Parliamentary questions
Bill Aitken
308 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to resolve the pay dispute between Scottish Water and its staff.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Staff Pay is a matter for Scottish Water and its staff representatives to resolve within the pay remit agreed between Scottish Water and the Scottish Government based on the government''s policy on public sector pay.</p>
6 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of fines imposed by procurators fiscal has been since the implementation of the reform of summary justice and how much was collected by 30 September 2008.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Between 10 March 2008 and 30 September 2008, procurators fiscal offered direct measures involving a fine (i.e. fiscal fines and fiscal fines combined with compensation offers) to the value of £2.5 million. As at 30 September 2008, £0.7 million had been collec…
6 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fiscal fines were imposed by 30 September 2008 following the implementation of the reform of summary justice.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: From 10 March 2008 to 30 September 2008 Procurators Fiscal offered 24,953 direct measures involving a fine (i.e. fiscal fines and fiscal fines combined with compensation offers).</p>
13 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people appeared on a petition alleging homicide involving the use of knives and, of these, how many were (a) remanded in custody pending trial and (b) admitted to bail on being fully committed in the 12 months to 30 June 2008 in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Edinburgh, (iii) Dundee and (iv) …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
13 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were charged with offences involving the carrying of knives and, of these, how many (a) pled not guilty to these offences, (b) having been charged were admitted to bail pending trial, (c) who pled guilty to the charges and whose sentences being deferred were admitted to ba…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>
25 Sep 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners within the prison estate have been issued with injection packs.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Prison Service has never issued injection packs. However, the issue of Harm Reduction Packs was piloted in HM Prison, Aberdeen for prisoners already engaged in injecting behaviour.</p>
27 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it appropriate for local authorities to operate their liquor licensing systems at a profit.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government''s position has always been that we would expect a licensing board that had a surplus from fee income in one year to seek to provide a reduction in fees in the following years. I have made this clear on a number of occasions.</p>
27 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of life prisoners was recalled to prison in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We do not hold information in a form that allows for this comparison to be made.</p>
27 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many life prisoners were recalled to prison in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The number of life sentence prisoners recalled to custody per year up to 2006 is available in the following publication: Parole Board for Scotland, Annual Report, Appendix B, Table 3.</p> <p >The publication is available online at <a href="http://www.scottis…
18 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the impact of minimum pricing of alcohol on responsible drinkers on low incomes.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We have researched a range of information to help frame our proposals for minimum pricing. Annex J to Changing Scotland''s relationship with alcohol: a discussion paper on our strategic approach lists evidence, research and other publications relevant to the …
18 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the relationship between alcohol pricing and problem drinking.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We have researched a range of information to help frame our proposals for minimum pricing. Annex J to Changing Scotland''s relationship with alcohol: a discussion paper on our strategic approach lists evidence, research and other publications relevant to the …
18 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has received regarding minimum pricing per unit of alcohol and what analysis it has undertaken to ensure that minimum price setting does not breach domestic or EU competition law.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has received legal advice as part of the normal development of policy options. We will not be divulging that advice.</p>
18 Aug 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are in respect of the publication of minutes by housing associations.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of The Scottish Housing Regulator to respond.</p> <p >Her response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Housing Regulator has published a Regulatory Code of Governance which describes the regulatory requirements relat…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it is appropriate that the Scottish Prison Service should monitor all prison contracts including the contracts involving private prisons.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >It is appropriate that all services contracted by the SPS are monitored closely to review performance and standards of service deliv…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) capacity of and (b) numbers detained in each of Scotland’s prisons was at 31 May 2008.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The design capacity and population figures for each establishment as of May 31 2008 are illustrated in the following table.</p> <table b…
2 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the new prison facility at Bishopbriggs will be ready for occupation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >It is expected that the new prison at Bishopbriggs will be ready for occupation by the end of 2011.</p>
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign national prisoners were transferred from Scotland to serve their sentences in their home countries in the last year for which information is available.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >One foreign national prisoner was transferred to serve a sentence abroad in 2007.</p> <p >Repatriation of prisoners at the end of their s…
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign nationals were recommended for deportation by sentencing judges or sheriffs in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table details the number of persons in relation to whom a recommendation for deportation was made following conviction in the High Court of Justiciary and sheriff court.</p> <p >Recommendations for Deportation</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=…
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign nationals were sentenced to imprisonment of 12 months or more in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The following table illustrates the number of foreign nationals sentenced to more than 12 months from 2003.</p> <table border=1 cellspac…
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign nationals were sentenced to imprisonment in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The following table illustrates the number of foreign nationals who have been admitted to the SPS since 2003.</p> <table border=1 …
12 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many foreign nationals were released from Scottish prisons in each of the last five years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The following table illustrates the number of foreign national prisoners who have been released from the SPS from 2003:</p> <table …
6 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines have been given by the Crown Office to district procurators fiscal on the diversion of cases from summary courts.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: A new system of direct measures, including extended fiscal fines and compensation offers, was introduced on 10 March 2008 by the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 as part of the wider Summary Justice Reform programme.<i > </i>A key aim of…
6 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases were brought before Glasgow District Court on a custody basis and, of these, how many were (a) not called and (b) not proceeded with.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
6 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases were brought before Edinburgh Sheriff Court in the week beginning 21 April 2008 on the basis of bail undertakings and, of these, how many cases were (a) not called, and (b) not proceeded with on the basis of a not guilty plea being accepted, and whether it will provide a b…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: 24 cases were brought before Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 24 April 2008 on the basis of undertakings to appear in court.</p> <p >Of these only one </b>case was Not Called with two related charges of theft by shoplifting and assault.</p> <p >The following tabl…
28 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place a copy in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre of the terms of its referral to the Scots Law Commission on corroboration in sexual offences.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Law Commission (SLC) have not been asked specifically to review the requirement for corroboration in sexual offences.</p> <p >In 2004, the SLC received a reference from the Scottish ministers to examine the law relating to rape and other sexual …
31 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Housing Association charge a commission or administration fee in respect of house owners' insurance.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p >Glasgow Housing Association formed GHA (Management) Ltd as a wholly owned subsidiary in December 2003 to provide factoring services on…
31 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in view of the concerns of home owners in Glasgow Housing Association’s controlled properties about overcharging for repairs and rehabilitation projects, it will refer the matter to the Controller of Audit for examination.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p >When we inspected GHA in 2007, we looked at procurement of its investment programme. GHA entered a partnering agreement with a range o…
27 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long inquiries take to reach a finding following allegations made by a prisoner against a prison officer.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >In the event that an allegation is of such a serious nature that it requires investigation under the Scottish Prison Service Code of…
27 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are followed in the Scottish Prison Service following allegations made by a prisoner against a prison officer.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >A prisoner has the right to make a complaint at any time to a residential officer under the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scot…
27 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been fresh instructions issued to procurators fiscal by the Crown Office in relation to prosecution of those allegedly selling alcohol to those under 18-year olds and, if so, what these instructions are.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: Prosecutors are always issued with guidance about any significant change in the law which is likely to have an impact on them. Guidance was provided to prosecution staff before the roll-out of test purchasing to all Scottish police forces on 10 December 2007.…