Jamie Greene

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been given to suicide bereavement support services, such as Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide and Papyrus UK, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of providing compassionate, person-centred support for people who have been bereaved by suicide. This is reflected in the Scottish Government and COSLA’s new suicide prevention strategy and action plan, Creati…

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding the reported 150% increase in burst water pipes in December 2022.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government and Scottish Water are in regular dialogue about a number of issues, including the potential for burst water pipes. I was briefed in person by Scottish Water on the expectations that the recent thaw would bring a substantial increase …

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in the Sunday Mail on 18 December 2022 that 1,029 Police Scotland officers retired between January and October 2022, and that the number of police officers is at its lowest level in 14 years.

Answer · Keith Brown: As I said in my answer to Donald Lumsden (S6O-01659), policing is and will continue to be a priority for the Scottish Government. Scotland has a higher number of officers than at any time during the last administration – and more per head of population than E…

14 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the National Farmers Union Scotland that "deteriorating and unreliable" lifeline services to and from island communities are "increasingly impacting on the farmers and crofters who depend on them", and what assessment it has made of the econom…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I have not received any correspondence from the National Farmers Union for Scotland on this matter. The Scottish Government has undertaken reports on the economic condition of crofting, and the measures to support crofting in Scotland. The latest of these wa…

14 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the (a) 805 probable suicides registered in 2020 and (b) 753 probable suicides registered in 2021, in how many cases were (i) non-prescription and (ii) illegal drugs (A) detected in the deceased (such as revealed from the toxicology report), and (B) believed to be an infl…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Table 1. Probable suicides, by whether substances found in the body      2020 2021 all probable suicides 805 753 no substances found 581 542 only uncontrolled substances found 93 76 controlled substances implicated in the death 101 102 contro…

14 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to deaths in custody determined to be suicides, in how many instances were (a) non-prescription and (b) illegal drugs found or suspected to be present in the deceased, including in cases where this was detected following a toxicology report, in each year since 2016.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Prison Service publish information regarding all deaths in SPS custody on a quarterly basis, which includes the ‘medical certificate of cause of death’ (MCCD). However, data is not held by either the Scottish Government or the Scottish Prison Ser…

14 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the annual targets for increasing the number of body cameras available to Police Scotland officers, in light of the recent reported announcement that £20 million will be spent over the next five years on making almost 18,000 body cameras available.

Answer · Keith Brown: The introduction of body-worn cameras is an operational decision for Police Scotland, acting under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). As outlined in the answer to S6W-12605 on 12 December 2022, the SPA Resources Committee approved Police S…

13 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any trial of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, in relation to his potential role in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, should take place (a) in a Scottish Court, (b) under Scots Law and (c) inside or outside the United States of Amer…

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The Lockerbie bombing remains the worst terrorist atrocity ever committed on UK soil and the effects continue to be felt around the world. The investigation into this terrible atrocity has been conducted jointly by Scottish and American prosecutors and law en…

13 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) money and (b) time was spent on translating the series of papers entitled, Building a new Scotland, into other languages, including the summaries and supporting documents, and for what reasons any specific languages were chosen.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government seeks to meet statutory requirements and deploy best practice in the ways in which it communicates information with people in Scotland, and wider audiences. We regularly translate key advice and information into other languages and for…

12 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding M&Co entering administration, and what support will be offered to any staff who lose their jobs.

Answer · Tom Arthur: To Date the Scottish Government has had no contact with the UK Government regarding M&Co entering administration. The Scottish Government will do everything in its power to help those affected by any possible forthcoming redundancies through our initiative f…

12 Dec 2022 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a suspect involved in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing has been detained in custody by US authorities.

9 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand the C Card scheme to all NHS boards.

Answer · Maree Todd: There are currently no plans to implement the C:Card scheme across all NHS Boards in Scotland, however free condoms are available through a number of initiatives and can be accessed across the country. All NHS Boards in Scotland offer free condoms, but the w…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers have requested to take ill-health retirement for mental health reasons in each year since 2016.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not collect information on ill-health retirement of officers due to mental health reasons. Staffing issues are a matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. The Scottish Government welcome…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in (a) Inverclyde, (b) North Ayrshire and (c) Scotland have made use of the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme, and what the financial value of that usage has been.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme (SCRS) is delivering 30,000 cycle repairs or services to people in Scotland, focusing on those that need the support the most. Repairs and servicing are provided through a network of over 300 shops, retailers, community organisati…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12469 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 December 2022, what discussions it has had with (a) police forces in England and Wales, (b) Living Streets Scotland, (c) the British Horse Society Scotland, (d) the AA, (e) the RAC, (f) Brake, (g) the British Motorcyclist…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The initial implementation date for the NDSP pilot was indicated as January 2023, however, this is currently under review by Police Scotland. I will meet with Police Scotland to discuss the importance of delivering the NDSP and to obtain a timescale for the p…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reforming the Child Abduction Act 1984 in order to make international parental child abduction illegal without the need for a court order, as is the case in England and Wales.

Answer · Elena Whitham: Paragraph 9.15 of the Family Justice Modernisation Strategy (link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/family-justice-modernisation-strategy/pages/11/ ) outlines the work that will be undertaken to consider if changes are needed to the Child Abduction Act 198…

7 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10856 by Ash Regan on 21/09/2022, for what reason it has opted to use the total number of people who answered the consultation (254), rather than the total number of people who answered Question 31 (137), in its analysis of Question 31 in the Review…

Answer · Elena Whitham: The analysis referred to was carried out by independent contractors, rather than internally by the Scottish Government. The approach of recording ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘no response’ was followed throughout the analysis for all of the questions asked by the consulta…

7 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported statistics showing that the level of unpaid work that offenders need to carry out has risen to more than 700,000 hours.

Answer · Keith Brown: We are confident in local authorities’ ability to deliver unpaid work and other community orders but we recognise the huge impact which the pandemic had on justice social work and the ongoing efforts to ensure an effective and sustainable recovery. We contin…

7 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Gumtree, Pets4Homes, Facebook and other relevant online platforms regarding the illegal trade and sale of puppies, and when it last discussed this matter with Police Scotland.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Puppy Trade Working Group (PTWG), of which the Scottish Government is a member, seeks to disrupt the unlicensed puppy trade, including online sales of low welfare puppies. We work closely with other members of the PTWG, which includes Gumtree and Pets4Hom…

7 Dec 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport last met with CalMac representatives.

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the planned action in its Bairns’ Hoose project plan to "engage with key stakeholders to identify the potential number of Bairns' Hoose' required to ensure access for all children in line with our Programme for Government commitment", whether it has carried out this work,…

Answer · Clare Haughey: Scottish Government officials, in conjunction with the Chair of the National Bairns’ Hoose Governance Group, have carried out extensive engagement with key partners from across children’s services, health, justice, and the third sector. This includes Chief Of…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Redress Scotland Progress Report 2022, which was published on 5 December 2022.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government welcomes the commitment to transparency evidenced in Redress Scotland’s Progress Report and accompanying Facts and Figures Report, both of which were published on 5 December 2022. The Progress Report details the first six months of t…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the (a) process and (b) timescales for local authorities to apply for funding once they have identified (i) suitable housing stock and (ii) capacity for Ukrainian refugees.  

Answer · Neil Gray: The Ukraine Longer Term Housing Resettlement Fund guidance and application form for Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords was published on the Scottish Government website on 30 September 2022, following the launch of the fund on 22 September 2022.…

5 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of Lady Elish Angiolini’s report of the Independent Review of Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Issues in Relation to Policing.

Answer · Keith Brown: I am pleased to confirm the publication today of the Scottish Government’s fourth thematic report on implementation progress following Dame Elish Angiolini’s Final Report. This not only includes a narrative, context and additional information about key recomm…

1 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12028 by Elena Whitham on 17 November 2022, whether Police Scotland has any plans to further engage on matters of human trafficking with other countries' police forces through the temporary recruitment of officers, and, if so, whether it will list e…

Answer · Elena Whitham: Police Scotland continue to develop international partnerships with law enforcement authorities and support agencies to assist with investigations into human trafficking and exploitation offences and support for victims. Development of those partnerships rem…

1 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a breakdown of the number of (a) dentists and (b) dental care professionals registered as (i) UK, (ii) EU, and (iii) overseas domiciled, in each year since 2015.

Answer · Maree Todd: Information on the number of dentists is provided by NHS Education for Scotland and can be found at: Data tables | Turas Data Intelligence (nhs.scot) We do not hold information on country of origin of dentists, nor information on Dental Care Professionals …

1 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many drink-driving (a) incidents, (b) charges, and (c) convictions there have been in each year since 2014.

Answer · Keith Brown: The latest available information is provided in the following tables. (a) N umber of offences related to drink/drugs driving, recorded by the police 2014-15 to 2021-22.  2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 Driving motor v…

30 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report, Still Nothing to See Here? One year update on prison deaths and FAI outcomes in Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: We welcome the one-year update report from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) on prison deaths and FAI outcomes in Scotland which will inform work across organisations to prevent deaths in custody and in relation to FAIs. We are commi…

28 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of (a) 999 and (b) 101 calls have been abandoned or discontinued in each year since 2014.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12583 on 12 December 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

28 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to statistics reportedly showing that the number of sexual misconduct allegations against Police Scotland officers has increased by over 400% in 2022 to date, compared with 2021.

Answer · Keith Brown: Bullying, harassment and unacceptable behaviour of any form cannot be tolerated within society or within policing, and there must be trust in how matters are handled if things go wrong. This includes having robust, clear and transparent mechanisms in place to…