Parliamentary questions
Liam Kerr
2,171 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment by an employment judge that Police Scotland is operating at "the minimum level of staffing for safety", as reported in The Herald on 20 November 2018.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The management of resources, including staffing levels, is a matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government is supporting Police Scotland by protecting the police resource budget in real terms in every year of this Parliament – a boost of £100 millio…
16 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the 2017 business rates revaluation has impacted on Aberdeen's (a) businesses and (b) economy.
Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20008 on 29 November 2018. 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…
16 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact on Aberdeen of the 2014 oil and gas sector crash, what consideration it gave prior to April 2017 of how the proposed business rates revaluation that year could impact on the city's (a) businesses and (b) economy.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The valuation of all non-domestic property, including the revaluation, is a matter for the Assessors who are wholly independent of central and local Government. The Scottish Government has no locus to intervene in that process. The Scottish Government undert…
9 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme, and when it expects work on this to begin.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Significant progress has been made in developing an appropriate technical solution for this important junction. Having let the local community and road users see and comment on the preferred option for the Laurencekirk Improvement scheme in a series of public…
9 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Aberdeen Roads Limited is subject to a public announcements clause as part of its contract to build the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).
Answer · Michael Matheson: Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) comprises Balfour Beatty Investments Ltd, Carillion Private Finance (Transport) Ltd and Galliford Try Investments Ltd. Each of these companies is required to provide market updates, the content of which is not available to Scottis…
7 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the Edinburgh Bar Association’s decision to stop accepting court appointments in summary cases where the accused is prohibited from carrying out their own defence.
Answer · Ash Denham: The actions of the Edinburgh Bar Association to withdraw from court appointments in summary cases where the accused is prohibited from carrying out their own defence is disappointing. There were around 25 such grants of legal aid in Edinburgh between April 20…
6 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 1 November 2018 (Official Report, c.57), by what date the remedial works on the Don Bridge will be completed, and whether it will publish details of any analysis that it has carried out r…
Answer · Michael Matheson: As I outlined in my statement to Parliament on Thursday 1 November, on the River Don Bridge minor defects were identified in a localised area while post-tensioning a small number of concrete panels. On 26 October 2018, Transport Scotland was informed that a g…
6 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 1 November 2018 (Official Report, c.57), whether it was aware that the Don Bridge had a technical issue when it was sent a letter dated 23 October 2018 referring to weather and the collap…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Neither my officials nor I have received any correspondence dated 23 October 2018. In May 2018 ARL first reported of concreting issues at the River Don Crossing. Minor defects were identified in a localised section of the structure while post tensioning a sm…
6 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 1 November 2018 (Official Report, c.57), whether it was its position that the contractual nexus between Aberdeen Roads Limited and its lenders required to be revised when it was sent a le…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Neither my officials nor I have received any correspondence dated 23 October 2018. As confirmed in my statement, I was disappointed to receive a letter from Peter Truscott, CEO of Galliford Try, on 31 October 2018, suggesting Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) had…
6 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 1 November 2018 (Official Report, c.57), whether it will confirm the date that it was advised of the issues delaying the opening of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR), and what …
Answer · Michael Matheson: As I outlined in my statement to Parliament on 1 November, ARL first reported concreting issues at the River Don Crossing in May 2018. Repairs were undertaken through the summer and ARL remained confident of achieving a late autumn opening. On 26 October 2018…
5 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its victims task force has met and, if not, when its first meeting will be.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The arrangements for the Victims Taskforce are currently being finalised. As publicly announced, it is anticipated that the first meeting will be held before the end of 2018.
5 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of its victims task force.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Arrangements for the Victims Taskforce are currently being finalised, with a view to holding the first meeting before the end of 2018. Membership of the task force will be confirmed at the first meeting, but is likely to include Scottish Government, Justice A…
2 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will continue to fund (a) prison visitor centres and (b) the free transport service for families travelling from Aberdeen to visit HMP Grampian beyond the current expiry of funding in March 2019.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government are actively considering the funding of prison visitor centres for 2019-20 and beyond, and will continue to engage with the National Prison Visitor Centre Steering Group and the third sector organisations which run these services. The …
24 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a disparity in pay for equivalent custody staff between the different legacy forces in Police Scotland and, if so, (a) what this is, (b) what action Police Scotland is taking to address it, (c) by what date the gap will be closed and (d) how it will ensure that all staff…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The pay and conditions of police staff, including custody staff, are a matter for the Scottish Police Authority. SPA and Police Scotland have been taking forward an extensive programme of work to harmonise staff pay and conditions and I understand negotiation…
24 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17371 by Humza Yousaf on 17 July 2018, by what date the Victim Surcharge Fund will become operational, and for what reason there has been a reported delay in announcing this.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: In order to ensure effective operation of the victim surcharge in Scotland, an Order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 (‘the 1998 Act’), is required to amend section 24 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 (‘the 1991 Act’), which is reserved. Section 24…
24 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using wages earned in prison to contribute toward a fund for victims of crime.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Prisoners in Scotland are not paid by external employers (as happens in England and Wales) and receive earnings at a range of between £5 and £33 per week, with the majority being paid at the lower end of this scale. We have no plans to use money deducted from…
24 Oct 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget it expects Social Security Scotland to have for IT for the rest of the parliamentary session.
16 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many police-recorded common assaults on emergency workers there have been in each of the last five years, also broken down by type of emergency worker.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The following table contains the number of Common Assault of an Emergency Worker offences recorded by the police in each of the last five years. It should be noted these figures will not include all police recorded attacks on emergency workers (for example sh…
16 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many charges have been brought under (a) sections 1(1) and 2(1) of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, (b) section 41(1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 and (c) other legislation for assaulting emergency workers in each of the last five years and how many (i) were dropped, (…
Answer · James Wolffe QC: The information available is provided in the following tables. A breakdown by the type of emergency worker is only available where the actual charge contains reference to the specific type of emergency worker involved. Charges reported to COPFS 1 April 2013-…
16 Oct 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reach the 60% target of frontline staff immunised with the flu vaccine.
13 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what provision is made within initial and ongoing teacher training that address mental health and wellbeing issues among teachers.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy emphasises the importance of prevention, early intervention and accessible services. We are working with employers across Scotland on how they can act to protect and improve mental health, and support employees…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether a victim's commissioner directly engaging with and listening to the views of victims and witnesses, and who is tasked with helping to improve victim services and support, is worthy of consideration.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the question S5O-02412 answered on 27 September 2018. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the Official Report can be viewed at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.a…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provided to support anti-sectarianism work in schools and workplaces during 2017-18; how this compares with previous years, and what work this funded.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Education-based initiatives have been central to the Scottish Government’s approach to tackling sectarianism. Since 2012 we have invested an unprecedented total of £13.5 million in delivering a wide range of activities across a variety of formal and informal …
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what changes are being made to clinical IT systems in prisons; which prisons’ systems are being updated, and how much this will cost.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: In Programme for Government we have committed to improve clinical IT systems in prisons to make services safer and more efficient. The first stage of this is to ensure the current system (INPS Vision) is used fully and consistently across the prison estate. T…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it will spend on research into public attitudes to, and knowledge of, key resilience advice, and the differing community experiences of severe weather across Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s Resilience Division regularly supports first responders, local authorities, transport operators and others in their duty to warn and inform the public of major events and incidents. A key aspect of this support is the “Ready Scotlan…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve community sentences, in light of reports that a third of community payback orders are not completed and a third of work placements took more than the maximum seven days to commence.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government’s shift towards more community sentencing has helped bring Scotland’s reconviction rates to a 19-year low. Local authorities are responsible for delivering community sentences, including ensuring Community Payback Orders (CPOs) are co…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is increasing the use of bail supervision, and what safeguards are in place to protect public safety.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Justice Committee’s Inquiry into the Use of Remand in Scotland , published on 24 June 2018, made a number of recommendations including on approaches to reducing the use of remand and alternatives to remand. The Scottish Government shares the Committee’s …
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the independent review of complaints handling, investigations and misconduct issues in relation to policing.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Independent Review commenced in September. The Independent Review has confirmed that several introductory meetings have been held with leaders and senior representatives of key organisations. The Lord Advocate and I have also met with Dame Elish Angiolini…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its restorative justice action plan will include services that divert offenders from prosecution.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As set out in Programme for Government, we will be publishing a Restorative Justice Action Plan in Spring 2019. We are currently working collaboratively with partners across the public and voluntary sector to develop the content of this Action Plan, including…
10 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many public charging points for electric vehicles have been installed in fire stations.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There are currently 5 electric vehicle charging points at Scottish fire stations to support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services' electric vehicle fleet. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has applied for Scottish Government funding to install a large numb…