Parliamentary questions
Gavin Brown
1,064 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the longest waiting time between sentence and the commencement of a community service order was in the Lothians in each quarter since May 2007, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally. I refer to the member to the answer to question S3W-22851 on 23 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: </p> …
17 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offensive weapons were seized by the police as a result of stop and searches in the Lothians in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of stop and searches or weapons received as a result of stop and searches is not routinely collected centrally. Information relating to the number of stop and searches and weapons seized as a result were collated for time periods wit…
12 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the total cost of drafting, researching, printing, production and distribution of the document, An Oil Fund for Scotland: Taking forward our National Conversation.
Answer · John Swinney: <i >An Oil Fund for Scotland: Taking forward our National Conversation</i> was produced internally and built upon existing knowledge and research as part of the government''s purpose of achieving sustainable economic growth which includes the management of al…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were in part-time work in each quarter of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: The Annual Population Survey (APS) is the primary source for information on local area labour markets and provides information on people working part-time.</p> <p >The tables below show the number of working age people who were in part-time work and the prop…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were (a) prosecuted in 2007-08 for handling an offensive weapon and (b) on bail at the time of the offence, broken down by police force area.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Handling an offensive weapon covers the crime categories possession of an offensive weapon, restriction of an offensive weapon and having in a public place an article with a blade or point.</p> <p >Persons proceeded against for handling an offensive weapon<s…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people prosecuted in 2007-08 for handling an offensive weapon had a criminal record at the time of prosecution, broken down by (a) police force area and (b) most recent offence.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There were 4,041 persons proceeded against in Scottish Courts for handling an offensive weapon in 2007-08. This relates to 3,874 individuals, as some people have been proceeded against on more than one occasion.</p> <p >Information about whether or nor indiv…
11 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25887 by Kenny MacAskill on 10 August 2009, what disposals were issued to the 67 people who committed the offence of handling an offensive weapon while on bail.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons proceeded against in Lothians region for handling an offensive weapon<sup>1</sup> having a bail aggravator recorded, by disposal, 2007-08:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadd…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how retail vacancy rates in Scotland compare with those in England and Wales.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) independent stores and (b) branches of major chains have closed in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Jim Mather: This information is not held centrally.</p>
6 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what cost difference resulted from the changed roads layout on the design of the Forth Replacement Crossing, broken down by road, junction or other item of road infrastructure.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26332 on 31 August 2009. 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…
6 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what cost difference resulted from the change of design of the Forth Replacement Crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26332 on 31 August 2009. 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…
6 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what factors have resulted in the difference between the latest cost estimate for the Forth Replacement Crossing and the cost estimate for the previous design of the crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26332 on 31 August 2009. 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…
6 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference is between the latest cost estimate for the Forth Replacement Crossing and the cost estimate for the previous design of the crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26332 on 31 August 2009. 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…
6 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest cost estimate is for the Forth Replacement Crossing.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As announced to Parliament in December 2008, the Forth Replacement Crossing project is now estimated to cost between £1.7 billion and £2.3 billion in outturn costs. This includes VAT, optimism bias and the cost of capital to the government.</p> <p >The orig…
5 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of deaths in the Lothians region were attributable to (a) alcohol and (b) other substance misuse in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Statistics for alcohol-related deaths for each local authority area are published each year by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). The figures and their definition can be found on the GROS website: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.gro-scotland.gov.u…
5 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were admitted to a hospital in the Lothians region as a result of an injury from a bladed object in each of the last three years, broken down by people aged (a) under 15, (b) 15 to 18, (c) 19 to 21, (d) 22 to 24 and (e) 25 to 28 and by local authority.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the number of patients admitted as an emergency to acute hospitals in NHS Lothian as a result of injury due to accidental contact with a knife, sword or dagger or contact with a sharp object of other intent (assault, intentional self…
28 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish details of the energy ratings of all its buildings.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is currently working to produce energy performance certificates (EPCs), from which a building''s asset rating is taken, to be displayed in 16 large buildings on the estate during 2009. Operational ratings have been on display in these …
28 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of progress towards meeting the target of reducing carbon emissions from travel necessary for the Scottish Government’s administrative operations by 40% from 2005-06 levels by 2020.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26185 on 19 August 2009. 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…
28 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of progress towards meeting the target of reducing carbon emissions from travel necessary for the Scottish Government’s administrative operations by 20% from 2005-06 levels by 2011.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26185 on 19 August 2009. 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…
28 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of progress towards meeting the target of reducing CO2 emissions caused by energy use in Scottish Government buildings by 30% from 1999-2000 levels by March 2020.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26185 on 19 August 2009. 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/Apps…
28 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of progress towards meeting the target of reducing CO2 emissions caused by energy use in Scottish Government buildings by 12.6% from 1999-2000 levels by March 2011.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26185 on 19 August 2009. 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…
28 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent assessment has been made of progress towards meeting the target of making the Scottish Government estate carbon neutral by 2012.
Answer · John Swinney: Progress towards meeting environmental performance targets is detailed in the <i >Scottish Government Environmental Performance Annual Report for 2007-08, </i>which was published in May 2009, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament''s Informa…
27 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24878 by Fergus Ewing on 8 July 2009, what disposals were applied to people caught with (a) heroin in 2006-07, (b) heroin in 2007-08, (c) cocaine in 2006-07 and (d) cocaine in 2007-08.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table. The information in the table is provided on the same basis as S3W-24878, answered on 8 July 2009, which related specifically to persons with a charge proven of either possession and supply of drugs o…
27 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences on public transport were recorded by Lothian and Borders Police in each of the last three years, broken down by type of offence.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.</p> <p >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 or the locatio…
27 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners at HMP Edinburgh was assessed as having an alcohol problem in each of the last three 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 >Every prisoner admitted to HMP Edinburgh goes through an initial health screening by a nurse. Prisoners are asked about historical and cu…
27 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners at HMP Edinburgh was assessed as having a substance misuse problem in each of the last three 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 >Every prisoner admitted to HMP Edinburgh goes through an initial health screening by a nurse. Prisoners are asked about historical and cu…
24 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new VAT registrations there were in 2008.
Answer · Jim Mather: Data on the number of VAT registrations are released annually by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). These figures are used to monitor the number of business start-ups. The latest available data refer to all VAT registrations taking plac…
24 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an analysis has been done to determine what impact changes to tax legislation had on the number of business start-ups in Scotland in 2007.
Answer · Jim Mather: Analysis to determine the impact of the changes to tax legislation on the number of business start-ups has not been published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or the Office for National Statistics (ONS).</p> <p >The registration figures…
24 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the business start-up rate was in each year since 2003 and what information it has on such figures for the United Kingdom.
Answer · Jim Mather: The number of VAT registrations are used to monitor the number of business start-ups. However, please note that these figures do not account for all business activity as only companies with a turnover above the VAT threshold are required to register.</p> <p …
24 Jul 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many business start-ups there were in 2008 and what information it has on such figures for the United Kingdom.
Answer · Jim Mather: The number of VAT registrations are used to monitor the number of business start-ups. However, please note that these figures do not account for all business activity as only companies with a turnover above the VAT threshold are required to register.</p> <p …