Parliamentary questions

Claire Baker

1,724 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

30 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03484 by Michael Matheson on 27 October 2016, for what reason data on the use of spit hoods by Police Scotland is not routinely collected, monitored or evaluated, and whether it will direct Police Scotland to do so.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Any application of a spit hood must meet the Police Scotland criteria for use of force. Information about use of force within Police Scotland is collected, monitored and evaluated by Police Scotland’s National Operational Safety Training Unit. Processes for …

15 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many accidents there have been on the A92 between Dunfermline and Dundee in each year since 2007, broken down by (a) severity and (b) location.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The number of personal injury accidents on the A92 between the M90 and to the north of the A92 Tay Bridge roundabout can be found in the following tables. Note that 2015 is the last full calendar year for which we have accident data available broken down by s…

15 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on (a) the maintenance of and (b) upgrades to trunk roads in each year since 2007, broken down by road.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The following table for maintenance investment provides spend figures by route and by year for Trunk Road Operating Company expenditure, including structural maintenance, minor improvements, routine maintenance, strategic road safety, bridges and structures a…

13 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication in December 2015 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 – Consultation Analysis Report, whether it plans to (a) increase the length of sentence that would qualify for "rehabilitation" under the act from 30 months and (b) lower the rehabilitation periods …

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government remains committed to making appropriate reforms to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 in Scotland to ensure it strikes the correct balance between the rights of people not to disclose their previous offending behaviour and to mov…

13 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been released from prison in each of the last five years, broken down by the day of week of their release.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The following table details the number of people who have been liberated from a Scottish Prison in each of the last 5 years, broken down by …

13 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time is for the conclusion of a fatal accident inquiry for deaths in prison.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: As the following table indicates in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service's financial years (1 April to 31 March) from 2012-13, through to 2015-16, there were 17, 21, 17, and 8 “Death in prison” Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAIs) which concluded for those…

23 Jan 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help victims of rape.

12 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on recording common assaults as an offence rather than a crime, and whether it plans to change this practice.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government reports on recorded crime in the same way as previous administrations, with more serious criminal acts generally defined as crimes and other usually less serious criminal acts defined as offences. This distinction has applied to Scotla…

12 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the minutes of the November 2016 meeting of the Scottish Crime Recording Board.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Rather than take formal minutes of each meeting, the Scottish Crime Recording Board publishes each meeting’s agenda, agreed actions and subsequent outcomes once they have been approved by members at the following meeting. On this basis, the actions and outcom…

12 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Crime Recording Board will publish its response to the research that it commissioned regarding the additional analysis of common assault offences, which it referred to in Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2015-16.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The response of the Scottish Crime Recording Board was published alongside the findings of the common assault research in the Recorded Crime in Scotland 2015-16 bulletin on 27 September 2016. This outlined that the board will reflect on the findings of the re…

12 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Crime Recording Board will next meet and what issues will be discussed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Crime Recording Board will next meet on 2 March 2017. As a collaborative body representing several organisations, each meeting’s agenda is agreed in consultation during the preceding month.

14 Dec 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed transport issues in Fife with ScotRail.

7 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many community payback orders in each of the last five years have included a requirement for the treatment of alcohol problems.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of Community Payback Orders (CPOs) including an alcohol treatment requirement that have been imposed since 2011-12 can be found in the Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics in Scotland, 2014-15 Statistical Bulletin (Table 10). This publication i…

7 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on its senior (a) civil service and (b) agency posts being filled on an interim basis by staff hired through agencies or third-party employers; how many positions are currently filled in this manner, and have been in each of the last five years, broken down by the (i…

Answer · Derek Mackay: Senior Civil Service posts in Scottish Government core departments and agencies are filled though a variety of recruitment methods including permanent recruitment, fixed term appointments, inward secondment arrangements and service level agreements. However i…

7 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many deaths in prisons there have been in each of the last five years, and in how many cases the cause of death has been recorded as “undetermined”.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Information relating to death in custody is published on the SPS website. A link to the website is provided here: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Co…

7 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are in place to ensure that the family of a person who dies in prison is informed of the cause of death in a timely manner.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: Following a death in custody Police Scotland will submit a report, known as a Sudden Death Report, to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The Sudden Death Report will set out the circumstances of the death and will also contain details of the next…

7 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it is providing to develop bail supervision as an alternative to remand.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government’s commitment to reducing reoffending includes an emphasis on reducing the use of short-term imprisonment, both in sentencing and remand. This includes exploring the use of Bail Supervision as a direct alternative to remand. The Scot…

7 Dec 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which of the projects reviewed by the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services in its report, Evaluation of Sixteen Women’s Community Justice Services in Scotland, have been mainstreamed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Over 201314 and 201415 the Scottish Government provided a total of £3.1m grant funding to projects providing community-based services to women who offend, to support the creation or development of services in line with the recommendations of the Commission on…

22 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports concerning the strip-searching of children and young people by Police Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The general principles for carrying out searches, including strip-searches, are covered in Police Scotland's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). SOPs are an operational matter for Police Scotland and fall within the responsibilities of the Chief Constable. …

22 Nov 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent child obesity figures, whether it will commit to establishing a specific children's food policy, as highlighted by the work of the Food Commission.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The establishment of a children’s food policy was one element considered in the ‘Becoming a Good Food Nation’ discussion document. That same document called for the Food Commission to identify areas where further work is required. We await recommendations fro…

10 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03425 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2016, how many of those convicted were given a custodial sentence each year of (a) less than three, (b) between three and six, (c) between six and nine and (d) between nine and 12 months.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The available information is contained in the following table. People receiving custodial sentence of 1 year or less for an offence with a domestic aggravator recorded, 2010-11 to 2014-15 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Up to 3 months 444 3…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what month it will introduce the (a) Limitation (Childhood Abuse), (b) Railway Policing, (c) Expenses and Funding of Civil Litigation and (d) Contract (Third Part Rights) Bill.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: As set out in the Programme for Government 2016-7 these bills are part of the Scottish Government’s Year 1 legislative programme. The Government sequences the introduction of Bills across the parliamentary year. I am currently meeting with relevant committee…

26 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to hold a charity event, similar to the M74 Hike and Bike, prior to the opening of the Queensferry Crossing and, if so, what discussions it has had with charities such as MND Scotland regarding such a proposal.

Answer · Keith Brown: We are currently considering the full range of options available to satisfy the significant interest that we have received already in the opening of this iconic structure. Although we’ve had no discussions with MND Scotland or any other charity to date, as pl…