Parliamentary questions
Alison McInnes
1,004 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many licensed premises there are in Scotland.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: There are a variety of licensing regimes within Scotland. Some premises are licensed under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 for example, but figures are not routinely kept. The information for 2013-14 and earlier years on the number of premises lic…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) endorsable and (b) non-endorsable fixed penalty notices have been issued for motoring offences in each year since 2006-07, broken down by offence.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Information concerning endorsements and police fixed penalty notices is not held centrally. The available information concerning fiscal fixed penalties is given in the following table. Please notice there is no data available for before 2008-09. The incre…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many breath tests the police have conducted on motorists in each year since 2006-07 and what percentage identified illegal levels of alcohol.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Police Scotland only records the number of roadside breath tests carried out during drink-drive campaigns. However, the police do record the number of offences relating to drink and drug driving in each year. The following table shows the number of offences r…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what access female prisoners have to breast and cervical screening services and what the take-up rate is.
Answer · Maureen Watt: All female prisoners in Scotland with a custodial sentence of greater than six months have full access to breast and cervical screening services. Information on take-up rates within the prison population is not held centrally.
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what smoking cessation services are available to prisoners.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Since 2013-14, funding for the provision of smoking cessation services in prisons is contained within the smoking cessation allocations to the relevant NHS boards listed below. It is for individual NHS boards, in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service, …
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the average waiting time for prisoners who require (a) emergency dental treatment and (b) dental treatment following a routine dental check in the last (i) six months, (ii) year and (iii) two years.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26508 on 24 July 2015. Parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the take-up of routine dental checks in prisons over the last (a) six months, (b) year and (c) two years.
Answer · Maureen Watt: This information is not held centrally. Responsibility for prison healthcare services, including dental services, transferred to NHS boards on 1 November 2011. The Scottish Government has recently published guidance to NHS boards on Oral Health Improvement …
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how frequently routine dental checks are offered to prisoners.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Prisoners are entitled to receive the same frequency of dental heath checks as any NHS patient. It is recommended that dental checks should be provided at least once every two years.
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners have had diabetic retinopathy checks in the last (a) six months, (b) year and (c) two years.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Figures for the number of prisoners who have been recorded on the diabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) system as having had a diabetic retinopathy check in the time period requested are set out in the following table. It is important to recognise that the DR…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent steps it has taken to address the needs of diabetic prisoners.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We want all people with diabetes to have access to the best possible care. However, it is for NHS boards to improve and develop services to meet the needs of their local population. This includes long standing health care arrangements in NHS boards with Scot…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners are currently assessed as having (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes.
Answer · Maureen Watt: This information is not centrally held.
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to address the health needs of people in the criminal justice system since publication of the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer 2013.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Since publication of the Chief Medical Officer’s report in December 2014, the Scottish Government has continued to work with key partners to improve healthcare outcomes for those in the criminal justice system. The National Prisoner Healthcare Network is und…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all NHS screening checks are available to prisoners and what the take-up rate for screening services is, broken down by (a) institution and (b) gender.
Answer · Maureen Watt: All NHS screening services are available to prisoners with a sentence greater than six months. Information on take-up of screening services within the prison population is not held centrally.
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in delivering the actions set out in the VTEC/E. coli 0157 - Action Plan for Scotland 2013-2017.
Answer · Maureen Watt: A multi-disciplinary group comprising experts from a wide range of organisations continues to implement and monitor progress in delivering the recommendations from the VTEC/E.coli 0157 - Action Plan for Scotland 2013-2017. 18 out of the 86 recommendations hav…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what technical guidance has been issued to local authorities since autumn 2013 to help them when considering private water supply issues.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) has a role to supervise local authorities’ regulation of private water supplies, including the provision of technical guidance. Since autumn 2013 DWQR has redesigned its website to improve the accessibility of tech…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the level of (a) lead and (b) E coli in public and private water supplies.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Drinking Water Quality Regulator collates and reviews data on water quality compliance on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government is not able to release the 2014 data until the publication of the private water supply annual report in August…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many quality of drinking water standards have been broken since 1 December 2013 by each local authority and (a) public and (b) private water supplier.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Local authority name Public supplies: tests taken Public supplies: tests failed Aberdeen City Council 10,802 7 Aberdeenshire Council 19,616 16 Angus Council 8,260 8 Argyll and Bute Council 11,829 14 Clackmannanshire Council 5,854 6 Comhairle…
1 Jul 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the degree of compliance that private water supplies have with water quality standards for (a) lead and (b) E coli.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Drinking Water Quality Regulator collates and reviews data on water quality compliance on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The following table shows compliance for the relevant parameters in private water supplies as reported by local authorities to the Drin…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all operators of public space CCTV systems are registered with the Scottish Information Commissioner.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally.
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether a copy of the national CCTV standards, the code of practice issued by the Information Commissioner's Office and the operational manual is available in all CCTV control centres and whether a whistleblowing procedure has been established.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Recommended arrangements and procedures for the operation of CCTV control centres are set out in the National Strategy for Public Space CCTV in Scotland which was published by the Scottish Government in March 2011. Compliance with these recommendations is a m…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether public space CCTV owners and operators are complying with the standards and regulatory framework for CCTV in Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Compliance with the relevant legislative requirements and standards for the provision and operation of public space CCTV is a matter for individual local authorities and other operators.
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all public space CCTV providers publish annual reports on performance in a publicly accessible format.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Strategy for Public Space CCTV in Scotland published in March 2011 recommends that each local authority and other public space CCTV provider should publish an annual report detailing performance in a publicly accessible format. Publication is a m…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting the (a) legislative requirements and (b) code of practice issued by the Information Commissioner's Office to CCTV system owners and users.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government published the National Strategy for Public Space CCTV in Scotland in March 2011. It was created to provide guidance and a common set of principles to operators of public space CCTV across Scotland. The strategy does not impose requirem…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a national CCTV practitioners' users group has been established and, if so, on how many occasions it has met since March 2011; when it last met, and what the membership is.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Following publication of the National Strategy for Public Space CCTV in Scotland in March 2011, the Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN) facilitated a Scottish National CCTV Practitioners’ Group, along with practitioners’ groups for the north, east and we…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what regulations cover the use of facial recognition technology by private sector companies.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This is not a matter for the Scottish Government. The use of images of individuals is regulated by the UK Government under the Data Protection Act 1998. Private sector companies who use facial recognition technology must comply with the 1998 Act.
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the use of CCTV cameras by the private sector is regulated in Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Use of CCTV in the private sector is regulated by the UK Government under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. In addition, the Information Commissioner has published a code of practice for surveillance cameras and personal information which sets o…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many private sector CCTV cameras are in use in Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold information on private sector CCTV cameras.
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered establishing a surveillance camera code of practice for the (a) public and (b) private sector.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Strategy for Public Space CCTV in Scotland was published by the Scottish Government in March 2011. It provides guidance and a common set of principles to operators of public space CCTV across Scotland. The government has no plans at present to pu…
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make any changes to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has no current plans to make changes to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.
30 Jun 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the investigation of (a) noise complaints, (b) dog fouling and (c) underage sunbed use to be an appropriate use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.
Answer · Michael Matheson: It is a matter for each relevant public authority to ensure it complies with the legislation. This includes having regard to the codes of practice which require that consideration be given to whether the activity is an appropriate use of the legislation and a…