Parliamentary questions
Maurice Corry
204 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it works with third-sector organisations with specialised knowledge on the issue when formulating drug addiction policy.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: We work closely with a number of third sector organisations including our nationally commissioned organisations (Scottish Drugs Forum, Scottish Recovery Consortium, Crew 2000 and Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs) to ensure full understanding of…
21 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that there is collaboration between the justice and health sectors to help address drug addiction issues, and what analysis it has carried out of the effectiveness of this.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Responsibility for drugs policy moved from the Scottish Government’s Justice portfolio to Health portfolio in 2016, acknowledging that the needs of those who suffer from problematic drug use are best served through a health focused approach. We are currently…
21 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported public safety concerns that are associated with drug abuse.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government continues to be concerned about the harms caused by drug misuse. Educating people about making informed decisions is vital. The Know the Score website and helpline ensure that all people in Scotland have credible and accessible informa…
21 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the current drug rehabilitation programmes.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has invested over £689 million to tackle problem substance use since 2008, with the bulk of our funding, £628 million, being provided to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships. Since 2017-18 ADP funding has been provided to NHS Boards for onwar…
21 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on balancing drug abstinence and recovery programmes.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The current Scottish Government drugs strategy 'The Road to Recovery' defines recovery as “a process through which an individual is enabled to move on from their problem drug use, towards a drug free life as an active and contributing member of society.” It a…
15 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of special constables has dropped from 1,387 in 2013 to 610 in 2018.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The recruitment and retention of Special Constables is a matter for Police Scotland.
15 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the importance of special constables to the work of Police Scotland and, in particular, its work to engage with communities.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We welcome the voluntary service provided by Special Constables in the policing of our communities.
15 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of special constables in Police Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The recruitment and retention of Special Constables is a matter for Police Scotland.
7 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the policing of football matches has cost Police Scotland since August 2017.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the cost of policing football matches. Police charging for events is an operational matter for Police Scotland.
7 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many arrests have been made (a) at and (b) in relation to football matches since August 2017.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many arrests are made in relation to football matches. This information would be held by Police Scotland.
7 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has provided in each year since 2007 to community projects that support women offenders, other than to community justice centres, also broken down by project.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government allocates funding for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work (CJSW) services and other programmes to reduce reoffending via a block grant system. From 2007-08 to 2016-17 this funding was allocated via the eight Community Justice …
7 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many female prisoners are in facilities that are not in the same local authority as their last place of residence.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: On 9 March 2018 there were 366 women in SPS care. Of the 366 women in SPS care, there are 59 whose last place of residence was in a Loc…
7 Mar 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the clinical review of cancer waiting times, and when the results will be published.
14 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it spent on flood prevention in the West Scotland parliamentary region in the 2017 calendar year, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: On 18 July 2016, the First Minister announced in agreement with COSLA, a 10 year flood funding strategy, funded from the local authority capital settlement. This will deliver priorities identified in the Flood Risk Strategies published in December 2015. The f…
14 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many empty commercial properties there were in the West Scotland parliamentary region in the 2017 calendar year, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Data by Parliamentary regions is not held, however numbers of ? non-domestic properties in receipt of empty property rates relief as at October 2016 by local authorities in the West of Scotland is shown below. Updated data will be available in due course. …
14 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it spent on improvements to each trunk road in the West Scotland parliamentary region in the 2017 calendar year..
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The amount spent on improvements to each trunk in the West Scotland parliamentary region in the 2017 calendar year is as follows. M8 £2,430,017 A83 £2,039,922 A82 £2,312,519 A737 £11,506,395 A78 £15,374 Total £18,304,227 For minor schemes it w…
14 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many places have been made available in each college in the West Scotland parliamentary region in each year since 2005, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The number of places available at colleges in Scotland is most accurately described using Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) numbers. All West College Scotland campuses are found within this region, as well as some campuses within Ayrshire College and New College Lan…
14 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which projects have received support from the Scottish Veterans' Fund, broken down by amount awarded.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04070 on 09 November 2016 and S5W-10372 on 8 August 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parl…
14 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all prisons are allocated the same funding for visitor centres regardless of their size and, if so, for what reason.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Prison Visitor Centres are run by the third sector, and are independent of the prisons where they are located. Under the current funding arrangement, third sector organisations can apply to the SG for a grant of up to £50k annually, which is given to support …
13 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set a target date for phasing out the use of peat-based products in horticulture.
9 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland records incidents of accidental discharge of firearms and, if so, what method it uses for this.
Answer · Michael Matheson: All incidents of unintentional discharge of firearms are recorded electronically and reported to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) via Police Scotland's Professional Standards Department.
9 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of accidental discharge of firearms have been recorded each year by Police Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There have been 11 incidents of unintentional discharge of firearms since 1 April 2013, none of which occurred in public. This figure comprises conventional weapons and Taser. All incidents of Police Scotland’s use of firearms must be referred to the Police I…
9 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Police Scotland officers are trained to use firearms.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of trained Police Scotland officers trained to use firearms is an operational matter for the Chief Constable and includes the 365 armed response vehicle officers following the completion of the uplift announced in June 2016.
7 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the steering group for its Marine Litter Strategy has discussed the issue of nurdles, and what action it recommends is taken on this issue.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group has discussed nurdles. Membership includes the charity Fidra which aims to reduce plastic pollution in our seas. They promote Operation Clean Sweep which encourages best practice handling methods in the plastics indus…
7 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the steering group for its Marine Litter Strategy has had regarding the issue of litter at the head of Loch Long in Arrochar.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group (MLSSG) discussed the litter sink at Arrochar during their meeting 7 September 2017. They agreed that an expert group should meet at Arrochar with the community to discuss a work plan to help tackle the litter problem…
7 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to end marine pollution due to nurdles.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is working with Fidra, a member of its Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group, to consider how the plastic industry's 'Operation Clean Sweep' can be extended across the supply chain to further promote best practice with businesses handl…
7 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preventive measures it is taking to tackle the Arrochar marine litter sink.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Roseanna Cunningham : The litter that gathers at Arrochar is driven by currents and winds from the Clyde and from the Irish Sea. Preventing marine litter requires action at a domestic and international level, requiring behaviour change from industry and consu…
7 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage businesses to use compostable packaging.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Government policy is to help reduce the use of single-use items overall, regardless of material, and to encourage greater use of reusable items and packaging that is easy to recycle. We will continue to work with retail and industry to improve the su…
24 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that there is consistent support and funding for the voluntary sector organisations that provide it with support and insight.
Answer · Angela Constance: Charities and the third sector have been part of shaping Scotland for many years. Third sector organisations bring insight and perspective to public policy, play a crucial role in the drive for social justice and inclusive economic growth, and are essential t…
16 Jan 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13572 by Aileen Campbell on 11 January 2018, from which of the commitments in the cancer strategy the funding for the programme is being provided.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The introduction of HPV primary testing in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is an action under 'Improving Survival' as detailed on page 23 of the cancer strategy: www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00496709.pdf