Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-30103

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) charges and (b) convictions for kerb crawling offences there have been in each local authority area in each year since 2018, including 2024 to date.

As there isn’t a specific offence of ‘kerb crawling’, information has been provided in the following table on the number of charges and convictions for (i) Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007 S1 (1) – Person solicits relevant place for purpose of obtaining services of prostitute and (ii) Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007 S1 (3) – Person loiters in relevant place so that infer purpose obtain services of prostitute.

(a) Charges reported to COPFS, 2018-19 to 2024-25*.

Charge	Reported to Procurator Fiscal Office:-	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007 S1(1) - Person solicits relevant place for purpose of obtaining services of prostitute	Aberdeen	10	9	8	5	13	5	1
	Dundee	1	2	0	0	0	0	0
	Edinburgh	3	5	2	0	0	1	0
	Glasgow	51	33	1	2	9	7	1
Total		65	49	11	7	22	13	2
Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007 S1(3) - Person loiters in relevant place so that infer purpose obtain services of prostitute	Aberdeen	3	3	0	2	2	1	2
	Dundee	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Dunfermline	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Edinburgh	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Glasgow	52	13	0	2	7	6	1
	Inverness	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Total		57	16	0	4	9	10	3
Grand Total		122	65	11	11	31	23	5

Source: COPFS

Please note:

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service does not hold local authority data. The location of the PF office has been provided as an alternative.

*Data for 2024-25 covers only a partial year - specifically the period 1 April 2024 to 31 August 2024

(b) People convicted, where main crime, by crime type, 2018-19 to 2021-22.

		2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
PROSTITUTION (PUBLIC PLACES)(SCOTLAND) ACT 2007 SECTION 1(1)	Aberdeen City	3	5	-	3
	Dundee City	-	1	-	-
	Edinburgh, City of	1	1	1	1
	Glasgow City	8	23	4	3
Total		12	30	5	7
PROSTITUTION (PUBLIC PLACES)(SCOTLAND) ACT 2007 SECTION 1(3)	Aberdeen City	-	1	1	-
	Edinburgh, City of	1	-	-	-
	Glasgow City	13	7	1	1
Total		14	8	2	1
Grand Total		26	38	7	8

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Please note:

The Criminal Proceedings local authority data is based on court location.

Data for 2020-21 and 2021-22 are affected by the pandemic, subsequent court closures, reduced court capacity due to physical distancing measures and delays to cases where key participants were forced to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19, and should not be considered indicative of long term trends.

The latest available data is for 2021-22. Information for 2022-23 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2022-23 Statistical Bulletin. This is planned to be published in late 2024.

Question reference: S6W-30000

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29379 by Siobhian Brown on 13 September 2024, whether it will provide an update on progress on the delivery of the four components outlined in Scotland’s strategic approach to challenging and deterring men’s demand for prostitution and supporting the recovery and sustainable exit of those involved in prostitution.

The primary aim of the Strategic Approach is to improve support for those with experience of prostitution, from crisis support through to support to exit from prostitution. We remain focussed on progressing this and the strategy’s wider components.

Since publishing the Strategy in February 2024 we have worked across Scottish Government, the wider public and third sectors, to identify opportunities to move forward with its implementation. This includes hosting a workshop earlier this month involving key stakeholders to discuss some of the challenges around capacity and resource in the current fiscal environment.

Over the coming weeks I will be announcing the key next steps we will be taking to progress this work.

Question reference: S6W-29799

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it remains committed to dualling the A96.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the A96. This is despite stark challenges we face due to severe budgetary restrictions, as a result of the UK Government’s cut to our capital funding of almost 9% over five years.

The current plan is to fully dual the route and as part of this process we are undertaking a transparent, evidence-based review of the programme, which includes a climate compatibility assessment and other statutory assessments.

The significant interest in the review’s initial consultation, with nearly 4,600 responses, generated 11,000 options to improve the corridor. It is only right that appropriate time has been taken in order to properly examine and fully appraise these.

It is expected that the draft outcomes from the Review, including the climate compatibility assessment, will be consulted on this Autumn, before a final decision can be reached.

Question reference: S6O-03810

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its long-term ferry strategy to ensure reliability for communities.

Question reference: S6W-29802

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will conduct a review into the Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme.

Regrettably, a start date for the review is not confirmed at this time. It is important that the review of the guidance on patient travel expenses reimbursement is considered within the context of wider reform on access to health care which is already in progress. This will inform both how and when the review is taken forward.

In 2023 we prepared the draft Transport to Health plan and have been engaging with Health Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other partners to take forward a range of commitments to improve joined up working on transport to health. The plan will be published this Autumn and a workplan has been agreed.

Question reference: S6W-29803

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to reviewing the Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme.

Regrettably, a start date for the review is not confirmed at this time. It is important that the review of the guidance on patient travel expenses reimbursement is considered within the context of wider reform on access to health care which is already in progress. This will inform both how and when the review is taken forward.

In 2023 we prepared the draft Transport to Health plan and have been engaging with Health Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other partners to take forward a range of commitments to improve joined up working on transport to health. The plan will be published this Autumn and a workplan has been agreed.

Question reference: S6W-29801

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the environmental assessment of the dualling of the A96 will be published.

Question reference: S6W-29800

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the environmental assessment of the dualling of the A96 has been completed.

Question reference: S6W-29632

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it will introduce its proposed Human Rights Bill in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-29545

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its reported plans to require ScotRail to procure high-speed trains to replace the current fleet that operates on its InterCity routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness, what impact this will have on journey times, and whether this procurement covers improvements to rail track or is exclusive to train fleets.

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