Richard Baker

3 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time was following sentencing before offenders commenced (a) community sentence, (b) probation, (c) supervised attendance and (d) drug treatment and testing orders in 2008-09, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Data on average commencement times for community sentences are not collected. The Scottish Government has published an audit of speed and immediacy for community service based on a snapshot of performance of community service in November 2008. The findings of…

25 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34679 by Kenny MacAskill on 9 July 2010, how many people were convicted for an offence with a domestic aggravator in 2009-10, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39680 on 11 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <u><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Ap…

25 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the rape conviction rate.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: According to the national statistics, <i >Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2009-10</i>, published on 25 January 2011, the conviction rate of persons indicted on charges of rape is 45%. This is an increase of 11% from the previous year. This increase is encour…

25 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Scotland’s rape conviction rate compares with other countries.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on conviction rates in Scotland can be found in <i >Conviction Rates for Rape Charges Reported: 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008</i> published by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in July 2010. It can be obtained at: </p> <p ><a href="h…

25 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) given a custodial sentence in cases involving rape in 2009-10, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons proceeded against for rape¹ in 2009-10, by police force area:</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=top > <p align=…

25 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of rape were recorded in each police force area in 2009-10.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Crimes of rape recorded by the police, 2009-10, by police force area.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=bottom > <p align=center >Police Force Area</p> </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom > <…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial cost to the police of knife crime since May 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Government officials are carrying out ongoing work examining the economic and social costs of crime in Scotland, however precise cost estimates specifically for knife crime are currently not available at either the per offence or cumulative level.</p…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial cost to the NHS of knife crime since May 2007.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No information is held on the financial cost to the NHS of knife crime.</p>

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial cost to society of knife crime since May 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Government officials are carrying out ongoing work examining the economic and social costs of crime in Scotland, however precise cost estimates specifically for knife crime are currently not available at either the per offence or cumulative level.</p…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days there were due to assault by a sharp object in 2009-10.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There were a total of 2,949 occupied bed days in acute hospitals in Scotland due to assault by a sharp object, for patients discharged in the year ending 31 March 2010. This data has been revised since provisional figures were used to answer S3W-35111 on 3 Au…

23 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital admissions there were due to assault by a sharp object in 2009-10.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There were a total of 1,446 admissions (emergency and elective) to acute hospitals in Scotland due to assault by sharp object in the year ending 31 March 2010. This data has been revised since provisional figures were used to answer S3W-35111 on 3 August 2010…

17 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37562 by Fergus Ewing on 26 November 2010, how many people were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) given a custodial sentence in cases involving domestic abuse in 2009-10, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information on offence aggravations have been published and classified as data being developed alongside the 2009-10 Criminal Proceedings in Scotland statistical bulletin and therefore extreme caution needs to be applied to these figures.</p> <p >They are in…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government on the issue of prisoners’ rights to vote since the European Court of Human Rights ruling, in light of the possible impact on Scottish prisons.

Answer · Jim Mather: In April 2009 the previous (Labour) UK Government issued its second consultation paper in response to the European Court''s ruling in the Hirst case. In the context of the then government''s conclusion in the light of the Court''s ruling that prisoners'' righ…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will publish Firearm Certificates Statistics, Scotland, 2010.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The statistical bulletin, <i >Firearm Certificates Statistics, Scotland, 2010</i>, is due to be published by the Scottish Government in May 2011, and will be available at:</b></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will publish Drug Seizures by Scottish Police Forces, 2007/2008 and 2008/09.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The statistical bulletin <i >Drug Seizures by Scottish Police Forces, 2007/2008 and 2008/09</i>, is due to be published by the Scottish Government in September 2011, and will be available at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-J…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will publish Racist Incidents Recorded by the Police in Scotland, 2005/06 to 2009/10.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The statistical bulletin <i >Racist Incidents Recorded by the Police in Scotland, 2004-05 to 2009-10</i>, will be published by the Scottish Government on 29 March 2011, and will be available at:</b></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statisti…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will publish Police Officer Quarterly Strength Statistics Scotland, 31 December 2010.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The statistical bulletin <i >Police Officer Quarterly Strength Statistics Scotland, 31 December 2010,</i> was published by the Scottish Government on 1 March 2011, and is available at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crim…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-39172 by Kenny MacAskill on 7 February 2011, how it will ensure that any reductions in police staff numbers do not impact on frontline policing.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is for chief constables to ensure the operational effectiveness of their force and protect frontline policing in their communities by making best use of the resources available to them.</p>

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-39172 by Kenny MacAskill on 7 February 2011, what it anticipates the reductions in police staff numbers will be in each of the next four years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Police staff numbers are a matter for police authorities and chief constables.</p>

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have applied to vote in the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2011, broken down by prison, in light of the possible impact on the Scottish Prison Service.

Answer · Jim Mather: Electoral Registration Officers are responsible for maintaining the electoral register and dealing with applications from individuals to register to vote. The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.</p> <p >Convicted prisoners cannot cur…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the appropriateness of an offender’s time spent on tea breaks being counted toward the number of hours served under a community payback order.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The guidance on this issue is exactly the same as it was under the previous administration. The reference can be found at section 49.4 of the <i>National Objectives for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System: Standards - Community Service</i> pub…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers knitting, embroidering and making candles to be (a) appropriate activities to be completed as part of community payback orders and (b) examples of tough manual labour as noted by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the news release, Greater say on community service, …

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Community payback is about offenders paying their dues to the community. That is why we announced that the new community payback order makes it a statutory obligation that local authorities will from now on have to consult the community on the type of work th…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders breached the terms of their probation order in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information is not collected on the number of proven breaches or the number of offenders involved.</p>

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders breached the terms of their community service order in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information is not collected on the number of proven breaches or the number of offenders involved.</p>

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is the appropriateness of an individual who has committed 160 previous offences receiving a community payback order.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has introduced the new community payback order so that low level offenders will be made to do work in the community backed by action to address the underlying causes which fuel the crime, such as alcohol, drugs and mental health issues…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will launch its consultation on the reform of (a) policing and (b) fire and rescue services.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39497 on 10 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p >http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Ap…

7 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice’s comments to the Justice Committee on 28 May 2009 that the Scottish Government wants “to ensure that the proceeds of crime go back to agencies so that we have that virtuous circle” and that it “will work with ACPOS to try to strike a balance”…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The vast majority of recoveries in Scotland under proceeds of crime legislation has been invested through the CashBack for Communities programme, with a commitment of over £30.5 million from 2008-14. Such funds have been used in a positive way to expand young…

7 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice’s comments to the Justice Committee on 28 May 2009 that the Scottish Government wants “to ensure that the proceeds of crime go back to agencies so that we have that virtuous circle”, that it “will work with ACPOS to try to strike a balance” an…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The vast majority of monies recovered under proceeds of crime legislation is being invested in the Scottish Government''s Cashback for Communities scheme, which make a real difference to the lives of young people in our communities across Scotland.</b></p> <…

7 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many persons received a custodial sentence of one year or less in 2009-10, broken down by main crime or offence as per table 10(c) of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2009-10 statistical bulletin.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table.</b></p> <p >The two convictions for homicide listed below relate to one case of causing death by dangerous driving and an illegal driver involved in a fatal accident.</p> <p >Persons Receiving a Cus…

28 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a reduction in civilian police staff will have on the roles performed by uniformed police officers.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is for Chief Constables to ensure the operational effectiveness of their force by making best use of the resources available to them, including identifying opportunities to improve processes, streamline structures and make better use of technology.</b></p>…