Parliamentary questions
Mary Fee
672 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13410 by Kenny MacAskill on 15 March 2013, what progress has been made in establishing a sentencing council.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to establishing the Scottish sentencing council within the lifetime of this Parliament. We are working, in dialogue with senior judiciary, to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place with a view to the council b…
7 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20290 by Lesley Thomson on 2 April 2014, how many people have been flown back from holiday to attend court in the last financial year; how many of these cases were subsequently adjourned, and at what cost.
Answer · Lesley Thomson: The figures for the last financial year have not yet been cleared by audit. However, it is estimated that to provide the information would cost over £600. This has been calculated on the basis, that there were around 30,000 witness expense claims paid in 2012…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of assisted suicide procurators fiscal have considered in each year since 1999.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: There is no crime of assisted suicide in Scotland. A case of assisted suicide would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal as a deliberate killing of another and thus dealt with under the law of Scotland relating to homicide.
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) British Medical Association and (b) General Medical Council regarding assisted suicide since 1999.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has met with the British Medical Association and the General Medical Council several times to discuss a variety of topics. There have been no specific meetings to discuss assisted suicide.
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to ask the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to update its guidance on prosecutions for assisted suicide.
Answer · Frank Mulholland: There is no crime of assisted suicide in Scotland. A case of assisted suicide would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal by the Police and dealt with under the law of Scotland relating to homicide. As for all offences, general guidance is provided in the Pros…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has had with the (a) UK Department of Justice and (b) Director of Public Prosecutions regarding (i) assisted suicide and (ii) guidance for prosecution of cases of assisted suicide since 1999.
Answer · Lesley Thomson: There is no crime of assisted suicide in Scotland. A case of assisted suicide would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal by the police and dealt with under the law of Scotland, in relation to homicide. Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service officials had…
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions for assisted suicide there have been in each year since 1999.
Answer · Lesley Thomson: There is no crime of assisted suicide in Scotland. A case of assisted suicide would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal as a deliberate killing of another and thus dealt with under the law of Scotland relating to homicide.
2 Apr 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what studies it has conducted into (a) cases of and (b) the impact of assisted suicide in each year since 1999.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not conducted any specific studies into the cases of and the impact of assisted suicide.
27 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place should Police Scotland civilian staff vote to go on strike.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). However, the Civil Contingencies Act and regulations place several duties on Category 1 responders, such as Police Scotland. The Scottish Government’s ‘Preparing Scotland’ provides …
27 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many of Police Scotland’s civilian workforce are members of trade unions, broken down by trade union.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held by the Scottish Government.
27 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people there are in each police control room broken down by (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is already in the public domain. It was published by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) for a public board meeting on 30 January 2014, and can be found on the SPA website at: http://www.spa.police.uk/news/2014/jan2014/207240/
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties in each local authority area are unoccupied.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows the number of unoccupied properties in each local authority area based on the number of dwellings on the council tax valuation list that are entitled to a discount or increase for being long term empty or an exemption for being unocc…
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19700 by Margaret Burgess on 10 March 2014, what steps it is taking to publicise the (a) New Supply Shared Equity Scheme, (b) New Supply Shared Equity Scheme with Developers and (c) Open Market Shared Equity Scheme.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government has procured the services of five registered social landlords who administer the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme throughout Scotland. The scheme is being promoted to first time buyers through local authorities, advice agencies, local …
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many contingency police custody suites there are in each policing division and how many (a) cells and (b) observation cells each has.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Police Scotland’s Custody Division has 53 secondary custody suites and 7 contingency suites across Scotland. Since the launch of the single police service on 1 April 2013, all prisoner management arrangements from the eight legacy forces became the national r…
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many police custody suites are in operation in each policing division, broken down by (a) number of cells, (b) gender of detainees and (c) number of observation cells; whether there are plans to upgrade the cell capacity of any suite and, if so, (i) which suites and (ii) by how many …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are currently 42 primary custody suites across the Police Scotland estate. Since the launch of the single police service on 1 April 2013, all prisoner management arrangements from the eight legacy forces became the national responsibility of Police Scot…
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19236 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 February 2014, how much of the £665,700 has been spent; how many rooms will be upgraded in each policing division; when the project will be completed, and whether it will be within budget.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Police Scotland are continuing to work with health boards to put in place appropriate facilities for the provision of enhanced healthcare and forensic medical services. The position with regard to the number of rooms to be upgraded is still developing but a r…
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19235 by Kenny MacAskill on 3 February 2014, how much Police Scotland and its legacy forces have spent on healthcare practitioners in each year since 2007, broken down by policing division/legacy force.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is not possible to provide a financial breakdown of costs solely associated with monies spent on healthcare practitioners by legacy policing divisions or forces, due to the manner in which data were held by Police Scotland and legacy forces.
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been flown back from holiday to attend court in each of the last three years; how many of these cases were subsequently adjourned, and at what cost, broken down by sheriffdom.
Answer · Lesley Thomson: The estimated cost of providing this information is over £1880. This is calculated on the basis that the information would require to be manually extracted from claims. Therefore the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Whi…
20 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) emergency, (b) specialist and (c) neonatal ambulance units the Scottish Ambulance Service has and in which NHS board areas they are deployed, also broken down by model of vehicle.
Answer · Alex Neil: The information is not held centrally in the format requested. However, the following table sets out the types and numbers of road ambulances across the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) fleet, broken down by SAS operating division: Type of Vehicle North Ea…
17 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when its policy on childcare in an independent Scotland will be completed.
17 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the announced £2.5 million in funding to four charities to tackle child poverty is as a result of an underspend in other areas and, if so, which areas and whether any such underspend will continue into (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: This funding does not come as a result of an underspend.
17 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19646 by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2014 and in light of events in Crimea, whether the event planned for 26 March 2014 will go ahead and, if so, what issues will be discussed and what representations the Scottish Government will make regarding even…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The annual Consular Corps dinner was held on 26 March 2014 and was attended by the professional group of the Consular Corps based in Scotland. In light of recent events in Ukraine, the invitation to the Consul General of Russia was rescinded. The discussion …
17 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to close any (a) police custody centres or (b) courts during the Commonwealth Games to allow officers to be deployed on operational activities.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is not aware of any plans to close police custody centres or courts during the Commonwealth Games. However, the Sheriffs Principal and the Scottish Courts Service have agreed that for the duration of the Games there shall be no Sheriff…
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the Ugandan High Commission (UHC) and what issues were discussed and when it will next meet representatives of the UHC and what issues it will discuss.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government Ministers have not previously met representatives of the Ugandan High Commission. Scottish Government officials attended a Commonwealth Games diplomatic briefing in Glasgow on 5 and 6 March and met with representatives of over 30 nations a…
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many men have undertaken a modern apprenticeship in (a) the health and caring sector, (b) tourism, (c) sport and leisure and (d) administration, business and management in each year since 2007, broken down by (i) geographical location and (ii) specific apprenticeship.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold this data centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many women have undertaken a modern apprenticeship in the (a) construction, (b) energy, (c) manufacturing and engineering, (d) transport and (e) sport and leisure industry in each year since 2007, broken down by (i) geographical location and (ii) specific apprenticeship.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold this data centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS provides training for staff on (a) specific health concerns of and (b) issues faced by LGBT people.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS boards have a responsibility to ensure that their staff are appropriately trained and are able to deliver person-centred care to all patients and their families. To support NHS boards, NHS Education for Scotland has produced ‘Addressing LGBT Health Inequ…
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what training is given to local authority staff on how to deal with homophobic and transphobic discrimination.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has provided funding of almost £300,000 to Stonewall Scotland between 2012-15 to work with public bodies who request support to improve the services they deliver to LGBT people. Part of this funding supports seminars on training, staff…
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether specialist information is given to LGBT people when accessing housing services.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: By complying with equalities legislation and the Scottish Social Housing Charter social landlords will understand the needs of different customers including LGBT people and will deliver services and provide access to housing services that recognise those need…
24 Feb 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is tackling the barriers faced by LGBT people when accessing public services.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has provided funding of almost £300,000 to Stonewall Scotland between 2012-15 to work with public bodies who request support to improve the services they deliver to LGBT people.