Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4F-02883

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2015

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will introduce cervical screening for women over 60.

Question reference: S4F-02756

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 April 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 April 2015

To ask the First Minister what recent communications there have been between the Scottish Government and the Home Office regarding an independent inspection of Dungavel detention centre.

Question reference: S4W-25001

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 1 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions with the Lord Advocate with a view to prosecuting the sale of new psychoactive substances, or so-called legal highs, following the precedent of Khaliq and Anor v HMA 1983 SCCR 483 (CCA); 1984 JC 23; 1984 SLT 137, in which the High Court on appeal refused to accept that there was any distinction between supply with knowledge of likely abuse and actual administration of a dangerous substance to a child.

In a previous answer to Parliament (S4O-04048) on 25 February 2015, I referred to the work that had already been undertaken by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in this area. I attach a link to the Official Report: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=9797

COPFS issued guidance to Police Scotland in August 2014 prior to their national day of action on 22 August 2014 under Operation Redwall. The guidance specifically covered the use of the offence of culpable and reckless conduct and the type of evidence that would be required. COPFS continues to work with the police, local authorities and trading standards to ensure that, in this difficult area of law, the offence of culpable and reckless behaviour and other types of offences, in particular those under the product safety regulations are used when they are appropriate.

The Scottish Government thereafter on the 26 February 2015 published the review of the current legal framework available to govern the sale and supply of new psychoactive substances (NPS) which was carried out by the New Psychoactive Substances Expert Review Group. COPFS were represented on that group. The report is available at the following link:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/02/3802/0

The group considered the use of the common law offence of culpable and reckless conduct and looked at the case of Khaliq v HMA. They concluded that the offence of culpable and reckless conduct could be relevant to the sale and supply of NPS in certain circumstances.

Question reference: S4W-24891

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 25 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Scottish Borders Council's implementation of self-directed support as, according to its website, support is only available for needs identified as “critical” and “substantial” and resources are not available to meet “moderate” and “low” needs, and whether it considers that this is outwith the spirit of the law.

The Scottish Government expect all local authorities to comply with their duty of care under Section 12A of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. They must be sure that the resources they allocate to a person are sufficient to meet their needs and any provision or assistance should be based on a detailed and outcomes-focussed social care assessment. Local authorities must be fair and transparent in allocation of funds.

The self-directed support statutory guidance provides a steer to local authorities that they should consider their strategy for investing in preventative and universal services – interventions which prevent or delay the need for formal social care and support.

The Scottish Government has provided funding of £720,000 from 2011-12 to 2015-16 to Scottish Borders Council to deliver the self-directed support strategy. Local authorities are expected to:

Invest an appropriate amount of funding in effective preventative and universal services.

Ensure services meet the needs of funded clients and the wider population, thus helping to prevent the escalation of needs.

Question reference: S4W-24890

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 23 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that the MOD-operated Castlelaw ranges in the Pentland Hills have been contaminated with heavy metals that could contaminate the Glencorse reservoir and, in light of the potential health risks to the public and animals, what discussions it has had with (a) the MOD, (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and (c) others.

Following representations to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as to suggestions of contamination issues at the MOD-operated range at Castlelaw, the agency engaged with the operators to understand what issues, if any, existed and any associated environmental implications. Following these discussions, SEPA has advised that they do not consider there to be any risk to the environment.

Question reference: S4W-24649

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the number of serving police officers reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in 2013-14, in light of a reported 6.7% of cases leading to proceedings, and what percentage of these proceedings (a) remain current and (b) led to a (i) guilty and (ii) not proven verdict.

The vast majority of police officers act with integrity but on the on the rare occasions when those standards may have fallen below those expected and criminality is inferred it is proper that there are independent and transparent processes in place to consider the evidence.

The information requested relates to data published in the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner’s (PIRC) report entitled Police Complaints: Statistics for Scotland 2013-14. The PIRC report sets out, on page 10, that 225 complaint cases were referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service following an allegation of criminality, with 6.7% of these cases leading to proceedings being taken.

The PIRC data only relates to referrals following complaints made against police officers by members of the public, where there is an allegation of criminality. If there is an inference of criminality, Police Scotland will report the officer to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Proceedings data are not held by either the Scottish Government or the Crown Office in relation to complaints made by the public.

Separately, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has provided data relating to criminal cases where COPFS has received a standard prosecution report (SPR) from the police. Figures show that 135 police officers were the subject of criminal reports to COPFS in 2013-14. Of these, 60 officers were the subject of court proceedings: 30 were convicted, one was found not proven, six were found not guilty and 23 are ongoing. There has not yet been a final decision on whether or not to take court proceedings in respect of a further 39 officers.

Question reference: S4W-24350

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 February 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much it would cost to terminate each private contract for the provision of parking at hospitals.

Question reference: S4O-04092

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason there has been no uplift in capped postage provision since 2009 given the increase of 59% and 77% in stamp costs, and whether it considers that this reduces members’ ability to correspond with their constituents.

Question reference: S4F-02617

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 February 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2015

To ask the First Minister, in light of the recent report of three Muslim girls being encouraged to travel to Syria following apparent contact with Aqsa Mahmood, what action the Scottish Government can take to monitor and intercept any communications aimed at encouraging Scottish Muslim girls to travel to Syria.

Question reference: S4W-24348

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2015
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of each PPP/PFI contract that was in place in each parliamentary constituency in May 2007, also broken down by information regarding (a) annual interest payments and (b) the (i) duration and (ii) total cost of each project.