Parliamentary questions

Kezia Dugdale

1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of financial institutions removing partnership earnings from their gender pay gap calculations.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government welcomes the transparency that the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulation 2017 can help deliver. All those subject to the Act's provisions should comply with them and not seek to avoid reporting any gender pay gap i…

3 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage the finance sector to address the gender pay gap.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Scottish Government research in 2016 into the drivers of the gender pay gap showed that the gap in the finance sector was mainly due to women not progressing to senior positions as quickly as their male counterparts or to roles more likely to attract bonus pa…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what building or planning rules regulate the distance that a public lamppost can be from a private dwelling, and what rights property owners have to appeal or contest decisions regarding the distance.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There is no building or planning legislation regulating the distance that a public lamppost can be from a private dwelling. Local roads authorities have a statutory duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (the 1984 Act) to provide and maintain lighting for …

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people from Northern Ireland have accessed family planning services at hospitals in Scotland in each year since this service was introduced.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Information on the number of people normally resident in Northern Ireland accessing family planning services in Scotland is not collated centrally.

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01906 by Aileen Campbell on 14 March 2018, in light of reported concerns regarding patient safety, whether Police Scotland has made an assessment of protests outside the maternity wing of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Police Scotland continue to monitor the situation and have confirmed that protestors have been compliant with them and have not entered the grounds of the hospital to protest. However, the Scottish Government recognises that the protests can often be distres…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the same-day abortion services in Scotland being able to meet the needs of people from Northern Ireland.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: For medical abortions, NHS Boards in Scotland do not allow women to take mifepristone and misoprostol on the same day as this is a less effective method of termination than when misoprostol is taken 24 to 48 hours after taking mifepristone. Women from Norther…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether self-directed support can be pooled by parents of children with autism to access specialised services from a third sector organisation.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Yes, as long as the parents have chosen it and it relates to their outcomes.

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the waiting times for rape survivors to access rape crisis services.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government recognises that sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and is committed to preventing and eradicating it in Scotland. We agree that it is vital that survivors of rape and sexual assault have early access to crisis services that me…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) regarding the use of pre-recorded evidence as the default means by which adult rape complainers (a) give evidence and (b) face cross examination.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) regarding the use of pre-recorded evidence in general and in particular have been engaging with them and other criminal justice stakeholders on the devel…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Lord Carloway’s proposal that no rape complainer should have to give evidence in court.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In an interview with the BBC broadcast on 1 May 2018, Lord Carloway referred to vulnerable witnesses, including rape complainers, not necessarily having to go to court to give evidence as “the ultimate objective”. The Scottish Government is supportive of a g…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to commission an up-to-date evaluation of the effectiveness of the provisions relating to the use of sexual history and character evidence in sexual offence trials.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Provisions relating to the use of sexual history and character evidence in sexual offence trials are contained in sections 274 and 275 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. The operation of the law in this area was subject to a full and independent e…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to conduct independent research on rape complainers' experience of the justice system.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to understanding victims’ experience of the justice system in Scotland to ensure that improvements can be made that will make the most difference to those who need it. In October 2017, Justice Analytical Services in the S…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on legislating to ensure that no rape complainer is compelled to give evidence in court.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Prosecution policy is a matter for the Lord Advocate. The Scottish Government will continue to work with key justice partners, including Crown Office, Police Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service, and with third sector organisations such as R…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding by the Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland in its paper, Thematic Review of the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Crimes, that rape victims are more likely to withdraw from proceedings the longer they take to get to court, what steps it is taking to pri…

Answer · Alison Di Rollo : The management of prosecutions, including rape, is a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service whilst the management of court business is a matter for the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service. Within COPFS, all sexual offence cases are dealt …

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce (a) the length of time that it takes rape trials to get to court and (b) delays during the court process involving rape trials.

Answer · Alison Di Rollo : The management of prosecutions, including rape, is a matter for Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) while the management of court business is a matter for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Serious sexual offences, principally rape, no…