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: S2W-21211

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Elish Angiolini on 14 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe’s decision to use his powers under Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to launch a formal inquiry into the use of rendition flights and in light of reports that terrorist suspects may have been secretly detained in, or transported through, a number of Council of Europe member states with the possible involvement of foreign agencies, the Lord Advocate and the police will investigate whether any breach of the ECHR may have occurred in Scotland.

While the Lord Advocate and the police have a duty to uphold the European Convention on Human Rights, their responsibility is for the investigation of crimes under Scots law. Torture, an attempt to commit torture, or conspiracy to commit torture are crimes punishable under Scots law at common law or under section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 by imprisonment for a maximum period of life imprisonment. Where evidence exists to support allegations that such crimes have been committed within Scottish jurisdiction, or that torture has been committed elsewhere by or at the instigation of a public official who is subject to Scottish jurisdiction, the police will be responsible for conducting appropriate investigations and reporting such cases to the Procurator Fiscal.

The Scottish Executive will of course assist the UK Government with any information sought in relation to inquiries made by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in pursuance of his powers under Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Question reference: S2W-21214

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Elish Angiolini on 14 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate has clarified the legal implications of the activation of Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights to investigate the deprivation of liberty resulting from the conduct of officials of foreign agencies in respect of alleged rendition flights landing in Scotland.

A request by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in terms of Article 52 is directed to national government, as a party to the Convention. As indicated in my previous answer to question S2W-21211 on 14 December 2005, the Scottish Executive will of course assist the UK Government with any information sought by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in relation to any inquiries made by him in pursuance of his powers under Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S2W-21215

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Elish Angiolini on 14 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate has given advice in respect of the legal implications for Scottish public officials, including senior police officers, following the decision by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to use his legal powers under Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights to investigate the use of rendition flights and whether it is aware that Scottish public officials may have, through action or omission, been aware of the deprivation of liberty by a foreign agency on Scottish soil and, if so, what advice the Lord Advocate has given in respect of this issue.

The Scottish Executive does not generally disclose whether the advice of the Scottish Law Officers has been sought or obtained in relation to any particular matter. Any such advice would in any case be confidential. The request for information by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, in terms of Article 52 of the European Convention of Human Rights, has been made to the UK Government, as a Party to the Convention and the Scottish Executive will assist the UK Government with any information required in order to fulfil the request made by the Secretary General.

The Scottish Executive has no knowledge of any Scottish public official being aware of the deprivation of liberty of any person or persons by a foreign agency within Scottish jurisdiction.

Question reference: S2W-21199

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated in each year since 2002 to provide specialist workers and professionals to help integrate new immigrants and asylum seekers into the community.

Since 2002, the Scottish Executive has allocated the following amounts in core grant fund to the Scottish Refugee Council, including funding for professionals and specialist workers providing advice and integration opportunities to asylum seekers in their communities:

2002-03	£343,980
2003-04	£465,355
2004-05	£486,094
2005-06	£503,439

Since 2003 the Scottish Executive has awarded the following amounts through the Equality Unit’s Scottish Refugee Integration Fund. Provision of specialist workers is an element of this fund.

2003-2004	£408,864
2004-2005	£582,541
2005-2006	£900,634

The following amounts have been allocated through the Communities Scotland Asylum Integration Fund. Provision of specialist workers is an element of this fund.

2001-02	£250,000
2002-03	£450,000
2003-04	£1,050,000
2004-05	£1,090,000
2005-06	£1,090,000

Disaggregated data on the cost of English language classes for new immigrants and asylum seekers, as distinct from other provision, are not available because of the way that further education (FE) colleges and local authorities are funded. However, between 2001-04, £5.4 million was directed via the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) to English for Speakers of Other Languages provision. From academic year 2004-05, this resource has been mainstreamed into FE baseline funding.

Question reference: S2W-21197

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities in the last 12 months in respect of the integration of services for asylum seekers and new immigrants.

The Executive wrote to all Scottish local authorities on 4 October 2005 inviting them to develop appropriate language plans for the communities they serve. The letter drew attention to national policy in respect of service provision for speakers and users of languages other than English and explained that people living in Scotland who do not speak English as a first language have the same rights to access public sector services as English speakers.

Communities Scotland disseminated copies of Providing Information to Refugees: a Good Practice Checklist which provides information for local authorities to use when preparing welcome packs for refugees. The checklist aims to ensure that refugees get information they need on housing, welfare benefits, education, work, healthcare, legal aid and how to deal with racial harassment. This publication is available from HomePoint.

Question reference: S2W-21198

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available to asylum seekers and new immigrants to encourage them to become involved in community groups.

This information is not held centrally.

Since 2003 the Executive has funded over 50 projects through the Equality Unit’s Scottish Refugee Integration fund. The provision of information to asylum seekers and refugees on local community groups or activities has been an element of a number of these projects.

The Executive provides core funding to the Scottish Refugee Council for the purpose of, amongst other things, providing information to asylum seekers and refugees. The Scottish Refugee Council’s community development team supports the Framework for Dialogue initiative to give local refugee groups the chance to build bridges with host communities and other refugee groups

Communities Scotland’s Asylum Integration Fund is allocated to Glasgow City Council and the Glasgow Alliance, who will advertise the projects and services which they provide as they see appropriate.

Question reference: S2W-20909

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been notified that flights carrying US prisoners to countries where they might be subjected to torture are landing at Scottish airports for refuelling and, if so, when.

Question reference: S2W-21213

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government in respect of the use of rendition flights by foreign agencies, in particular the CIA, through Scottish airports, given reports that prisoners may be being transported to torture and detention camps and the potential impact of this on applications under the Fresh Talent initiative, the tourist industry and the wider reputation of Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-21212

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been asked to supply any details or information to either the UK Government or the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in respect of any potential breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to rendition flights through Scottish airports.

Question reference: S2W-20910

Asked by: Sandra White, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government with regard to the use of Scottish airports for the transporting of US prisoners from US detention centres to countries where they might be subjected to torture.