- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 18 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would view the forcible removal of an individual against their will and without recourse to legal representation to a country where they may be tortured as an act of abduction by those responsible for the removal.
Answer
This is a legal question to be determined by reference to the law of the country or countries concerned. The forcible removal of an individual against their will may constitute the crime of abduction in Scots law and I would refer to my answer to question S2W-21871 on 18 January 2005.
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.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 18 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21288 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, what the projections are for the volume of traffic per day on the A80 in (a) 2010 and (b) 2025 if the M80 was constructed through the identified Kelvin Valley Route rather than the on-line upgrade.
Answer
In 2010 the predicted residual traffic flow on the A80 between Mollinsburn and Low Wood resulting from the construction of a Kelvin Valley Route would lie in the range 40,000 to 60,000 vehicles per day. The equivalent range for the Auchenkilns to Old Inns section would be 25,000 to 45,000 vehicles per day. The range of flows reflects the eventual status of the detrunked A80 which would, in the circumstances, fall to North Lanarkshire Council.
The flows for 2025 are not available.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 18 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances of prisoners in the open estate absconding there have been in the last 25 years compared to the number of instances of prisoners absconding from regular prisons in the same period.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The available information is given in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts from 1993-94 onwards. No records are available prior to creation of the agency.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 17 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21290 by Tavish Scott on 15 December 2005, what areas have been identifed that will experience an adverse effect on air quality as a result of the upgrade of the A80 to full motorway status.
Answer
In respect of the online section between Mollinsburn and Haggs the majority of air quality impacts will be insignificant. The predicted impacts of the whole scheme are shown in Section 14 of the Environmental Statement (the Air Quality section) which is available on the scheme website at
http://www.m80steppstohaggs.com.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20860 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 November 2005 and whilst Scottish Prison Service staff turnover is significantly below the UK average, what information it has on how it compares to the turnover level of prison service staff of each (a) OECD nation and (b) EU member state.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS does not hold such information.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 13 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any views on the advice given to the All-Party Group on Extraordinary Rendition at Westminster by the Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice of New York University School of Law that “seemingly innocuous acts (e.g. allowing refuelling at airports of aircraft of another state) can become wrongful under international law if those acts facilitate Extraordinary Rendition” in respect of the allegations that US agencies have been using Scottish airports for these purposes.
Answer
The control of flights in and out of Scotland is a reserved matter. Under international law the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation entitles foreign civil aircraft to make technical stops, for example for refuelling, without requiring the permission of the state in which they stop.
If the police receive specific information that crimes are being committed in Scotland they will be responsible for conducting an investigation into these offences. To date, no specific, credible allegation has been brought to the attention of the police that the “extraordinary rendition” of any individual has been unlawfully facilitated through a Scottish airport.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 13 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been confirmed that Hampden Park will be used as a venue in the 2012 Olympic Games and whether it is now in a position to state whether any other venues in Scotland will be used for events at the Games.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17793 on 3 August 2005. 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.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 12 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21279 by Mr Andy Kerr on 12 December 2005, which local authority areas have been identified as having low air quality standards as defined in the Air Quality Strategy since the Environment Act 1995 came into force.
Answer
The following table lists the local authorities which have declared Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). Declaration follows air quality review and assessment work indicating that the Air Quality Strategy objectives for these pollutants are at risk of not being achieved by the due dates.
The authorities concerned are addressing the issues identified through air quality action plans.
| Authority | Date AQMA Declared | Location | Pollutants | Pollutant Source | Action Plan |
| Aberdeen City Council | June 2001 | city centre | NO2, PM10 | Transport | In place |
| City of Edinburgh Council | December 2000 | city centre | NO2 | Transport | In place |
| East Dunbartonshire Council | December 2005 | Bishopbriggs | NO2, PM10 | Transport | Not yet in place |
| Falkirk Council | October 2005 | Grangemouth | SO2 | Industry | Not yet in place |
| Glasgow City Council | January 2002 | city centre | NO2 | Transport | In place |
| North Lanarkshire Council | December 2005 | Chapelhall, Coatbridge, Motherwell | PM10 | Transport | Not yet in place |
Notes:
NO2: nitrogen dioxide.
PM10: particles.
SO2: sulphur dioxide.
Dundee City Council (city centre) Perth and Kinross Council (Perth town centre) and Renfrewshire Council (Paisley) have also identified a need to declare AQMAs, but the declaration process is not yet complete.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what it understands is covered by the term “prisoner”.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21502 on 14 December 2005. 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.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20862 by Cathy Jamieson on 12 December 2005, what the difference is between registered mental health nurses and “nursing staff with mental nursing skills and qualifications”.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
Nursing staff may have mental health nursing skills and qualifications but not have undergone the registration process as defined by the Nursing Midwifery Council (formerly the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting).
