Graeme Pearson

12 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the extent of the powers available to the Care Inspectorate.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is satisfied that the current regulation and enforcement powers of the Care Inspectorate are appropriate and allow it to discharge its statutory responsibilities, but will keep this under review.

12 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what processes and appeals mechanisms are available in addition to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman for people wishing to challenge the Care Inspectorate.

Answer · Alex Neil: An individual who is affected by a decision of the Care Inspectorate may bring judicial review proceedings by way of a petition to the Court of Session. In judicial review proceedings, the Court considers whether a decision has been properly made in public la…

12 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it is deemed inappropriate for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman to investigate an issue raised about a report from the Care Inspectorate.

Answer · Alex Neil: When the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) consider a complaint about the Care Inspectorate, they consider the process by which the Care Inspectorate reached a decision, rather than the actual issue that was complained about. For example, the SPSO can…

6 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Serious and Organised Crime Division’s investigation into the banking sector has cost.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: The information sought is not available.

6 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are employed by the Serious and Organised Crime Division in connection with its investigation into the banking sector.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: The investigation is being conducted by the Serious and Organised Crime Division (SOCD) at the Crown Office. In addition to the legal and accounting expertise available within SOCD, assistance has been received from partner agencies and experts within the pri…

6 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) warrants have been issued, (b) reports the Lord Advocate has received from the police, (c) people have been interviewed as (i) witnesses, (ii) suspects and (iii) accused persons, and (d) searches of (A) properties and (B) IT equipment there have been in connection with the S…

Answer · Frank Mulholland: It would not be appropriate to provide the information requested as the investigation by the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is still ongoing. This is a major investigation which is being carried out by the Serious and Organised Crime D…

29 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21076 by Kenny MacAskill on 22 May 2014, what areas  the money allocated to the Police Scotland budget cannot be subsequently reallocated to by the force and for what reason.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21471 on 12 June 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…

29 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21076 by Kenny MacAskill on 22 May 2014, whether the money allocated to the Police Scotland budget can be subsequently reallocated by the force to CashBack for Communities or similar projects and, if so, what its position is on the appropriateness o…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The grant in aid allocated annually by Scottish Ministers to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), and set out in the budget allocation and monitoring letter, is not ring-fenced. As that letter makes clear, Scottish Ministers expect the SPA and, through it, Po…

29 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21076 by Kenny MacAskill on 22 May 2014, for what reason it wrote to the Scottish Police Authority on 13 March 2014 regarding the budgetary planning process.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21076 on 22 May 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybus…

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the security and intelligence agency proposed in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland would work with Police Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In line with good practice, the security and intelligence agency would be independent of, but work extremely closely with, Scotland's single police service, Police Scotland. There is already a long track record of close co-operation between the UK security se…

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland was to leave the UK, whether it would maintain the names, identities and traditions of each of Scotland's army regiments and infantry units.

Answer · Keith Brown: As set out in Scotland’s Future, the units of the Scottish army will carry on the names, identities and traditions of Scotland’s regiments, including those lost in the defence reorganisation of 2006.

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland was to leave the UK, how much it would cost to (a) set up and (b) run an organisation similar to the UK (i) National Crime Agency and (ii) Joint Intelligence Committee.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Police Scotland currently investigates serious organised crime in Scotland and liaise with the National Crime Agency as required. As indicated in Scotland's Future, it will be in the interests of all agencies involved in combatting serious organised crime to …

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of what each tier (a) 1, (b) 2 and (c) 3 risk set out in A Strong Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The National Security Strategy would be to the country if Scotland was to leave the UK.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: An independent Scotland will be able to take a strategic approach to national security, underpinned by effective planning and investment across government. This will ensure appropriate responses to a range of identified threats.

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if the UK Government refused to share intelligence assets with the security and intelligence agency proposed in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland, what action it would take to ensure that the country had an adequate provision of similar assets.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Scotland has a substantial existing capital stake in intelligence assets from our investment in the UK intelligence infrastructure. We would expect this investment to be recognised in the arrangements that are agreed with the UK as part of the independence se…

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it would cost to (a) set up and (b) run the vetting service for the security and intelligence agency proposed in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The transition to independence provides a significant opportunity to improve and invest in public service delivery in Scotland. Scottish taxpayers already contribute to UK expenditure on reserved functions. The elected government of an independent Scotland w…

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the security and intelligence agency proposed in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland, would participate in the multilateral intelligence agreement between the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (the Five Eyes partnership) and, if not, what conting…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: As indicated in Scotland’s Future, the security and intelligence agency would be required to work with partners, both at home and abroad, to ensure Scotland's national security. It will be in the interests of the rest of the UK and other partners to work clo…

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what incentives it would provide to Scots personnel employed by each of the UK security agencies to join the security and intelligence agency proposed in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Ensuring that Scotland is secure will be the primary responsibility of the Scottish Government, and the investment made in the agency, and our approach to recruitment and retention, will reflect that.

21 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people would be needed to staff the security and intelligence agency proposed in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland, and how long it would take to fully train them.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: As indicated in Scotland’s Future, the exact size of a security and intelligence agency will be determined by the risks and threats that Scotland face. In the early years we will make a significant level of investment in appropriately resourcing the agency.

19 May 2014 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle racial intolerance and hate crime.

8 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason money seized under the proceeds of crime legislation has been allocated to support the budget of (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Police Authority, and how much will be allocated in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government wrote to the Scottish Police Authority on 13 March 2014 to confirm that they were content for budgetary planning purposes for policing to include estimates of anticipated receipts from the proceeds of crime within revenue budgets for 2…

30 Apr 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the issues associated with opencast mines in South Scotland.

24 Mar 2014 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the admission by the Chief Constable that some stop and searches are "made up".

20 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what factors it considers have contributed to the current low crime figures.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government’s continued delivery of 1,000 extra police officers has contributed to the almost 40-year low in recorded crime. The available international research suggests that a wide range of social, demographic, technological, economic and envir…

20 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that procedures for cross-border arrests will be as effective and efficient in an independent Scotland as they are currently.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are well established arrangements to ensure effective cross-border co-operation between Police Scotland and forces in the rest of the UK, including procedures for cross-border arrests. These reciprocal arrangements operate effectively and ensure public …

20 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how cross-border arrests will operate in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are well established arrangements for effective cross-border co-operation between Police Scotland and forces in the rest of the UK, including procedures for cross-border arrests. These reciprocal arrangements operate effectively and ensure public safety…

20 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that cross-border co-operation between Scottish and UK justice and law enforcement agencies will be as effective in an independent Scotland as it is currently.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Yes. The existing independence of Scotland’s legal and justice systems ensures a strong starting point. Scotland already has its own police service, Police Scotland, and there are well-established arrangements to ensure effective cross-border co-operation bet…

17 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many official visits ministers have made outwith Scotland in each year since 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This information has now been published onto the Scottish Government Website and can be accessed through the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/People/14944/travel/visitsoverseas

17 Mar 2014 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many knives have been removed from visitors to the Parliament in each year since 2011.

14 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) frontline and (b) support staff there were in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on 28 February (i) 2013 and (ii) 2014.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government collated staffing information on the eight Scottish Fire and Rescue Services as of 31 March each year. Staffing information for 2013 was published in Table 3 (headcount) and Table 4 (FTE) of the Fire and Rescue Service Statistics Scotl…

14 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police support staff there were in (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Police Authority on 28 February 2014, also broken down by policing division.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold data on police support staff by each local division, or hold breakdowns between police support staff employed by Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland. This is a matter for Police Scotland and the SPA. The …