Liam Kerr

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the consultants that it engaged to advise on the BTP merger with Police Scotland were contracted on a (a) time and line or (b) fixed fee basis, and, in light of the merger no longer proceeding, what the cost will be of settling their fees.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Consultancy fees are a matter for Police Scotland who ran a competitive tendering process to engage professional services support for the proposed merger of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland. The Scottish Government made use of the In…

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its proposal to implement Finn’s Law, to establish a specific criminal offence of attacking or killing a service animal, will come into effect, and whether its plans for the legislation will (a) include treating these animals as sentient beings and (b) recognise the dangerous work t…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government values the important and brave work undertaken by police dogs and other service animals. The Scottish Government Programme for Government 2018-19 includes a commitment to specifically consult on a “Finn’s Law” along with other proposal…

25 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding in the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme 2018 report that, in 2017, only 13 of the 600 patients with severe ischaemic stroke who would be expected to benefit from mechanical thrombectomy underwent the procedure, and whether the remaining patients who did not …

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government wants everyone to receive the best possible care and treatment from our health and care Services. We have set out the wider policy within which NHS Scotland is expected to deliver services, and expect all NHS Boards to provide high qua…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to ensure that full integration provides an enhanced service, whether, post-integration, railway policing in Scotland will be evaluated according to the same performance criteria as the remaining British Transport Police, or whether it will be assessed against…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Throughout the re-planning process, commissioned by Scottish Ministers, we have been committed to listening to stakeholders. As part of the re-plan, recent advice from Police Scotland on a range of issues, and timing of implementation, particularly relating t…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) the Scottish Police Authority and (b) Police Scotland plans to reduce the cost of railway policing post-integration, and, if so, how.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent Scottish Police Authority report, which states that Police Scotland may not have the capacity or capability to absorb rail policing and that there may be significant differences in running costs to those at present, whether it expects any Train Operating Companies…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent Scottish Police Authority report, which states that there may be significant differences in running costs following the integration of British Transport Police in Scotland and Police Scotland, what its position is on the Financial Memorandum supporting the Railway…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Police Scotland will allocate annual policing running costs to the Train Operating Companies, and whether it will retain the funding model currently used by the British Transport Police Authority.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates the Police Scotland Digital, Data and ICT strategy, which is being developed in line with Policing 2026, will cost; where British Transport Police integration sits within the plan, and what the information and communications technology costs associated with integrat…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the pension provision for British Transport Police officers in Scotland following integration with Police Scotland, which body will cover the longer-term liabilities that have been estimated at between £45 and £100 million, and whether it will provide a statutory guarantee tha…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) undertake and (b) publish an analysis of Police Scotland's capacity and capability to absorb railway policing before a decision is made on the new implementation date for their integration.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who will conduct the independent gateway review of the integration of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland; whether the resulting report will be published once the review concludes, and, if so, when this will be.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

15 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed information and communications technology programme associated with the integration of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland will fully address the public safety concerns that were raised in February 2018, and whether it will provide details of wh…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18235 on 12 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

13 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns regarding safety risks and the financial cost of full integration, whether it will consider the option of a commissioned service model for the devolution of British Transport Police.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18177 on 11 September 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/parliamentarybusin…

13 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a new Scottish Police Authority report states that Police Scotland may not have the capacity and capability to absorb the work of the British Transport Police, and that there may be significant differences between actual costs and previous estimates.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Throughout the re-planning process, commissioned by Scottish Ministers, we have been committed to listening to stakeholders. As part of the re-plan, recent advice from Police Scotland on a range of issues, and timing of implementation, particularly relating t…

13 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland has taken increased overtime payments into account in its financial planning in light of the judgement that police officers are entitled to an extra shift payment for every 24 hours that they work away from home.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The payment of overtime to police officers is a matter for the chief constable of Police Scotland. The Police Negotiating Board (PNB) agreed to introduce a set of allowances that officers can claim when they are deployed away from their usual place of duty an…

13 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the cost to Police Scotland of future overtime payments in relation to the judgement that police officers are entitled to an extra shift payment for every 24 hours that they work away from home.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The payment of overtime to police officers is a matter for the chief constable of Police Scotland. The Police Negotiating Board (PNB) agreed to introduce a set of allowances that officers can claim when they are deployed away from their usual place of duty an…

13 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the cost to Police Scotland of backdated overtime payments in relation to the judgement that police officers are entitled to an extra shift payment for every 24 hours that they work away from home.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The payment of overtime to police officers is a matter for the chief constable of Police Scotland. The Police Negotiating Board (PNB) agreed to introduce a set of allowances that officers can claim when they are deployed away from their usual place of duty an…

6 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) has been and (b) will be paid to the former chief executive of NHS Tayside following the termination of her employment, broken down by (i) pension, (ii) ex gratia, (iii) notice, (iv) holiday and (v) any other payments.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The conclusion of any matter relating to the termination of employment of any NHS Scotland employee is principally a matter between the employing health board and former employee concerned. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to make any c…

6 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any settlement agreement, confidentiality agreement or similar post-employment contract that has been put in place for the former chief executive of NHS Tayside.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The conclusion of any matter relating to the termination of employment of any NHS Scotland employee is principally a matter between the employing health board and former employee concerned. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to make any c…

31 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17474 by Humza Yousaf on 25 July 2018, whether it has received any legal advice that states that, under no circumstances, any British Transport Police officer in Scotland would be in a redundancy situation following the merger with Police Scotland a…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We have repeatedly guaranteed there would be no redundancies from the BTP transfer to Police Scotland. All officers and staff who transfer will do so in accordance with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice which applies the principles of TUPE Regulations …

31 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17471 by Humza Yousaf on 25 July 2018, whether it will answer the question that was asked and confirm what assessment, if any, it has undertaken on the integration, and whether it will provide such assessment.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The extensive re-planning work which has been underway has brought to light practicalities that were of concern to Police Scotland and in light of their recent advice, and as announced on 27 August, we now looking at further options available. We remain commi…

31 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17469 by Humza Yousaf on 27 June 2018, whether it will answer the question that was asked and confirm the advice given at the staff engagement session on 20 June 2018, and, regardless of the final costs of integration, whether it will meet those cos…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The re-plan work underway will identify final costs of integration, however I have now announced that whilst our long term goal remains full integration we are currently exploring further options to deliver devolution of railway policing.  

31 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17467 by Humza Yousaf on 27 June 2018, whether any costs have emerged to date and, if so, how much, and whether it will commit to providing any further costs within 28 days of their being incurred.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Staffing costs to date were provided to the Justice Committee in May 2018. We will continue to provide costs as they emerge.  

31 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17468 by Humza Yousaf on 25 July 2018, whether it will answer the question that was asked, and provide the list of external consultants that was requested, and the contractual rate agreed by each provider.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Police Scotland held two separate competitive tender processes in relation to BTP Integration. One for Programme Management Support and the other for specialist integration Due Diligence analysis. The successful bidder for both tenders was Ernst & Young who h…

31 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether conviction rates are a useful measure of crime levels or of the success of the justice system as a whole.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The number of people convicted of criminal offences in Scotland's courts is one measure which can be used to assess trends in levels of crime. Other measures which help to provide a picture of levels of crime are the number of crimes recorded by the police in…

24 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the UK’s three largest rail unions have warned against continuing with the merger of British Transport Police with Police Scotland, and comments by (a) Mick Cash of the RMT union, that the merger could leave taxpayers with a "ballooning bill” and (b) …

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As you are aware in our submission to the Smith Commission in 2014 we said we planned to use devolved powers over railway policing to integrate it into Police Scotland. We are committed to the safe and seamless integration of BTP into Police Scotland followin…

28 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the updated rules for Scottish Police Authority board meetings and the extension of circumstances in which meetings may be held in private.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority. However, the Scottish Government welcomes any improvements aimed at strengthening the Scottish Police Authority's corporate governance procedures and revisions to its Standing Orders are part of that. The St…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the proposed merger of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland, whether it will provide details of any costs that are yet to be established, such as (a) information and communications technology and (b) signage.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We will be happy to provide costs as they emerge.  

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the proposed merger of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland, which external consultants have been engaged by (a) it and (b) Police Scotland since January 2016 to advise or work on integration, broken down by the (i) average daily and (ii) minimum and maxim…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Together, Scottish Government and Police Scotland have engaged with a range of external consultants, including Ernst and Young and independent consultants. The costs incurred to date are currently being identified, and the future costs will be identified thro…