Parliamentary questions
Liam Kerr
2,165 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
30 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed Restorative Justice Champions Network has been established, and whether it will confirm its remit.
Answer · Angela Constance: Community Justice Scotland and the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice have set up and chair the Restorative Justice Development Forum, which meets bi-monthly. The first meeting of this forum took place on 6 May 2025. The remit of this forum …
30 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 being named by the US State Department in its United Kingdom 2024 Human Rights Report in the context of “areas of concern, including involving restrictions on political speech deemed ‘hateful’ o…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: It is important to live in a society where human rights are sacrosanct. Hate crime is the term used to describe behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in prejudice, or which is intended to stir up hatred. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 20…
23 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the agriculture minister has had with the justice secretary regarding support for farmers in relation to rural crime.
15 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scotland will see the slowest GVA growth of the devolved nations over the next three years, according to the EY UK Regional Economic Forecast 2025.
9 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains its policy that anyone caught possessing a knife for the purpose of crime should be prosecuted before a sheriff and jury.
Answer · Angela Constance: In 2016, Scottish Government legislation came into force that increased the maximum sentence for weapons possession from four years to five years. The average length of custodial sentence for weapons possession in 2022-23 was 332 days; this compares with 218 …
9 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people convicted of knife crime possession in each of the last four years have received the maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.
Answer · Angela Constance: Section 49 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 provides for a custodial sentence of up to 5 years for the offence of having an article with a blade or point in a public place. In any given case, sentencing is a matter for the independent c…
9 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that it has abandoned its zero tolerance policy on knife crime.
Answer · Angela Constance: In 2016, Scottish Government legislation came into force that increased the maximum sentence for weapons possession from four years to five years. The average length of custodial sentence for weapons possession in 2022-23 was 332 days; this compares with 218 …
8 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) what the cost has been of and (b) how much time has been spent on inspection and repair work between the St Ann’s and Keithock junctions of the A90 near Brechin, (i) in each year since 2015 and (ii) since April 2025.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The cost of repair work on the A90 between St Ann’s and Keithock junctions near Brechin is not available. This is because expenditure is not recorded for specific sections of the trunk road. Instead, costs are collated and reported as a total spend for …
8 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that eight prison officers were attacked with boiling water in the last year.
Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:SPS has a zero-tolerance approach to violence towards staff and has support mechanisms in place to assist prison officers who have been …
8 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether all prisoners should have access to kettles, including those designated as "High Supervision".
Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:The safety and security of all those who work, reside and visit our establishments is of the utmost importance.All individuals in prison…
3 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Drug Treatment and Testing Orders were imposed in Edinburgh in each calendar year from 2021 to June 2025.
Answer · Angela Constance: From April 2020 to March 2024 there were 202 Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) imposed in Edinburgh.Please note, Justice Social Work data is published by financial year. Data for 2024-25 will be published in early 2026.The breakdown is as follows:Year…
3 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Drug Treatment and Testing Orders were imposed in each calendar year from 2021 to June 2025, and how many were successfully completed in each of those years.
Answer · Angela Constance: Across Scotland from April 2020 to March 2024 a total of 1,179 Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) were imposed by the courts. There were 743 DTTOs completed or subject to early discharge from the court on the basis of sufficient progress being observed…
2 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the justification was at the time for the purchase of Glen Prosen by Forestry and Land Scotland in November 2022, with a reported cost to the public of £17.6 million.
1 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Scottish Budget 2026-27 recommendations paper that funding for the Retail Crime Taskforce should be sustained and ideally enhanced for the coming year.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling retail crime was reaffirmed in our Programme for Government, which makes clear our strong support for Police Scotland’s robust approach in addressing this issue.The Scottish Government has commenced…
31 Aug 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the overall increase in recorded crimes in the past year, including rape, violent crime, antisocial behaviour and shoplifting.
27 Aug 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what alternatives are being piloted to enable older patients to be cared for outside of hospitals.
29 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many accused persons in each of the last three years have been subject to a diversion from prosecution, and what the 10 most common offences being dealt with were.
Answer · Ruth Charteris: The Scottish Government publish accredited official statistics annually, which include information on diversions from prosecution and are available on the Scottish Government website. The Scottish Government statistics are not directly comparable to the COPFS…
29 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many reported cases of sexual assault in each of the last three years have been subject to a diversion from prosecution.
Answer · Ruth Charteris: The Scottish Government publish accredited official statistics annually, which include information on diversions from prosecution and are available on the Scottish Government website. The Scottish Government statistics are not directly comparable to the COPFS…
29 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19936 by Dorothy Bain on 1 August 2023, how many reported cases of rape in each year since 2023-24 have been subject to a diversion from prosecution.
Answer · Ruth Charteris: Diversion is a process by which prosecutors are able to refer a case to social work or other identified agency as a means of addressing the underlying causes of offending when this is deemed the most appropriate course of action in the public interest.Such in…
15 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions have been implemented as a result of its youth violence summit on 12 June 2025.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government is continuing to invest in violence prevention activity through our grant funded partner organisations, including the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit and Youthlink Scotland’s No Knives Better Lives.This includes the development …
15 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which actions in the 2025 Report from the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour have been implemented, and whether it will provide an update on which of the remaining actions will be implemented, and when.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government remain committed to addressing anti-social behaviour in partnership with COSLA and Police Scotland who have statutory responsibility for developing strategies to tackle antisocial behaviour at local level.Recent actions of the Scottish…
15 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour was reportedly not invited to its youth violence summit on 12 June 2025.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The First Minister convened the meeting on 12 June to focus on the views of those working in the youth work sector on violence among young people.We recognise there are a wide range of organisations working to support young people and families across communit…
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) what should happen in the event that a prison officer is suspected of engaging in corrupt practices, (b) whether such officers should face criminal charges and (c) what specific criminal offences such officers could be charged with.
Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:If a prison officer is suspected of engaging in corrupt practices, SPS will implement its Anti-Corruption Policy and Guidance. Where inf…
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering introducing a new offence of misconduct in public office.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is aware of the Law Commission’s report on the common law offence of misconduct in public office in England and Wales and its recommendation that this is replaced with two statutory offences. The common law offence of misconduct …
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any police officers, prisoner officers or other public officials having been charged with misconduct in public office, or related common law offences, in the last five years.
Answer · Angela Constance: The common law offence of misconduct in public office does not operate in Scotland. However, there is a comparable common law offence in Scots law of wilful neglect of duty.Separate to common law, there are also some specific offences relating to the police i…
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any discussions that it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of a new offence of misconduct in public office.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has been engaging in ongoing discussions with the UK Government regarding the introduction of a “Hillsborough Law”, including a legal duty of candour for public servants and accompanying criminal sanctions. The Scottish Gov…
4 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37247 by Angela Constance on 6 May 2025, and if it is the case that the peer review of the final report into the dual role of the Lord Advocate has concluded as anticipated, when a decision on the related consultation will be made, and whe…
Answer · Angela Constance: The peer review has now concluded and the feedback shared by the reviewers is currently under consideration by the research paper author, Mr Malcom McMillan. Once that process, and any further action needed has concluded, including consideration of the consul…
4 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37247 by Angela Constance on 6 May 2025, whether the research paper into the dual role of the Lord Advocate, which was with the peer reviewers and which the Cabinet Secretary “expected to be concluded by early June [2025]”, has…
Answer · Angela Constance: The peer review has now concluded and the feedback shared by the reviewers is currently under consideration by the research paper author, Malcolm McMillan. Once that process, and any further action has concluded, we will publish the paper and it remains that …
4 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38853 by Natalie Don-Innes on 27 June 2025, what its position is, regarding how they could apply in Scotland, on the measures announced by the Home Secretary for England and Wales in response to the UK Government's national audit on g…
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38853 on 27 June 2025. The National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group has now met to discuss Baroness Casey's audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. All answers to written P…
4 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what individual characteristics Police Scotland records in its crime reporting system, and whether there are any characteristics that are not recorded that the Scottish Government believes should be.
Answer · Angela Constance: Information is not held centrally on the full range of individual characteristics that Police Scotland collect in their crime recording system. Further advice may be available from contacting them directly through the office of the Chief Constable. It is an o…