Questions · Liam McArthur

8 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding for one or more energy efficiency measures, since the scheme was established.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government has provided funding for 190 properties for energy efficiency measures through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme since it was established in April 2020.

6 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further information on the commitment in its Programme for Government 2023-24 to "provide additional targeted investment to enhance the capacity of our renewables supply chain to trade internationally and identify critical markets to export to".

Answer · Richard Lochhead: This commitment within the Programme for Government 2023-24 will be delivered through additional investment in the delivery of the existing actions within ‘A Framework to Grow Scotland’s Renewables Exports’, which was published by the Scottish Government in M…

28 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce secondary legislation regarding police scrutiny that is not currently provided for by the Police (Ethics, Conduct, and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill, but is conditional on the passage of the Bill.

Answer · Angela Constance: The non-legislative changes delivered to date and as a result of Dame Elish Angiolini’s review are bringing greater transparency, fairness and accessibility to systems, policies and processes that underpin the police complaints and misconduct processes. These…

28 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the introduction of the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill, whether it plans to implement Recommendation 52, which relates to holding gross misconduct proceedings in public, of the Independent Review of Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Is…

Answer · Angela Constance: Recommendation 52, the holding of gross misconduct proceedings in public, will be addressed through secondary legislation following the anticipated passing of the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill. The relevant section of the Police (Ethic…

28 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the introduction of the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill, whether there are any recommendations of the Independent Review of Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Issues in Relation to Policing that it anticipates will not be implemented.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill is part of a programme of work to respond to the recommendations made in the Independent Review of Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Issue in Relation to Policing. The Bill addresses r…

10 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many crimes were reported in each of the last five years, and of those, how many resulted in charges being brought by the procurator fiscal.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: COPFS uses a live, operational database to manage the processing of reports submitted to Procurators Fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies throughout Scotland. It is designed to meet business needs in the processing of criminal cases, rather than …

10 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion, in percentage terms, of the total crimes reported resulted in charges being brought by the procurator fiscal, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: COPFS uses a live, operational database to manage the processing of reports submitted to the Procurator Fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies throughout Scotland. It is designed to meet business needs in the processing of criminal cases, rather th…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its forthcoming palliative and end of life care strategy will empower community nursing teams to care for children in their own homes.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We are developing our new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy, which has an overarching aim that everyone in Scotland receives well-coordinated, timely and high-quality palliative care, care around death and bereavement support based on their needs and p…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its palliative and end of life care strategy.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is currently developing the new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy for Scotland and intends to publish this in 2024. We have appointed a National Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care to drive the development and de…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what focus will be given specifically to the delivery of general and specialist palliative care in remote rural and island communities in its palliative and end of life care strategy.

Answer · Jenni Minto: An underlying principle of the new National Strategy for Palliative and End of Life Care for Scotland will be equitable and timely access to general and specialist palliative care as needed by each person of any age, living with any illnesses, in all places. …

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its proposals for safe drug consumption facilities include further facilities outside the one proposed for Glasgow.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The Lord Advocate provided specific parameters, which were set out in a statement on 3 November 2021, it stipulated in order for a new proposal to be considered it would need to be precise, detailed and specific, which was underpinned by evidence and supporte…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations had input into its proposal for safe drug consumption facilities that was sent to the Lord Advocate.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The Scottish Government facilitated discussions between Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership and Police Scotland, both of whom input into the proposal, which was developed by Glasgow HSCP, for a Safer Drug Consumption Facility prior to it being sent to …

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it sent its proposal for safe drug consumption facilities to the Lord Advocate.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The proposal for a SDCF which could operate within current legislation, and which would suit the parameters set out by the Lord Advocate in November 2021, was shared with COPFS on 22 June 2022. This was a proposal developed by Glasgow Health and Social Care …

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its report, A Caring, Compassionate and Human Rights Informed Drug Policy for Scotland, which are the further changes to drugs policy “not dependent on constitutional change” that it has identified.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The Scottish Government committed an additional £250 million in the term of this parliament to deliver the national mission on drugs. We also committed in January 2023 to delivering a cross government plan that addresses the systemic stigma that keeps people …

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to create a specific Deaths in Custody unit within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: Following a successful pilot, COPFS commenced the Custody Deaths Unit (CDU) on 1 August 2022. The Unit investigates all deaths in legal custody, including deaths in police custody. The establishment of a dedicated unit will ensure further improvements in …

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it (a) can take and (b) is taking to secure the reclassification of naloxone through the amendment of the Medicines Act 1968.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The Medicines Act 1986 is governed by the UK Parliament. This means that any legislative changes in relation to the act are fully reserved to the UK Government and its ministers. However, continuing the work done to make naloxone more widely available during…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted of possession-only drug offences in each of the last five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: A crime of drug possession may be disposed in criminal court or through direct measures such as a Fiscal Fine or Recorded Police Warning. The following tables provide the most recent five years of data for persons convicted in court, where main charge (Table …

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland or Public Health Scotland have been asked to provide any additional information to it on its proposals for safe drug consumption facilities.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The proposal currently with COPFS officials was developed by Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) not the Scottish Government Police Scotland have been involved in discussions about the establishment of a safer drug consumption facilities (SDCF)…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to investigate the legal framework required for a network of drug testing facilities.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The current legal framework for Drug Checking facilities comes under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and an amendment to the act in relation to ‘Controlled Drugs’ which provides authorisation via the use of a license. The license can be applied for through the U…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken any research into regulated markets for the reduction of harm and the safe control of substances.

Answer · Elena Whitham: The Scottish Government, in preparation for it's Paper " A caring compassionate and Human Rights Informed Drug Policy for Scotland" published on July 7th 2023, researched a wide range of sources and consulted with a number of international partners to learn w…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to expand access to drug paraphernalia within a harm reduction framework.

Answer · Elena Whitham: Further to the recommendation of the Drug Death Taskforce we are continuing to work with the UK Government and other devolved administrations regarding the expansion of access to drug paraphernalia. This includes the provision of smoking inhalation devices w…

4 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners are being held in (a) individual cells and (b) cells holding more than one person, and how many are being "doubled-up" in individual cells.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: On 7 August 2023 the prison population was 7859. A breakdown is provided below in relation to the accommodation the individuals were l…

4 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) design capacity, (b) number of occupants and (c) occupancy rate was in each prison in July 2023.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The following table details the average occupancy, the design capacity and the average occupancy rate of each prison for July 2023: E…

2 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many households have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding for energy efficiency measures in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.