Parliamentary questions
Liam Kerr
2,176 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what changes it will make to the social work reports system as a result of increasing the presumption against short prison sentences.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Criminal Justice Social Work Report (CJSWR) is intended to assist the sentencing process and provide the court with detailed information on an individual’s personal situation. The sentencer will take a number of factors into consideration when deciding w…
7 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost to provide additional training following the merger of the British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: An initial training needs analysis has been completed by Police Scotland and is being further developed. Detailed costings will form part of that further work.
7 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what feedback it has received from British Transport Police and Police Scotland regarding powers for crossborder policing after the merger of the forces.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Good progress has been made on the development of cross-border provisions which has involved close working with both Police Scotland and BTP. It is the intention of BTP and Police Scotland to jointly test the operation of these provisions in various operation…
7 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place should it be decided that British Transport Police officers will not retain their dual status in Police Scotland.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As set out in the update recently provided to the Justice Committee, our planning assumption is that officers will transfer to Police Scotland with their existing status as both constables and employees. This position was reflected in a letter sent by the BTP…
7 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has received regarding applying the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice (COSOP) and/or the Transfer of Undertaking (TUPE) regulations for British Transport Police officers transferring to Police Scotland, and whether it will release this.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government believes that the transfer falls within the exclusion in regulation 3(5) of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) Regulations 2006, because it is a transfer of administrative functions between public authoritie…
6 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister, in light of reports of crews being attacked when dealing with bonfires over the weekend, what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure the safety of emergency responders.
1 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the £200 million allocated to rail investment in the Aberdeen City Deal has been assigned to dualling the single-line railway between Montrose and Arbroath at Usan.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The £200 million additional investment announced alongside the Aberdeen City Region Deal will be used to improve capacity, performance and journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt, through identified rail initiatives which support the Scottish Gove…
1 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the dualling of the single-line railway between Montrose and Arbroath at Usan, and when it last met (a) ScotRail and (b) Network Rail to discuss this.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government established and attends the Aberdeen to Central Belt Reference Group, which includes representatives from both ScotRail and Network Rail. The Group is progressing the development of potential options, including double tracking between …
31 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response to the findings of the Scottish LGBTI Hate Crime Report 2017.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is clear that LGBTI (and indeed any) hate crime is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We therefore welcome the Equality Network’s report and its recommendations. We recently published an ambitious programme of work to tac…
20 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities offer restorative justice services.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally. However, we are aware that several local authorities are engaged with victim/offender support organisations to provide restorative justice services. These services are offered both to adults and young people, although c…
20 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which types of restorative justice processes are available.
Answer · Michael Matheson: As set out in the Scottish Government's recently published Guidance for the Delivery of Restorative Justice in Scotland, restorative justice processes may take a variety of forms, including both direct and indirect communication between a victim and the perso…
20 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many offenders have been offered restorative justice processes in the last year, also broken down by how many (a) took part and (b) outcome agreements were reached.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally.
20 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the service providers of restorative justice.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally. Following on from the recent publication of Guidance for the Delivery of Restorative Justice in Scotland, we will consult on an order under section 5(2) of the Victims and Witnesses Act 2014, to prescribe who must have …
12 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the effectiveness of individual prisons in reducing reoffending.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government routinely publishes data on reconviction rates by a range of characteristics, including disposal and length of custodial sentence, and these are available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Brow…
12 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of blockchain technology on policing.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Investment in the use of technology and enhancing cyber capability are two of the six strategic objectives contained within Policing 2026, the long-term transformational strategy published by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority in June of this y…
5 Oct 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on trialling a so-called one-sheriff system across civil and criminal proceedings with regard to domestic abuse, and what its position is on whether such a system could lead to survivors being spared unnecessary trauma.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Part 1 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, as amended, requires that courts should have regard to domestic abuse when considering civil court orders relating to parental responsibilities and rights. The Scottish Government is reviewing part 1 of the 1995 Act…
26 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Police Scotland posts of chief inspector or above are (a) unfilled and (b) filled on an "acting" basis.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The operational deployment and promotion of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information.
25 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the NHS resource allocation formula.
21 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a new IT system will be required to deliver its new welfare system in 2020 and, if so, what the procurement process will be; what timescale it has set, and how much it will cost.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: New IT systems will be required to deliver the new social security powers in Scotland. We are taking account of Audit Scotland’s recommendations in their ‘Principles for a Digital Future’ report that implementation should not be ‘big-bang’ but must be broken …
21 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that Dundee and the surrounding areas benefit from the V&A Museum of Design.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is the major funder of the V&A Museum of Design Dundee along with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Dundee City Council, the private sector and Creative Scotland by award of National Lottery funding. Our investment in V&A Dundee is premised …
14 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date the 2016-17 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service annual report and accounts will be published.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 requires annual accounts and auditors reports to be laid before Parliament by no later than 31 December. The 2016-17 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service annual accounts are in the process of being audite…
13 Sep 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the tourism sector in the north east.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The latest data shows that, since 2008, the number of registered businesses, employment and the Gross Value Added associated with the Sustainable Tourism sector has increased in the North East region. Registered businesses grew by four per cent from in 2008 …
7 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS has spent on legal and related costs defending litigation and threatened litigation in each year since 2007, also given as a percentage of each year’s NHS budget contribution from the Scottish Government, and what information it has on time lost by NHS employees dealing …
Answer · Shona Robison: Legal assistance in relation to litigation is provided to Health Boards by NHS Central Legal Office, and the information sought is not therefore held by the Scottish Government.
30 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of summary criminal cases were dealt with from caution and charge to verdict within the 26 week target in each month since April 2015, broken down by sheriff court.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The available information is contained in the table titled 'Percentage of summary criminal cases concluded within 26 weeks (caution and charge to verdict) - All Sheriff courts Apr 15 – Aug 17' which is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre…
28 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date the non-domestic rates for businesses that either exercise or do not exercise their shooting rights will be published.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10975 on 19 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2887…
28 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many businesses have been affected by the introduction of non-domestic rates on shooting rights, and how many of those exercise their shooting rights and how many do not.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10975 on 19 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2887…
28 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the methodology is for determining which businesses are liable to pay non-domestic rates on shooting rights.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10975 on 19 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2887…
28 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have been inspected by their local assessor’s office following the introduction of non-domestic rates on shooting rights.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10975 on 19 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2887…
28 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have been sent a Return of Information Form by their local assessor’s office following the introduction of non-domestic rates on shooting rights.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Rating valuation of shootings and deer forests is undertaken by independent assessors appointed by local government, in line with the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. The issuing of return of information forms and any other engagement in respect of rating va…
24 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the delivery of the average speed camera project on the A90 will impact on the timescale and delivery of the Laurencekirk flyover.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No.