Questions · Bill Aitken

9 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in how many cases before the domestic abuse court the accused plead at the (a) first appearance and (b) intermediate diet and was found guilty after trial in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

9 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases have been brought before the domestic abuse court in each of the last five years

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

21 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much rent was paid to Glasgow Housing Association in 2009-10 and how much of this was paid by means of housing benefit.

Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Michael Cameron, Acting Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Housing Regulator collects the amount of rent payable and the amount of Housing Benefit receivable f…

25 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length is of time taken for applications made for a certificate to Disclosure Scotland to be processed.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Disclosure Scotland operates to a public performance target of issuing 90% of all types of disclosure applications within 14 calendar days. This is measured from the date the fully and correctly completed application is received by Disclosure Scotland to…

15 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to reduce the number of accidental fires caused in domestic properties each year from faults in electrical installations and products in the Glasgow parliamentary region.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government funds the national fire safety campaign Don''t Give Fire a Home. The website www.dontgivefireahome.com hosts information, advice and interactive materials to educate people about fire risks and to help them prevent fire in the home. Th…

29 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the extent is of the involvement of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal staff in assisting other prosecution authorities outwith Scotland and particularly the extent of this involvement in Afghanistan.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: David Glancy, Procurator Fiscal has been seconded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and has been based in Afghanistan as part of a UK team since October 2008 to provide assistance and training to the prosecution authorities. Two members of legal…

22 Apr 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

22 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal appeals are outstanding.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

4 Mar 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are regarding the implementation of the reforms recommended by Lord Gill in The Report of the Scottish Civil Courts Review and what progress is being made.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Progress has been made on recommendations with which the government agrees, including proposals for the codification by the Court of Session of court rules for McKenzie Friends and the Government''s consideration of a stage two amendment to the Legal Services…

20 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of sexual assault in which the alleged victim was aged 10 and under have related to incidents involving a (a) stranger outwith and (b) relative or family friend in the home in each of the last three years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold individualised data on any crimes or offences recorded by the eight police forces in Scotland, and as such does not hold information on the victims of crimes, such as the age of the victim or the relationship with the per…

20 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of sexual assault in which the alleged victim was aged 10 and under have (a) been made and (b) resulted in proceedings in each of the last three years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold individualised data on any crimes or offences recorded by the eight police forces in Scotland, and as such does not hold information on the victims of crimes, such as the age of the victim. The Scottish Governme…

18 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been treated at (a) Glasgow’s Western Infirmary, (b) the Southern General Hospital, (c) Glasgow Royal Infirmary and (d) Stobhill Hospital due to falls on snow or ice since 15 December 2009.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of people who have been treated for fall-related injuries during the recent severe winter weather in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospitals is not available from centrally collected, validated statistics. According to provisional manageme…

14 Jan 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is spent per day on food for patients in (a) Glasgow Royal Infirmary, (b) Glasgow’s Western Infirmary and (c) the Southern General Hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. NHS boards may hold data regarding expenditure on food per patient but this data may not be at the level of detail or period requested.

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have appeared in the High Court of Justiciary in the last three years and how many pled guilty at the first diet and received the appropriate discounted sentence in accordance with the Bonomy reforms.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: The tables below shows how many accused were indicted to the High Court, and how many High Court cases were dealt with by plea or by trial in each financial year since 2006. Information in relation to discounted sentences is not available. <tab…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sentenced foreign nationals were released from prisons in each of the last 12 months.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Acting Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: There have been a total of 766 liberations of sentenced Foreign Nationals since 1 December 2008. The followi…

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding charging by local authorities in respect of licensing fees and whether it will issue guidance to an authority of which the licensing fee regime appears to operate at a significant surplus to the amount expended.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: In determining any fee, the Licensing (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 require a licensing board to have regard to the desirability that the total fees payable are broadly equivalent to the expenses incurred in administering the Licensing (Scotland) Act 200…

20 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been investigated by the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission since its inception.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: For the first full year of business the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission''s complaint figures are as follows. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td colspan=2 valign=top > Complaints Dealt With Un…

10 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of domestic violence there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by sheriffdom and manner of disposal.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table. Persons Convicted for an Offence1 with a Domestic Aggravator4, 5 Recorded, by Sheriffdom2, 2005-06 to 2007-08 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=…

8 Oct 2009 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how many human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service from prisoners held in segregation units.

Answer · Alex Salmond: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1008-01.htm">http://www.…

2 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has set aside to settle human rights cases.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09 shows provision at 31 March 2009 of £64.15 million for prisoner co…

2 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service, broken down by type of claim.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: As at 21 October 2009, the following human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service: Slopping out “ 2,165,<…

2 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service from prisoners held in segregation units.

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request that the University of Sheffield recast its main assumptions in its report, Independent Review of the Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion, based on the newly available data.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Health Survey 2008 suggested a reduction in men''s average weekly unit consumption since 2003 but the decline for women was not significant. Levels of daily consumption were very similar in 2003 and 2008, while the percentage identified as potent…

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned that the data on consumption of alcohol contained in the report, Independent Review of the Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion, by the University of Sheffield is five years out of date and does not take into account the improving trends on consumption containe…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The report Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland (Bib. number 49447) provides an estimate of the potential impact of minimum pricing and a discount ban using the best data available at the tim…

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis was of the decision to provide the University of Sheffield with figures on alcohol consumption from 2003.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The report Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland (Bib. number 49447) provides an estimate of the potential impact of minimum pricing and a discount ban using the best data available at the tim…

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the change in Scotland’s consumption of alcohol has been since 2003 and what has contributed to this change.

Answer · Shona Robison: Alcohol consumption can be measured in a number of ways. The Scottish Health Survey records usual weekly consumption and consumption on the heaviest drinking day in the previous week. Measures of consumption include the mean number of units drunk and the prop…

1 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the data collected in the 2008 Scottish Health Survey was first available to officials.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Health Survey is a National Statistic and, as such, has complied with the rules set out in the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008. The Order states that the maximum period of pre-release access to statistics in their …

23 Sep 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm">http://www.scot…

15 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long each prisoner released from custody on compassionate grounds under section 3 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 was on licence before their death, since the coming into force of the Act.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I am able to provide the information requested from 2000 to date and this is set out in the following table. The information relating to cases between 1993 and 1999 will take longer to process but I will send this to you as soon as possible. Length o…

9 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26897 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 September 2009 in relation to the foreign national released on compassionate grounds, whether it will provide the (a) length of sentence served, (b) country to which the person was returned, (c) crime for which the perso…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The person, Francis Lloyd, was serving a sentence of six years'' imprisonment for an offence contravening the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. He was released in April 2005 to an address in England.