Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,646 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many entries Police Scotland and its predecessor constabularies have made to the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) in each year since 2010-11, broken down by the local authority that the information was in relation to.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-03004 on 29 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusine…
20 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many alcohol premise license applications have been made in each local authority in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of premises liquor licence applications received, by local authority area, in each of the years 2010-11 to 2014-15, can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/PubLiquor. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 came fully…
20 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of applications for alcohol premise licenses in each local authority have been refused in each year since 2007-08, also broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation decile.
Answer · Michael Matheson: At Scotland level, the number of premises licence applications refused under section 23 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 during the years 2010-11 to 2014-15 is in the following table. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 came fully into force in September 2…
20 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many entries to the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) there have been by each local authority in each year since 2010-11.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. The management of the interim Vulnerable Persons Database is a matter for Police Scotland.
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase abuse recovery services nationally for children and their families.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government is taking a number of actions to increase abuse recovery services nationally for children and their families. We have commissioned NHS Education Scotland to lead the development of a comprehensive Skills and Knowledge Framework and Na…
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates it has met the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to discuss introducing a travelling domestic abuse court for remote and rural areas, and whether it will publish the minutes.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government meets regularly with the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) to discuss a range of matters. The SCTS is also represented on the Equally Safe Justice Expert Group and the Violence Against Women and Girls Joint Strategic Board wh…
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what account it has taken of the provisions in the Serious Crime Act 2015 in preparing its new domestic abuse legislation.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government will bring forward a Bill in year one of this Parliamentary session which will include a new domestic abuse offence. In discussion and engagement with relevant Scottish stakeholders, a number of views have been offered including on whe…
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there are sufficient treatment programmes available for domestic abuse offenders.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The justice system has an important role in the enforcement of the law and prevention of violence against women and girls. This includes the provision of appropriate perpetrator programmes for domestic abuse offenders where this is deemed a suitable alternati…
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce judicial reform in relation to child witnesses to avoid or reduce the need for them having to give evidence in court.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the experience of children and young people who come into contact with Scotland’s justice system. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service’s Evidence and Procedure Review made a compelling case for reform, …
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what provision it is making to introduce a travelling domestic abuse court for remote and rural areas.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Sheriffs Principal are responsible for court programmes (which include Domestic Abuse Courts) and under their legislative duty, they are tasked to ensuring the efficient disposal of business in their Sheriffdom. Scottish Ministers have no locus of control ove…
19 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on ending means-testing of legal support and services in the context of domestic abuse.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime which causes devastating effects on victims and their families. The Scottish Government recognises that ensuring that women are able to access appropriate and timely legal advice to safeguard their interests and apply for …
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00157 by Fergus Ewing on 1 June 2016, what engagement has taken place with "key stakeholders, including businesses and organisations on how the £5 million investment fund can promote island...produce" and what conclusions have been reached.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have just concluded an initial engagement process facilitated through the industry leadership body, Scotland Food and Drink, to garner views on options for taking forward this commitment. We will now analyse their comments and consider the next steps, ensu…
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will establish a Scottish consumer taskforce, as set out in the Programme for Government.
Answer · Keith Brown: We anticipate that the Scottish Consumer Taskforce will commence its work early in 2017. Further detail will be included in the consumer and competition principles and policy statement, due to be published in November 2016.
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will set out the consumer and competition principles, as set out in the Programme for Government.
Answer · Keith Brown: A final date has not yet been set for the publication of the consumer and competition principles and policy statement. However, work is progressing towards publication in November, as set out in the Programme for Government.
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will launch the nuisance calls commission, as set out in the Programme for Government, and what its membership will be.
Answer · Keith Brown: The first meeting of the Scottish Government’s Nuisance Calls Commission will be held in November 2016 and membership will include regulators, consumer groups and industry. Further details will be available following the official launch in October 2016.
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop a system of collecting disaggregated data on the use of restraint and other restrictive interventions on children, in light of the recent report, UK Concluding Observations, by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Answer · John Swinney: We have committed to incorporating guidance on restraint in school settings in our refreshed guidance ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part two: A Positive Approach to Preventing and Managing School Exclusions’. It will be clear that any incident where a decis…
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on consulting on its proposed family justice modernisation strategy, and when it will publish the strategy.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government held a Family Justice Modernisation Strategy summit on 17 March 2016. The outcomes of that summit will be published shortly. The Scottish Government is still considering how best to take the Strategy forward, and an announcement will b…
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland regarding (a) reversing the presumption of sharing children’s confidential information and (b) developing better guidelines for children’s understanding of confidentiality.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government has regular engagement with the Commissioner and his officials. The Commissioner submitted a detailed response to the consultation on the proposal for a Children and Young People Bill, introduced to Parliament in February 2013. Regardi…
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report Concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and what plans it has to implement its recommendations.
Answer · Mark McDonald: The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published its Concluding Observations on the fifth periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 9 June 2016. The Scottish Government is considering carefully the full range of concl…
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on cases where restraint and other restrictive interventions on children at school have been used in each year since 2010.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.
16 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish stand-alone guidance on de-escalation, restraint, and physical intervention of children at school and, if so, when.
Answer · John Swinney: This government have committed to include guidance on the use of restraint (for all children, including children with complex additional support needs), in the context of de-escalation as part of early intervention approaches in our refreshed guidance ‘Includ…
14 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact of musculoskeletal conditions and what activities it is undertaking to raise awareness of these.
Answer · Shona Robison: We know that people with Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions report for support in high volume, in Scotland one in four GP contacts are related to MSK conditions; MSK is the 2nd biggest health issue for patients in receipt of incapacity benefit; MSK AHP services…
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided in each of the last five years to women’s aid services that support victims of domestic abuse.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding to tackle all forms of violence against women and girls and to ensure that victims receive the support which they need. This includes funding for Scottish Women’s Aid and the Women’s Aid network wh…
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01987 by Derek Mackay on 8 September 2016, in light of the link it supplied not providing information regarding the location of every ministerial visit, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding the provision of a breakdow…
Answer · Derek Mackay: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01987 by Derek Mackay on 8 September 2016, in light of the link it supplied giving information from 2008 only, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding the provision of a breakdown of all ministerial visits to (a) Orkney …
Answer · Derek Mackay: There were eight Ministerial visits to (a) Orkney and five Ministerial visits to (b) Shetland from 2007-08.
12 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to people with electronic tagging devices.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Currently in Scotland, Electronic Monitoring is available as a Restriction of Liberty Order or for those released from prison on Home Detention Curfew. Electronic Monitoring is also used by the Parole Board as a condition of licence; as a Restricted Movement …
12 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement the recommendation of the Post-corroboration Safeguards Review to undertake research into jury reasoning and decision-making.
Answer · Michael Matheson: On 8 September 2015, during the passage of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced that the Scottish Government would take forward the recommendations made in Lord Bonomy's Post Corroboration Safeguards Review in rela…
12 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish the code of conduct for stop and search.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government will lay the Code of Practice before Parliament no later than 12 January 2017, as required by Part 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016. A public consultation seeking views on a draft Code of Practice closed on 15 July 2016 …
12 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the report, Creativity and Effectiveness in the use of electronic monitoring: a case study of five jurisdictions, what its position is on integrating electronic tagging with rehabilitative support.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We know from international evidence, such as the report 'Creativity and Effectiveness in the use of electronic monitoring', that electronic monitoring is a useful tool that can aid reducing reoffending when it is set within a wider package of support. The Sco…
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many appointments have been made under the Appropriate Adult scheme in each year since 2010-11, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold this information, but statistics on the provision of appropriate adults broken down by local authority area can be found on the Scottish Appropriate Adult Network website. This information covers the years 2012-13, 2013-1…