Parliamentary questions
Richard Baker
2,136 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice on the Good Morning Scotland programme that “There isn't any scientific evidence at the moment that says caffeine has a correlation with violence and crime - really Buckfast, drunk usually in the west of Scotland, i…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30940 on 1 February 2010. 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…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, given that health warnings about the dangers of mixing alcohol and caffeine are starting to appear in countries such as Canada, France, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden and Australia, (a) what impact such warnings would have in Scotland and (b) whether it plans to introduce such warnings.
Answer · Shona Robison: Any warnings relating to the mixing of alcohol and caffeine would have to be based on evidence of harm. As the current evidence is inconclusive on the effects of mixing caffeine and alcohol it is not possible to assess the potential impact of such warnings.</…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the comments of the neuroscientist, Dr Steven Alexander, from Nottingham University that each bottle of Buckfast tonic wine contains 281mg of caffeine, the same amount as in eight cans of Coke, and that consuming large amounts of caffeine would make people f…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30940 on 1 February 2010. 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…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether there is a link between caffeinated alcohol products and violence and whether it plans to commission research on this issue.
Answer · Shona Robison: At present there is no evidence that mixing alcohol and caffeine - whether through consumption of a ready mixed drink or by drinking an alcoholic drink followed by a caffeinated drink (such as coffee) - enhances the intoxifying effect of the alcohol or that i…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the comments of Superintendent Bob Hamilton of Strathclyde Police who suggested that the figures relating to the number of crime reports that mentioned Buckfast tonic wine by name demonstrated an association between it and violence.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30938 on 28 January 2010. 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…
20 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the findings of the BBC Scotland investigation, The Buckfast Code, that Buckfast tonic wine was mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in Strathclyde from 2006 to 2009, equating to three a day on average, that one in 10 of those offences was violent and that the b…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The statistics provided to the BBC by Strathclyde police indicate that: </p> <p >There were 5,638 crimes in 2008-09 in which the word Buckfast was mentioned, out of a total of 424,589 recorded crimes and offences. This equates to 1.3% of the total.</p> <p …
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to appoint a new chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service and when it expects the new appointee to be in post.
Answer · John Swinney: Arrangements for the appointment of a new Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service are currently underway. In September last year, the post was trawled internally within the Scottish Prison Service and across other government departments which covered s…
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders with a charge proved where the main offence was shoplifting in 2007-08 had previously been convicted for (a) shoplifting or (b) another offence, broken down by type of offence.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The data in the following table are taken from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database and are based on individuals with a charge proved for shoplifting. Information about whether or not individuals had a criminal record at the time of prosecution …
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of offenders with a charge proved where the main offence was shoplifting in 2007-08 were identified as having been involved in serious and organised crime.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Table 10 of the Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts, 2007/08 showing that 96% of people jailed for shoplifting received custodial sentences of six months or less, what impact creating a legal presumption against custodial sentences of six months or less will have.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The impact of creating a presumption against custodial sentences of six months or less will be that courts should not impose such sentences unless the particular circumstances of the case lead them to believe that no other option would be appropriate. Judicia…
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Table 10 of the Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts, 2007/08, what assessment it has made of the finding that 96% of people jailed for shoplifting received custodial sentences of six months or less.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30679 on 20 January 2010. 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…
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the report of a BBC investigation, Criminals “winning the shoplifting war”, on the BBC website on 11 January 2010, what action it is taking to address the finding that more than half of all shoplifting offences are now carried out by criminal gangs that operate professional an…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30675 on 21 January 2010. 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…
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the report of a BBC investigation, Crime gangs “dominate shop theft”, on the BBC website on 11 January 2010, what action it is taking to address the finding that shoplifting is at its highest for a decade.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling organised crime in all its forms. In order to support business we are providing funds for the Scottish Business Crime Centre, which is a partnership between business, police and government to raise awareness of…
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle the link between shoplifting and organised crime.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce published its organised crime strategy on June 2009 (<a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/01144911/0">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/01144911/0</a>).</p> <p >This sets out a programm…
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the report of a BBC investigation, Crime gangs “dominate shop theft”, on the BBC website on 11 January 2010, what assessment it has made of the finding that the United Kingdom’s biggest shoplifting team is linked with Scotland’s most notorious crime family.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The investigation of specific crimes including identification of suspects is an operational matter for the police.</p>
12 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the report of a BBC investigation, Crime gangs “dominate shop theft”, on the BBC website on 11 January 2010, what assessment it has made of the finding that organised crime gangs are behind more than half of all shoplifting in the United Kingdom.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Combating serious organised crime and tackling organised crime groups is a top priority for the Scottish Government and the Scottish Police Service. The recent serious organised crime mapping project led by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDE…
11 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to financially support undergraduates from low-income families who take up internships.
Answer · Michael Russell: The measures which the Scottish Government has put in place to financially support all undergraduates from low-income families, including those who take up internships is publicly available at the following websites:</p> <p >The Student Awards Agency for Sco…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many interpretation assignments have been undertaken by the Scottish Court Service in each month of the last two years, broken down by interpreters (a) with and (b) without a Diploma in Public Service Interpreting.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information sought relative to the period prior to the inception of the Framework Contract for the Provision of Interpreting, Translation and Transcription Services is not held centrally.</p> <p >The information for the period since the Scottish Court Servic…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support the introduction of a national register of public service interpreters similar to that in operation in England and Wales.
Answer · Alex Neil: The national register of public service interpreters operational in England and Wales also operates in Scotland. However, it is our understanding that it is not widely used. The Scottish Government would be supportive of steps to improve monitoring of quality…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits it considers that the introduction of a national register of public service interpreters similar to that in operation in England and Wales would bring.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Translating, Interpreting and Communication Support Group, set up by the Scottish Government to improve the standard of translation and interpreting services, identified monitoring quality and standards of the interpretation service as a key priority. One…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the introduction of the new Framework Contract for the Provision of Interpreting, Translation and Transcription services was motivated by a desire to reduce costs.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The collaborative procurement was intended to improve the quality of service and deliver improved value for money through reducing duplicated procurement effort on the part of the courts (prior to introduction of the contract each court purchased individually…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the new Framework Contract for the Provision of Interpreting, Translation and Transcription services will save the Scottish Court Service money and, if so, how much.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The framework contract provides for a more efficient procurement process for all collaborative partners. Requests for interpretation and translation services are demand driven.</p> <p >Being party to the framework contract ensures that Scottish Court Service…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost to provide interpretation by a single interpreter in a court case (a) was prior to and (b) is under the new Framework Contract for the Provision of Interpreting, Translation and Transcription Services.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information sought is not currently available owing to the short time that has elapsed since Scottish Court Service opted in to the framework contract. </p>
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Court Service has spent on interpretation services in each month of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The monthly costs (in £s) incurred by Scottish Court Service on interpretation services over the past three years are as detailed in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p > </…
8 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the new Framework Contract for the Provision of Interpreting, Translation and Transcription Services has improved the quality of interpretation services offered in courts.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Court Service (SCS) has responsibility for securing interpretation services in support of an accused person in criminal court proceedings.</p> <p >We are satisfied with the service and formal monitoring now forms part of the contract. The requiremen…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be sufficient space for all agencies involved in the Scottish Crime Campus at the Gartcosh site.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes. The building will provide accommodation for over 1,100 staff and the design team has worked closely with all the participating agencies to ensure the new building meets their staffing and operational requirements, including an allowance for some future e…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it anticipates that each agency or function will move to the Scottish Crime Campus.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Subject to contract the first agency is expected to move into the Scottish Crime Campus by the end of 2012 with full occupation expected by mid-2013. This plan takes account of the demands placed on some of the agencies as a result of their involvement with s…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what agencies and functions it will locate at the Scottish Crime Campus.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Crime Campus will provide accommodation for the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and its partner agencies involved in tackling serious organised crime in Scotland. These agencies include parts of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal S…
5 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27576 by Kenny MacAskill on 30 September 2009, on what date it expects the Scottish Crime Campus to be fully operational with all functions and staff located at the facility.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Subject to contract, the crime campus is expected to become fully operational by the middle of 2013.</p>
21 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 19 recommendations in the report, Multi-agency inspection: Assessing and managing offenders who present a high risk of serious harm 2009, have been fully implemented.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government welcomes and accepts the 19 recommendations in the <i >Multi-agency inspection report, Assessing and managing offenders who present a high risk of serious harm. </i>All of them are being implemented.</p> <p >An update on progress has …