Parliamentary questions
Richard Baker
2,136 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates that there will be 17,265 police officers in post in advance of the publication of the police strength projection study announced by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 5 March 2009 (Official Report c. 15439).
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21668 on 23 March 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 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 5 March 2009 (Official Report c.15439) that a police strength projection study will be undertaken, whether it is confident that there will be 17,265 police officers in post by the e…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21668 on 23 March 2009. 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/App…
6 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 5 March 2009 (Official Report c. 15439) that a police strength projection study will be undertaken, on what date the study will be published.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The police force projection study was published on 18 March 2009 and is available at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/Police/facts/Policing-Capacity/pfps">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/Polic…
5 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many training places for new police constables were (a) allocated and (b) taken up by each police force for each intake at the Scottish Police College since May 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21097 on 12 March 2009, for general statistics on each intake. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the sea…
5 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Quarterly Police Strength Statistics published on 3 March 2009 showing that police strength figures in (a) Central Scotland Police, (b) Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and (c) Tayside Police decreased in the latest quarter, what action it will take to ensure that these…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Police officer recruitment is a matter for police authorities and chief constables.</p> <p >The Scottish Government has given police authorities the resources to recruit 1,000 additional officers and as recent figures have shown they are well on course with …
5 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it expects the number of serving police officers to reach 17,265 if recruitment continues at the average rate experienced since May 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: On 5 March Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, announced that the Scottish Government was undertaking a police force projection study. We intend to publish the results within the next few weeks.</p>
5 Mar 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) men and (b) women aged (i) under 30, (ii) 30 to 40, (iii) 41 to 50, (iv) 51 to 60, (v) 61 to 70, (vi) 71 to 80 and (vii) over 80 were diagnosed with bowel cancer in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the number of people diagnosed with bowel (colorectal) cancer are available in five year age groups by sex, NHS board and year (from 1980 to 2005) on the Information Services Division website: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/c…
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intents to reform the role or remit of any inspectorates within the portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21447 on 12 March 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/…
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a replacement HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland to be in post.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The open recruitment competition began on Friday 6 March 2009. It will be completed when a suitable candidate is selected and appointed.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a replacement HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland to be in post.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21447 on 12 March 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/…
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the appointment of Dr Andrew McLellan as HM Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, on what date (a) the recruitment process began, (b) the first recruitment advertisement was placed, (c) he was officially notified of his appointment and (d) he took up office.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Details about the start of the last recruitment round are no longer available; the advert appeared on 11 January 2002; Dr McLellan was appointed formally on 24 July 2002; he took up the position on 28 October 2002.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the appointment of Paddy Tompkins as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, on what date (a) the recruitment process began, (b) the first recruitment advertisement was placed, (c) he was officially notified of his appointment and (d) he took up office.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: (a) The recruitment process began in May 2006. (b) The first advert was placed on 2 June 2006. (c) Mr Tomkins'' appointment was officially confirmed on 15 December 2006. (d) Mr Tomkins took up office on 29 March 2007.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first notified by Dr Andrew McLellan, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, of his intention to stand down at the end of his term.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Dr McLellan''s Royal Warrant of appointment and terms of employment specify a retirement age of 65. No further notification was required. Dr McLellan will retire in June 2009.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first notified by Paddy Tompkins, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, of his intention to stand down at the end of his term.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Mr Tomkins notified the Cabinet Secretary for Justice of his intention to stand down in a letter on 21 November 2008.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has advertised for a replacement HM Inspector of Prisons for Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The post of Her Majesty''s Chief Inspector of Prisons was advertised on Friday 6 March 2009.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has advertised for a replacement HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21447 on 12 March 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/…
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recruitment process for a replacement HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland has commenced and, if so, on what date it began.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The post of Her Majesty''s Chief Inspector of Prisons was advertised on Friday 6 March.</p>
26 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recruitment process for a replacement HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland has commenced and, if so, on what date it began.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The process for replacing HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland has not yet commenced. The Independent Review of Policing, which was carried out by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, makes a number of recommendations that would influen…
26 Feb 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade unions on the review of the future of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have regular informal contact with trade union representatives, in addition to formal meetings of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support it is giving police forces to run year one refresher training for officers, previously administered by the Scottish Police College.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). I have asked the Chief Executive of SPSA to respond.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that a consistently high quality of training is administered given that year one refresher training for police officers is now administered by individual forces rather than the Scottish Police College.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) Personnel and Training Business Area, through the Probationer Training Officers User Group and the Probationer Training Sub-Group, continues to monitor the new arrangements. The Scottish Police Coll…
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what factors led to year one refresher training for police officers being administered by individual forces instead of by the Scottish Police College as previously was the case.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). I have asked the chief executive of SPSA to respond.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Police College received additional support to administer training and assessment to an increased number of probationer police constables in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 or will do so in future years, in light of its plans to recruit an additional 1,000 new police offic…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) provided probationer training to a record number of recruits in 2007-08 and 2008-09 without additional government grant. The SPSA budget for 2009-10 is currently being considered.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it consulted the Scottish Police College prior to announcing its intention to recruit an additional 1,000 new police officers on 12 November 2007.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There were detailed discussions with the Scottish Police Services Authority prior to the announcement on 12 November 2007 of the range of measures to deliver a more visible police presence in Scotland and an additional 1,000 police officers available in our c…
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the assessment criteria used by the Probationer Training Division at the Scottish Police College to assess probationer constables has changed since November 2007 and, if so, what the changes are and when they were made.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). I have asked the chief executive of SPSA to respond.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the training delivered by the Probationer Training Division at the Scottish Police College has changed in the last year and, if so, what changes have been made.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). I have asked the chief executive of SPSA to respond.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many contact hours on average a probationer constable spent on (a) knowledge and (b) practical-based training at the Scottish Police College during their initial training in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08 and (iii) 2008-09 and whether there are plans for this to change.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of teaching staff to probationer constables at the Scottish Police College has been in each intake in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the successful completion rate was for each intake of probationer constables in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21097 on 12 March 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/…
17 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many probationer police constables were in each intake in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Accurate statistics are not available for 2006-07. The following tables provide the statistics for 2007-08 and 2008-09.</p> <p >Student Numbers 2007-08</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=86 valign=top > <p …