- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 14 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision has been made to locate the offices of the public sector ombudsman in Edinburgh and, if so, what consultation took place prior to such a decision.
Answer
This is a matter for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, who is independent of the Scottish Executive and Parliament.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 11 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases relating to the abuse of attorney have been brought to the courts in each year since May 1999.
Answer
The term abuse of attorney is not one known to the Scottish legal system. No statistics are kept at Crown Office in relation to cases involving an abuse of a power of attorney.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 11 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 161 applicants received for the recent vacancies on the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council were politically active, broken down to show the applicants' political affiliation.
Answer
All applicants completed political activity declaration forms. The information provided plays no part in the selection process. Candidates agree that this information will be made publicly available if they are appointed and the information for the successful candidates in the 2002 appointments round for SHEFC is as follows:
| Re-appointments: |
| No political activity declared: | 2 |
| New appointments: |
| No political activity declared: | 3 |
| Political activity declared: | 1 (Labour) |
The News Release announcing these appointments indicated that there was no recorded political activity declared by any of the appointees, when in fact one candidate had declared political activity for the Labour Party. This was an administrative error in the compilation of the News Release, and those involved accept full responsibility. Steps have been taken to ensure such a mistake does not recur. I apologise for the release of this inaccurate information.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 11 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27777 by Mr Andy Kerr on 29 August 2002, whether it will list those outside bodies contacted as part of the parliamentary notification system when making public appointments since May 2002 and in respect of which vacancies they were contacted.
Answer
In addition to the Parliament's Reference Centre and the relevant Parliamentary Committees, the outside bodies contacted as part of the Parliamentary Notification system since May 2002 are shown in the following table:
| Outside Bodies Contacted |
| CBI Scotland |
| STUC |
| Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations |
| Community Service Volunteers |
| Councils for Voluntary Service |
| Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations |
| Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund |
| Volunteer Centre Scotland |
| Volunteer Development Scotland |
| Women's Royal Voluntary Service |
| Black & Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland |
| Central Scotland Racial Equality Council |
| Commission for Racial Equality |
| Edinburgh & Lothians Racial Equality Council |
| Equal Opportunities Commission |
| Equality Network |
| Fife Racial Equality Council |
| Grampian Racial Equality Council |
| Hamilton Disability Forum |
| Inclusion Scotland |
| Positive Action in Housing |
| Scottish Disability Equality Forum |
| Tayside Racial Equality Council |
| West of Scotland Racial Equality Council |
| Women's Forum Scotland |
| Women's National Commission |
| Workers Educational Association |
The outside bodies have been sent details of the following vacancies since May 2002:
| Vacancies |
| Rent Assessment Panel |
| Scottish Screen |
| Quality and Standards Board for Health in Scotland |
| Scottish Legal Aid Board |
| Crofters Commission |
| Scottish Social Services Council |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh |
| Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland |
| Fisheries (Electricity) Committee |
| Scottish Environment Protection Agency |
| Sportscotland |
| National Waiting Times Centre Board |
| Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba |
| Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards |
| VisitScotland |
| Scottish Natural Heritage |
| NHS Trust Chairs |
| Parole Board for Scotland |
| Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professions |
| Shetland NHS Board |
| Scottish Qualification Authority |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 11 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of offenders arrested for the possession of a knife in each year since 1993 were under the age of 18 in (a) Scotland and (b) each police force area.
Answer
The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not include information on those arrested or the circumstances of crimes, such as the method of committing the crime or the age of the offender. The available information given in the table shows the total number of persons proceeded against in Scottish courts for "Having in a public place an article with a blade or point" and the proportion of offenders who were aged under 18.
Persons Proceeded Against for Having in a Public Place an Article With a Blade or Point1, in Scottish Courts, 1993-2000| Year | Total persons | Percentage aged under 182 |
| 1993 | 121 | 16 |
| 1994 | 572 | 12 |
| 1995 | 956 | 14 |
| 1996 | 1,360 | 14 |
| 1997 | 1,311 | 14 |
| 1998 | 1,201 | 14 |
| 1999 | 1,291 | 14 |
| 2000 | 1,364 | 13 |
Notes:1. Where main offence.2. Age is as at date of sentence or acquittal.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 11 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of robberies in each year since 1993 were carried out at knife-point in (a) Scotland and (b) each police force area.
Answer
The information requested is not collected centrally.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 11 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of robberies in each year since 1993 involved young people as either (a) the victim, (b) the offender or (c) both in (i) Scotland and (ii) each police force area.
Answer
The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not include information on those arrested or the circumstances of crimes, such as the method of committing the crime or the age of the offender. The available information given in the table shows the total number of persons proceeded against in Scottish courts for Robbery (including assault with intent to rob) and the proportion of offenders who were aged under 18.
Persons Proceeded Against for Robbery1, in Scottish Courts, 1993-2000| Year | Total persons | Percentage aged under 182 |
| 1993 | 1,006 | 14 |
| 1994 | 990 | 16 |
| 1995 | 855 | 17 |
| 1996 | 933 | 23 |
| 1997 | 852 | 24 |
| 1998 | 763 | 19 |
| 1999 | 825 | 15 |
| 2000 | 758 | 14 |
Notes:1. Where main offence, includes assault with intent to rob. 2. Age is as at date of sentence or acquittal.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any aspect of its policies has been amended as a result of representations made by any member of the Royal Family since May 1999.
Answer
Scottish Executive ministers exchange correspondence with members of the Royal Family from time to time on a range of matters. All such correspondence is treated as private and confidential.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 9 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Sector Skills Development Agency is classified as a cross-border public authority within the terms of the Scotland Act 1998.
Answer
The Sector Skills Development Agency is not classified as a cross-border public authority within the terms of the Scotland Act 1998. It is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 4 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the new appointments or re-appointments to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council announced in June 2002 declared any interests on being appointed and, if so, what those interests were.
Answer
No interests were declared as part of the appointment or re-appointment process.
