Parliamentary questions

Richard Baker

2,136 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to make the Sex Offender Treatment Programme compulsory for convicted sex offenders.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: The SPS has no plans to make the Sex Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTP) it delivers compulsory for convicted sex offenders as it is ess…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of sex offenders have received rehabilitation treatment prior to release and how much funding has been allocated to programmes for the treatment of such offenders in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: Currently this information is not available, work is underway to provide this information in due course.

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of sex offenders recommended to enter a treatment programme to places available.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: A total of 93 offenders completed the Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) during 2007-08. This represents 69% of the number assessed a…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the re-offending rate was of sex offenders who (a) attended and (b) did not attend the Sex Offender Treatment Programme in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: This information is not currently available.

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which (a) prisons and (b) young offenders’ institutions the Sex Offender Treatment Programme was run in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: Sex Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTP) have been delivered in (a) HM Prisons Peterhead, Barlinnie and Edinburgh and (b) HM YOI Polmont i…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of sex offenders in prisons attended the Sex Offender Treatment Programme in each of the last five years, 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: The information requested is detailed in the following table: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners served sentences for sex offences in each of the last five years, 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: The following table details the number of prisoners liberated from Scottish prisons over the last five years where the main custodial sent…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take following the recent reports by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons into HMP Dumfries and HMP Peterhead that raised concerns about the rehabilitation of sex offenders prior to release.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: HM Prison Peterhead and HM Prison Dumfries have developed action plans to address the issues raised by the recommendations included in the…

10 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement will be made on funding arrangements for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We are currently in week two of a possible 13 week public local inquiry. If the scheme is approved it is envisaged that procurement will take place through 2009. Funding arrangements will be addressed as part of the procurement process.

10 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Futures Trust will be used to fund the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16207 on 23 September 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/we…

8 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to increase provision for students with profound and complex needs studying in further education

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The funding of Scotland''s colleges is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). It is for the colleges themselves to determine the learning activity which is offered to students and potential students and which best meets the needs of local c…

8 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the directory of further education provision for students with profound and complex needs will be published.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The 2008 survey of provision in Scotland''s colleges for learners with profound and complex needs was published on 8 August 2008 and can be accessed via: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Funding-Support-Grants/FFL/Compl…

8 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the Bus Service Operators Grant in light of recent fares increases, in particular to First Group services in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ultimately, the level of fares is a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement in these matters. Scottish Government support for bus services is considerable, amounting to some £280 million per year. This substantial investment…

8 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with First Group about proposed fares increases in Aberdeen.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with FirstGroup about proposed fare increases in Aberdeen.

8 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the bed occupancy rates were in each hospital in NHS Grampian in each of the last four years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The percentage acute bed occupancy for hospitals in NHS Grampian is shown in the following table. NHSScotland - Average Bed Occupancy1 NHS Grampian Area Years Ending 31 March 2005-08 <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <t…

23 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it was made aware that Aberdeen City Council’s budget cuts were to be in the region of £49.7 million.

Answer · John Swinney: The scale and seriousness of the financial problem faced by Aberdeen City Council have been apparent to all since the Accounts Commission report was published in May 2008. This has clearly built up over a number of years. I have made clear from the outset and…

20 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to educate young people in the north east on the subject of drugs misuse.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The curriculum in Scotland is not based on statutory prescription. It is for local authorities and schools, in the light of the curriculum framework within which they operate, to determine how best to organise the syllabus and offer substance misuse education…

20 Jun 2008 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: Information is not available centrally for 2002 to 2005. Figures for the year ending March 2007 are available from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the new General Medical Services contract. Within the QOF, GP practices in Scotland mainta…

20 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated by each NHS board to providing services for people with dementia over the period of the current spending review.

Answer · Shona Robison: Spend on dementia and other mental health services will continue to be drawn from the record funds allocated to NHS boards and local government overall. In this respect funding is set to rise to record levels with the overall Health budget increasing from £10…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to encourage people to take up cycling as a form of exercise.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11801 on 23 April 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/webapp/…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bikes were purchased in Scotland from 2003 to 2007 and what the total value was of all such sales.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Bike Station in Edinburgh, part funded by the Scottish Government, received 1,568 second hand bicycles worth a resale total of £82,000 in 2007-08. This was the highest sales value achieved i…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its participation will be in National Bike Week, which takes place from 14 to 22 June 2008.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There will be a series of promotional events held in the core Government buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow. These will include information stands from Trycycling in Edinburgh and Bike Station. There will also be two maintenance sessions at Bike Station in Le…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to cycling projects, as part of the transport budget, over the period of the current spending review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Allocations for cycling projects from the sustainable and active budget line have been made for 2008-09 only. This year £6.58 million will be allocated to cycling projects. In addition, £9 million will be awarded to local authorities for cycling, walking and …

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on cycling projects, as part of the transport budget, from 2003 to 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: From 2003 to 2007, spend on cycling projects was as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=71 valign=top >   </td> <td valign=top > 2003-04 </td> <td valign…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on cycling as an alternative method of transport.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In the National Transport Strategy, there is a commitment to continue to promote cycling and walking as sustainable forms of transport especially for short journeys. This Scottish Government will honour that commitment through continued funding support for lo…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to encourage people to take up cycling as an alternative method of transport.

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were charged with possession of an offensive weapon in the Grampian Police area in 2006-07.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The recorded crime data held centrally has the number of crimes recorded by the police and the number recorded as detected (that is, there is sufficient evidence to justify consideration of criminal proceedings). We cannot provide any information on the numbe…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 18 and under were charged with possession of an offensive weapon in the Grampian Police area in 2006-07.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The data held centrally is based on an aggregate return, so it is not possible to distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the age of the perpetrator. For the available information, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13685 on 9 June 2…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions for possession of an offensive weapon there were in the Grampian Police area in 2006-07.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In the Grampian police force area 74 persons had a charge proved for having in a public place an article with a blade or point, and 81 had a charge proved for possession of an offensive weapon in the financial year 2006-07, where these were the main offences.…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 18 and under were convicted of possession of an offensive weapon in the Grampian Police area in 2006-07.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In the Grampian police force area twelve persons aged 18 and under had a charge proved for having in a public place an article with a blade or point, and nine had a charge proved for possession of an offensive weapon in the financial year 2006-07, where these…