079 by Stewart Stevenson on 4 February 2010, whether the projects mentioned were compared on a like-for-like basis over the same time period; whether there was a common (a) discount and (b) inflation rate, and what account was taken of the compleme…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: All infrastructure projects assessed by Transport Scotland are conducted in line with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). This ensures consistency across projects as the same methodology is used to identify measure and record all costs, benefits and…

10 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31087 by Stewart Stevenson on 4 February 2010, whether it considers that an application for funding for projects under the Regulatory Asset Base can be made at any time and, if so, how this relates to the statement of the Minister for Transport, Infr…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government can request that Network Rail consider the use of Regulatory Asset Base finance for rail projects. This form of funding can be requested across Control Periods.</b></p> <p >The Office of Rail Regulation has determined the funding require…

10 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31078 by Stewart Stevenson on 4 February 2010, what land relating to the cancelled Glasgow Airport Rail Link is being considered for resale.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32289 on 19 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…

10 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake to retain all land acquired for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link for future progression of the project, which it described as desirable.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: On 3 February 2010 the Scottish Parliament approved the Scottish Budget 2010‘11, which included the cancellation of the branch line element of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) project. As such this means that the land, previously acquired under compulsory…

9 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences of wasting police time were committed in each year since 1999 in the Lothian and Borders police force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table shows the number of offences of wasting police time recorded by the police¹:</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=167 > <tr > <td width=167 nowrap colspan=2 valign=bottom > <p align=center >Lothian and …

4 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that issuing Tasers to police officers trained in their use who are not authorised firearms officers is going beyond their current use as a means to try to negate the requirement to use proper firearms.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Tasers are a proportionate method of providing for the safety of police officers and members of the public. The deployment and use of tasers and other firearms is an operational matter for chief constables. Strathclyde Police is responsible for drawing up the…

4 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the statement made by the First Minister in the chamber on 4 February 2010 that “it would be appropriate if we allowed the chief constable of Strathclyde Police to have his pilot studies and to analyse the results” (Official Report c. 23538) correlates with the C…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The First Minister''s statement is entirely consistent with my position. The deployment and use of firearms is an operational matter for chief constables. Strathclyde Police is responsible for drawing up the terms of reference for the pilot and its evaluation…

4 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31606 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 March 2010 stating that the deployment and use of firearms is an operational matter for chief constables, whether it would consider the issuing of firearms to every frontline police officer to constitute an operational m…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We would not support a fully armed police force. But firearms legislation is reserved and is the responsibility of the UK Government. The Scottish Government continues to press for firearms legislation to be devolved, which would provide the Scottish Parliame…

3 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been admitted to hospital due to assault by a blunt object in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) sex, (b) type of admission and (c) NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The numbers of emergency and elective hospital admissions due to assault by a blunt object, broken down by gender and NHS board of treatment, discharged during financial years ending 31 March 2000 to 2009 are available from the Scottish Parliament Information…