Parliamentary questions

Liam McArthur

3,644 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

20 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all female prisoners have access to sanitary pads on demand; whether any such sanitary pads are provided free of charge, and whether the Scottish Prison Service records any incidents of pads not being provided when needed.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: As defined in the Prison and Young Offenders Rules (Scotland) 2011, all female prisoners who require sanitary products are provided wi…

20 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances there have been in the last 12 months, in the form of the total prisoner days, where a prisoner has been allowed less than one hour of outdoor exercise on any given day.

Answer · Angela Constance: Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: SPS does not record this information.

20 Dec 2023 · Written Question

Answer · Angela Constance: Data covering the period 2020-23 is available via the published National Statistics on the Scottish Prison Population. Financial Year Individuals under 18 arriving to remand a) 2020-21 92 b) 2021-22 82 c) 2022-23 57 Information about the number of in…

20 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prison cells housing the general prison population and those in solitary confinement do not allow direct access to (a) artificial lighting sufficient for reading purposes and (b) natural light, and where in the prison estate any such cells are located.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: With the exception of 2 prison cells at HMP Open Estate, Castle Huntly, all other cells across the SPS estate have access to natural l…

20 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances there have been in the last 12 months, in the form of total prisoner weeks, where a prisoner has been unable to shower at least twice a week for any reason.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: SPS does not record this information. However, as defined in the Prison and Young Offenders Rules (Scotland) 2011, individuals must ha…

20 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) longest and (b) average time spent on remand was for people under the age of 18 in (i) 2020-21, (ii) 2021-22, (iii) 2022-23 and (iv) 2023 to date.

Answer · Angela Constance: Data covering the period 2020-23 is available via the published National Statistics on the Scottish Prison Population. Period a) longest b) average (median) days i) 2020-21 301 17 ii) 2021-22 263 8 iii) 2022-23 387 9 In line with prison statistic…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the review of home slaughter guidance being undertaken by Food Standards Scotland to be completed, and whether it will publish its findings.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland (FSS) are preparing to launch a 3 month consultation on a proposed amendment to the Home Slaughter Guidance, following which responses received will be considered as part of the ongoing review and FSS intend to publish the outcome of t…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to piloting an extension of the on-farm seasonal slaughter arrangements for poultry to the beef and lamb sectors.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is advised on food safety and hygiene matters by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). Retained Regulation 853/2004, Annex II, Section I and Schedule 5 of the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 allow for the slaughter of poultry on-farm…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the on-farm seasonal slaughter arrangements for poultry, and what conclusions were reached from any such assessment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: No assessment is required as flexibility is already provided in legislation to allow the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm to the final consumer or to local retail establishments di…

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many court hearings have been (a) postponed or (b) cancelled due to reportedly ongoing issues with the Scottish Prison Service's prisoner escort services.

Answer · Angela Constance: 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 reply in writing within 20 days.

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases that would have otherwise taken place in island courts have now been heard at "hub" courts in (a) Inverness and (b) Aberdeen as a result of the pause to solemn criminal business in island courts, broken down by affected island court.

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many court hearings that were redirected to Aberdeen or Inverness, due to the pause to solemn criminal business in island courts, have been (a) delayed, (b) postponed and (c) cancelled due to the failure or inability of a witness or complainer to attend proceedings on the date and ti…

18 Dec 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out and use of tasers within Police Scotland, in light of reports that they have been used 131 times, and discharged nine times, against children since 2018.

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated capital cost will be of meeting its existing heat network targets, and what proportion of this capital cost it has committed to providing (a) to date and (b) in its Budget for 2024-25.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Based on available evidence, we estimate that the cost of achieving the targets is up to £1.4 billion for the 2027 target, a further £3.7 billion for the 2030 target and a further £1.1 billion for the 2035 target. Much of this cost will need to be met by the…

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide the estimated capital cost for local authorities to deliver any local authority-led heat network schemes that are currently in development, and how much financial support it is providing to local authorities to help deliver any such developments.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Since October 2022, the Heat Network Support Unit (HNSU) has been providing local authorities with funding and/or advice to develop heat network projects in their areas. The Unit is currently supporting 19 local authority led projects at feasibility stage and…

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) number and (b) proportion of homes it anticipates will need to be supported by heat networks in order to meet targets for decarbonising home heating.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Our 2021 Heat in Buildings Strategy set out that several technologies – including heat networks – can play a part to 2030 and beyond in reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions from our homes and non-domestic buildings. The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act,…

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 and its 2022 Heat networks delivery plan, whether it will provide an update on whether it has set a 2035 target for heat networks.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Heat Networks (Supply Targets) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 came into force on 24 November 2023, setting a target for the combined supply of thermal energy by heat networks in Scotland to reach at least 7 terawatt hours of output by 2035.

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) capital and (b) pre-capital support it has provided to heat network projects to date, and how many properties either have been or are set to be connected to heat networks as a result of any such support.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Scottish Government capital support for heat networks is made available through Scotland’s Heat Network Fund (SHNF), following the success of its predecessor the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP). To date, over £62 million in capital gran…

14 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have published Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES), and whether it anticipates that any local authorities will not publish LHEES by the end of 2023.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: As of 19 December 2023 three local authorities have published final Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES):Glasgow City CouncilFife CouncilWest Lothian Council An additional ten local authorities have published draft LHEES for consultation:City …

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20734 by Siobhian Brown on 30 August 2023, what its position is on whether the same cited considerations for same-sex sexual infidelity being treated as unreasonable behaviour or non-cohabitation could also apply to opposite-sex adultery, and, if it…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: One of the ways in which irretrievable breakdown of a marriage is taken to be established in divorce actions is if since the date of the marriage the defender has behaved in such a way that the pursuer cannot reasonably be expected to cohabit with the defende…

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23651 by Siobhian Brown on 7 December 2023, as part of its plans to consult on marriage law reforms, whether it will consult on introducing so-called "no-fault" divorce, not requiring irretrievable marital breakdown.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government has no plans to do so. The consultation planned for 2024 will, in relation to divorce and dissolution, cover court procedures rather than the grounds of divorce and dissolution. There has been recent legislation for England and Wales …

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23651 by Siobhian Brown on 7 December 2023, as part of its plans to consult on marriage law reforms, whether it will consult on abolishing for opposite-sex couples, as well as same-sex couples, the rule that marriage is voidable by reason of impoten…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government has no plans to do so. The consultation planned for 2024 will, in relation to divorce and dissolution, cover court procedures rather than the grounds of divorce and dissolution or how a marriage can be voided. The Scottish Law Commiss…

5 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates Scotland's prison population will exceed 8,000 people in 2023, and, if so, when it anticipates this will take place.

Answer · Angela Constance: Prison population levels change on a daily basis, as people move in and out of custody. Since late September 2023, the prison population has remained above 7,900. Up to the morning of 11 December 2023 the prison population had temporarily exceeded 8,000 in 20…

5 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently imprisoned in Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: Prison population levels change on a daily basis as people move in and out of custody. On the morning of 11 December 2023 the prison population was 7,926.

4 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) men and (b) women have (i) been prosecuted, (ii) been prosecuted and convicted and (iii) not been prosecuted but have received direct measures for TV licence fee non-payment in each of the last five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: The latest available information on convictions is for the financial year 2021-22 and is provided in the following table. People prosecuted for TV Licence evasion, by gender, where main charge, 2017-18 to 2021-22*. 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-…

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions of corporations there have ever been for the (a) common law offence of culpable homicide and (b) statutory offence of corporate homicide, and which corporations were convicted.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: On 22 December 1999 in Larkhall, Lanarkshire an explosion destroyed the dwellinghouse at No. 42 Carlyle Road. All four occupants of that dwellinghouse, including two children, were killed. Criminal proceedings were taken against Transco PLC in relation to the…

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions have ever been brought against corporations for the (a) common law offence of culpable homicide and (b) statutory offence of corporate homicide, and which corporations these were against.

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to potential reforms of homicide law in the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Law Commission is currently undertaking a project to consider homicide law reform. The Scottish Law Commission's homicide law project has been continued into their 11th Programme of Law Reform. In 2021, the Commission published their discussion …

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to potential reforms of corporate criminal liability.

Answer · Angela Constance: Possible reform to homicide law is currently being considered by the Scottish Law Commission. In paragraph 1.27 of the Scottish Law Commission's Homicide Project Discussion paper , it is indicated corporate homicide is one of a number of topics that the Com…

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions for (a) murder and (b) culpable homicide have been brought against healthcare professionals in Scotland in the last 10 years relating to the discharge of their duties or exercise of their powers treating patients, and, of these, how many resulted in a conviction.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. The data we receive from Police Scotland’s Criminal History System for production of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland National Statistics bulletin includes a prosecuted person’s age and sex,…