Stewart Stevenson

22 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of class sizes in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are above the national average.

Answer · Hugh Henry: In September 2006, 56% ofprimary classes were above the national average class size of 23.6. Class sizedata for secondary schools is not routinely collected as part of the annualschool census.</p>

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences were committed by young people in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Children’s ReporterAdministration (SCRA) deals with the majority of offences committed by young peopleunder the age of 16. In addition, those children aged 16 and 17 who are still subjectto Supervision Requirements would also have any alleged off…

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of crime rates in (a) high and (b) low income communities in (i) the most recent period for which figures are available and (ii) 1996-97.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Crime rates for local authorityareas and intermediate geographies are published on the Neighbourhood Statisticswebsite at <a href="http://www.sns.gov.uk/">http://www.sns.gov.uk/</a>. This websitealso contains data on estimated income levels. Data at this leve…

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 10 local authority areas with the (a) biggest and (b) smallest (i) reductions and (ii) increases in the number of (A) burglaries, (B) thefts of a motor vehicle, (C) thefts from a motor vehicle and (D) cases of criminal damage since 1996-97.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The figures requested areshown in the following tables:</p><p>Recorded Crimes of Housebreakingby Local Authority, 1996-97 and 2005-06</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Local Authority</p> </td> <td> <…

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average retirement age was of (a) female and (b) male police officers in each of the last five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual Chief Constables.</p>

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it paid in bonuses to civil servants in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Bonus payments made to staffwithin the Scottish Executive Core Departments since 1999 are as follows:</p><p>Special Bonus Scheme¹</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=52 valign=top> <p>Year</p> </td> <td …

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what economic inactivity levels were for 18 to 24-year-olds who were not in full-time education in each quarter since 1990.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Estimates of economic inactivityare taken from the Labour Force Survey. Thefollowing table shows the levels of people aged 18-24 who were economically inactive and not in full-time education forevery quarter from 1994 to the latest available data in 2006.</p>…

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age of police recruits was in each of the last five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information is shown, bygender, in the following tables.</p><p>The Average Age of Male PoliceRecruits</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=161 valign=top> <p align=center>Year/Force</p> </td> <td width=71 valign…

20 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people from ethnic minorities were recruited as (a) police officers and (b) special constables in each police force in each of the last five years and what percentage of the police workforce this represented in each case.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested isshown in the following tables.</p><p>Number of Ethnic Minority PoliceOfficers Recruited and Percentage of total Strength</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=158 rowspan=2 valign=top> <p align=center>Yea…

19 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many runs are used when reconstructing DNA maps from microscopic quantities of material and what level of inconsistency between runs is considered to be evidentially reliable.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There is a range of approachesto the analysis of material for DNA. The technique employed by Scottish ForensicLaboratories is SGM-plus. This technique normally involves analysing a sample onceand reporting the result.</p>

19 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Low Copy Number DNA comparison is used in the criminal justice system.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Low Copy Number (LCN) analysisis not performed by any of the Scottish Forensic Science Laboratories. However,police forces in Scotland may send DNA samples to forensic service providers outwith Scotland that do analysisof this type. This would be an operation…

16 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost, including out of court settlements, has been of providing legal aid and compensation for claims by prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights since its incorporation into Scots law.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2F-2723 on 15 February 2007 and confirm that the total cost toScottish ministers and the Scottish Prison Service of providing legal aid for courtactions and compensation including out of court settlements has been…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what co-operation there has been in the last five years between NHS Scotland and public health services elsewhere in respect of (a) computer systems, (b) communication services and (c) other matters, where the value added from that co-operation exceeded £100,000.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There has been wide ranging co-operationwith other public health services, particularly other UK countrieswith whom we meet regularly to discuss common needs and requirements.</p><p>Where there is a match betweenthe information requirements of NHS in both Sco…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students completed degrees in which the principal subject was computer-related in each year since 1997.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The number of studentsgraduating from Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) with a firstdegree in which the principal subject was computer-related is shown in the followingtable.</p><p>First Degree Graduates inComputer Related Subjects from Scottish H…

12 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32426 by Ross Finnie on 16 December 2002, whether it will provide subsequent test results for the listed groundwater monitoring sites within Aberdeenshire and Banffshire and the dates on which they were tested.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am arranging for the ScottishEnvironment Protection Agency to send the relevant data to you and will placeit in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41944).</p>

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners sentenced for crimes involving violence have been granted home detention curfews in each of the last five years.

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>Home Detention Curfew (HDC) wasintroduced on 3 July 2006. There are therefore no figures to report before thisdate.</p><p>HDC is avai…

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of women were examined by a breast cancer specialist within two weeks of a referral from their general practitioner in each of the last eight quarters.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot available centrally. Cancer waiting times performance information is availablefrom the Scottish Executive website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/cancer/waiting-times">www.scotland.gov.uk/Topic…

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of harassment or bullying have been made by employees of the NHS in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions special advisers have been consulted on responses to freedom of information requests and what the Executive’s policy is on the role of special advisers in preparing its responses to freedom of information requests.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The information asked for isnot held. Guidance is provided to Scottish Executive staff on the appropriate handlingof requests under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this is availableon the Scottish Executive website at:</p><p><ahref="http://www…

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31493 by Sarah Boyack on 6 February 2007, what estimate it has made of the total cost to the agricultural sector of implementing Integrated Pollution Prevention Control measures.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Integrated PollutionPrevention and Control (IPPC) Directive impacts on a number of activitieswithin the agricultural sector. This includes the treatment of animal andvegetable matter and milk processing. The largest impact is in the intensivefarming secto…

6 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were convicted of drink-driving in each year since 1999.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested isgiven in table 19 of statistical bulletin <i>Criminal</i><b> </b><i>Proceedingsin Scottish Courts 2004-05</i> published by the Scottish Executive in 2006, a copyof which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (B…

5 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions its civil servants have been given permission to attend the Labour Party conference to carry out departmental business in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Permanent civil servants areprohibited from attending party conferences in their official capacity, except inrare circumstances when their presence may be required for carrying through essentialdepartmental business unconnected with the conference. Any such a…

5 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died as a result of a stroke in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · George Lyon: The information requested isgiven in the following table.</p><p>Deaths from CerebrovascularDisease (Stroke)¹, by NHS Board Area</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p> </p> </td> <td nowra…

5 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants were employed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in each of the last six years for which figures are available.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is an operational matterfor SEPA. I have asked Dr Campbell Gemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respondto the question direct.</p>

5 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of producing and distributing SEPA View (a) was in the last year for which figures are available and (b) has been since its inception; how many recipients are on the distribution list, and how many of those recipients are (i) Scottish Environment Protection Agency staff, (ii…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). I have asked Dr CampbellGemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to the question direct.</p>

1 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those convicted of sexual offences have absconded while (a) on parole, (b) on early release and (c) serving a suspended sentence in each of the last seven years, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The number of offenders convictedof sexual offences who have been released on licence, and have subsequently hadtheir licence revoked but have not yet been returned to custody over the lastseven years are:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <the…

1 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conviction rate was for (a) violent and (b) all crimes recorded in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information isgiven in the following tables.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against inScottish Courts for Violent Crimes¹: Percentage with a Charge Proved,by Police Force, 1995-96 to 2004-05²</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellp…

1 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average prison sentence was for (a) violent and (b) non-violent crimes in each of the last five years and what average sentence was served by prisoners in each category who were released in each of these years.

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 relatesto non-life sentenced receptions by maincrime/offence and is in the following table:</p><p>Average Sentenc…

1 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people were removed from an NHS waiting list in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot available centrally.</p><p>Information on in-patient/daycase and out-patient waiting lists is collected via monthly censuses and publishedquarterly by ISD Scotland. Between census dates, thousands of patients are addedto or rem…

1 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its total expenditure was on (a) newspapers, magazines and periodicals, (b) landscape gardening and flora and (c) stationery in each of the last three years.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The total amounts paid in eachyear are given in the following table and cover the core Executive plus those agencieswhich use its payment system. The figures show the amounts allocated against theperiodicals and stationery codes respectively.</p><table border…