Parliamentary questions
Claire Baker
1,724 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many assaults there have been on prison staff in each year since 2006, also broken down by how many were recorded as "serious".
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Prisoner on Staff Assaults from 2006 to 2017 (Present) broken down by Establishment and injury criteria: Serious Assaults 2006-07 2007-…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on training (a) prisoners and (b) prison staff in each year since 2006.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: Year Prisoner Vocational Training Costs 2006-07 £239,145.14 2007-08 £253,268.31 2008-09 £299,644.76 2009-10 £283,261.37 201…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff have left the Scottish Prison Service in each year since 2006, broken down by reason for leaving.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Leaving Reasons Financial Years 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Death In Service 2 3 7 3 6 Dismissal 50 55 33 29 2…
10 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) revenue and (b) capital budget has been for (i) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, (ii) the Scottish Prison Service and (iii) legal aid in each of the last five years.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Details are as follows: 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 RDEL CDEL Total RDEL CDEL Total RDEL CDEL Total £m £m £m Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service 105.5 2.7 108.2 104.5 3.6 108.1 104.5 3.6 108.1 Scottish Prison Service 318.…
10 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) revenue and (b) capital budget has been for (i) Police Scotland, (ii) the Scottish Police Authority and (iii) the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in each of the last three years.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Details are as follows: 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 RDEL CDEL Total RDEL CDEL Total RDEL CDEL Total £m £m £m Police Central Government 96.1 17.9 114.0 101.3 0.0 101.3 88.1 10.0 98.1 Scottish Police Authority (Includes Police Scot…
6 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many joint investigative interviews of children were conducted in each of the last five years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information; it is an operational matter for Police Scotland.
6 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many pre-recorded joint investigative interviews of children have been used as evidence in chief in courts in the last five years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
6 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many child witnesses have given evidence in (a) sheriff and b) high courts in each of the last five years, broken down by the alleged offence.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
5 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02503 by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016, how the use of spit hoods by the police is (a) monitored and (b) evaluated.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. As mentioned in the Scottish Government's answer to S5W-02503, any application of a spit hood must meet the Police Scotland criteria for the use…
5 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to quesiton S5W-02503 by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016, what (a) technical and (b) medical evaluation has been carried out regarding the use of spit hoods by Police Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.
5 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02503 by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016, how many times spit hoods have been used by the police in each of the last three years, and how many complaints there have been about their use.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Operational policing is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.
5 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02503 by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016, how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries have been attributed to the use of spit hoods by the police, and what other data on their use is collected by (i) Police Scotland and (ii) the Police Investigations…
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Operational policing is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) advises that i…
5 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02503 by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016, what procurement criteria are used by the police when sourcing spit hoods, and which companies supply these.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many domestic abuse cases have been heard by each (a) domestic abuse and (b) other court in each of the last five years, and how many convictions there were.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold specific information about the number of domestic abuse cases heard in each domestic abuse court. Statistics on the number of people proceeded against and the numbers convicted, in all types of courts in Scotland, with a…
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many indictments have been registered at each court in each of the last five years.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply within 20 days.
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many days each court has sat in each of the last five years.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply within 20 days.
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many jury trials there have been at each court in each of the last five years.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply within 20 days.
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many summary procedures without a jury were called but adjourned because of lack of court time at each court in each of the last five years.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply within 20 days.
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many jury trials were called but adjourned because of a lack of court time at each court in each of the last five years.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply within 20 days.
3 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many criminal trials have been adjourned broken because of (a) a crown motion, (b) a defence motion, (c) a failure to appear by an accused, (d) a failure to appear by a witness, (e) a lack of court time and (f) another reason at each court in each of the last five years.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply within 20 days.
28 Sep 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the vacancy rate is for GPs in Fife, and how many posts have been vacant for at least six months.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Primary Care Workforce Survey collected information on GP practices reporting current vacancies at 31 August 2015. It showed that the vacancy rate for responding practices in NHS Fife was 5.6%, and nine of those posts had been vacant for over six months.
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many females have been held on remand in each of the last five years, also broken down by how many subsequently received a custodial sentence.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The average daily female remand population in Scotland over the past five years is shown in the following table 2011-12 108 2012-13 107 2013-14 106 2014-15 105 2015-16 98 Source: Scottish Government (2015) Prison statistics and population projectio…
8 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland use spit hoods and, if so, what published guidance there is on their use.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, and the Scottish Police Authority. Police Scotland has advised that written guidance on the operational use of spit hoods is provided via the Scottish Police College Officer Safety Training Manual a…
8 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01830 by Michael Matheson on 30 August 2016, whether there have been any discussions or requests regarding any (a) within-year payments, (b) loans or (c) grants to Police Scotland and, if so, when and what for.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government maintains regular contact with the Scottish Police Authority on a range of financial matters. Any adjustments to policing budgets set through the Budget Act would be undertaken through the normal process of Autumn and Spring Budget Rev…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in young offender institutions have mental health problems.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Data on how many people in young offender institutions have mental health problems is not provided to the Scottish Government. The SPS prisoner survey will identify mental health issues via self-reporting. Prisoners are asked questions on mental health by wa…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in young offender Institutions have children.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service does not currently hold this information.
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are serving at least 12 months in custody in young offender institutions, broken down by (a) offence and (b) age.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: There are currently 203 young offenders in custody within the SPS estate who are serving at least 12 months. (a) The following table shows t…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people leaving each young offender institution in each of the last five years moved on to positive destinations, broken down by the nature of the positive destination.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Comprehensive records of positive destinations of young people leaving young offenders’ institutions are not held by Scottish Prison Service …
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of people in young offender institutions comes from areas of deprivation.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The latest data released by Scottish Government shows that on 31 March 2014, 42% of young persons under 21 in prison custody came from the 15% most deprived data zones.
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of people in young offender institutions in each of the last 12 months was (a) on remand and (b) awaiting sentencing.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: As a proportion of the average total young offender population over the last 12 months this equates to (a) 25% being remand and (b) 10% being…