Richard Baker

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with relevant organisations in relation to the roll-out of community alcohol partnerships.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has discussed community alcohol partnerships with a number of relevant organisations, including bodies represented on the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership. Scottish Government officials recently visited a community alco…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it considers community alcohol partnerships can play in reducing alcohol-related harm and tackling antisocial behaviour.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises that community supported activity can play a valuable role in reducing alcohol-related harm and tackling antisocial behaviour. Community Alcohol Partnerships can bring the benefits of effective partnership working by all rel…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the findings of the injury surveillance pilot operating at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department in coordination with Lothian and Borders Police and, if so, whether (a) the findings are helping to inform targeted police patrols in the Lothian…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18970 on 14 January 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…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a rollout of injury surveillance schemes such as that operating at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department in coordination with Lothian and Borders Police and, if so, what action it will take to support this.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18970 on 14 January 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/App…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any police forces that are conducting injury surveillance schemes such as that operating at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department in coordination with Lothian and Borders Police.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18970 on 14 January 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/App…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of figures from an injury surveillance pilot held at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in September as reported in the Evening News on 11 December 2008 that show that 70% of serious assaults are not reported to the police, whether it intends to take specific action to improve the report…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to working with the Violence Reduction Unit and other partners to prevent and reduce all forms of violence in Scotland. A key element of our approach is to better understand the nature and true extent of the problem and in…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle gang culture other than the provision of £200,000 of funding announced by Kenny MacAskill on 14 February 2008.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18967 on 15 January 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…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10903 by Fergus Ewing on 25 March 2008, (a) how the £200,000 allocated to tackle gang culture has been allocated and (b) where the money will be spent, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Following an application process 19 projects totalling £163,579 were successful in securing funding to deliver a range of diversionary and behavioural change activities with young men across Scotland who were known to the police as being involved in a gang. T…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that gang culture is a problem that disproportionately affects the West of Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Whilst the problem of teenage gangs is not exclusive to the West of Scotland available evidence gathered by the police suggests that is where the problem is greatest. One of the areas worst affected is the east end of Glasgow, and that is why the Scottish Gov…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies will be responsible for funding improvements at the Haudagain roundabout.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18961 on 8 January 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…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates will be spent on improvements at the Haudagain roundabout.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18961 on 8 January 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…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the options in the NESTRANS consultation on improvements at the Haudagain roundabout is the Scottish Executive’s preferred one.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not identified a preferred option in the NESTRANs study.</p> <p >The position of Scottish Ministers is that necessary improvements will be undertaken prior to handing over responsibility for the detrunked road to Aberdeen City Cou…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it does not intend to make any improvements at the Haudagain Roundabout before completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18527 on 17 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parlia…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether road improvements for the A90 and A96 around the Haudagain roundabout following de-trunking will be the responsibility of Aberdeen City Council.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are committed to undertaking necessary improvements prior to handing over responsibility for the detrunked road to Aberdeen City Council. Thereafter future maintenance will be the responsibility of Aberdeen City Council.</p>

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle traffic congestion at the Bridge of Dee in Aberdeen.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is promoting the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route which will reduce congestion at the Bridge of Dee.</p>

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the amount and suitability of alcohol education offered to (a) primary and (b) secondary school children and what plans it has to develop that education.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Research on the effectiveness of substance misuse education, including alcohol education, in Scottish primary and secondary schools was commissioned from Stirling University in 2003. The research, which was published in 2007, provides evidence that there is m…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is offered to prisoners suffering from alcohol-related problems, broken down by prison.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Prisoners coming into custody are assessed for Substance Misuse issues, which include alcohol-related problems. Prisoners with an identifi…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, as part of its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what research it commissioned in relation to the imagery of (a) alcoholic drinks and (b) alcohol consumption; what the key findings were, and what additional research it is considering.

Answer · Shona Robison: No specific research was commissioned in relation to the imagery of alcohol drinks or alcohol consumption. However, an extensive review of the existing evidence base was undertaken to inform <i >Changing </i><i >Scotland</i><i >''s relationship with alcohol: …

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that issues relating to alcohol misuse among older people are significantly different to those among younger people and whether it believes that these issues require specific attention.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises that alcohol misuse affects all age groups in our society, including older people. Indeed many of the long-term health harms resulting from prolonged alcohol misuse are experienced by people in later life. The discussion doc…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, as part of its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what research it commissioned in relation to tackling issues of alcohol misuse among older people; what the key findings were, and what additional research it is considering.

Answer · Shona Robison: An extensive review of the existing evidence base was undertaken to inform the <i >Changing </i><i >Scotland</i><i >''s relationship with alcohol</i> discussion document.</p> <p >The Scottish Government, in partnership with NHS Health Scotland and Informa…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, as part of its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what research it commissioned in relation to tackling the problem of proxy purchasing of alcohol; what the key findings were, and what additional research it is considering.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No research has been commissioned. It is clear that in the short-term there needs to be a focus on enforcement of the law in respect of those who buy alcohol on behalf of someone underage and over the longer term we need to tackle the underlying attitudes to …

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, as part of its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what research it commissioned in relation to the scale of the problem of proxy purchasing of alcohol; what the key findings were, and what additional research it is considering.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Misuse Survey (SALSUS) includes a question on where young people purchase their alcohol, which provides an indication of the extent of proxy purchase. In 2006, 22% of 13-year-olds and 29% of 15-year-olds…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take action to help reduce excessive alcohol consumption and disorder on public transport and, if so, what that action will be.

Answer · Shona Robison: Alcohol consumption on public transport is covered by the National Railway Byelaws, section 19 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (specific to vehicles carrying passengers to and from a designated sporting event) and local street drinking…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, apart from during its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what discussions it has had with (a) police forces and (b) local authorities in relation to measures needed to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence and antisocial behaviour.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with police forces and local authorities concerning alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour and is working in partnership with them to tackle this problem effectively. In particular, the issue has bee…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, apart from during its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what discussions it has had with (a) producers, (b) on-sales and (c) off-sales retailers in relation to the introduction of a minimum alcohol pricing strategy.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We regularly meet the alcohol industry to discuss rebalancing Scotland''s relationship with alcohol and have had constructive discussions with a wide range of producers and retailers. That process will continue through the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry…

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the UK Government in relation to increasing alcohol duty for (a) specific or (b) all alcohol products.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the need to reduce alcohol misuse and associated harm.</p>

12 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to the introduction of a minimum alcohol pricing strategy.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the need to reduce alcohol misuse and associated harm.</p>

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why measures to tackle congestion at the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen do not feature in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18527 on 17 December 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parlia…

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the Aberdeen Crossrail project does not feature in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) has recommended 29 transport schemes over the next 20 years that will let us plan for the delivery of an efficient, integrated transport network fit for the 21st century.</p> <p >The recommended schemes include …

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when phase 2 of project 23 of the Strategic Transport Projects Review is to be completed.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18800 on 8 January 2008. 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…