- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its guidance on questioning children in court.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24968 on 8 May 2002.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 27 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will reply to my letter of 22 February 2002 regarding Clive Fairweather's comments in the intermediate inspection report on HM Prison Edinburgh.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The letter was replied to on 2 May 2002.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out into links between pornography and sexual violence.
Answer
No specific research has been undertaken on this topic but the broader issue of sex offenders is an important part of our current research programme. We have also commissioned further research on the treatment of violent and sexual offenders.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what new programmes have been introduced, or are planned to be introduced in the next 12 months, by the Scottish Prison Service to fulfil its commitment in preventing violence against women - action across the Scottish Executive to "extend further its core programmes and develop a range of approved activities to address offending behaviour and to reduce the risk of violence including violence against women".
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The SPS is currently reviewing the range of interventions available elsewhere to specifically address violence against women, and hopes that it may be possible to introduce such a programme in 2003. This would be supported by a wider range of interventions to address sexual offending and instrumental violence. In addition, a number of approved activities are currently under development to help tackle addictions. The aim of this combination of programmes and approved activities would be to reduce the risk of violence generally, including violence against women.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 17 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to councils regarding planning applications and all types of licence applications from businesses in the sex industry and how any such guidance ties in with its strategy on preventing violence against women.
Answer
The control of the use of local premises is a matter for local authorities through the planning and licensing systems and we have not issued guidance of the type mentioned. However, we deplore violence against women in any form and our strategies on equality and on domestic abuse are designed to reinforce this. The police are particularly alert to the vulnerability of workers in the sex industry and will seek to enforce the criminal law.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a date has been set for the release of the evaluation of the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust's "Respect" educational project.
Answer
I have approved the publication of the evaluation of the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust's "Respect" educational project and, whilst I cannot give a specific date at this stage, it is likely to be in early June.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has provided for domestic abuse prevention projects in each of the last three years.
Answer
Since March 2000, the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund has supported or is still currently supporting, over 80 local multi-agency projects set up to tackle domestic abuse. A large number of these projects include preventative elements. However, funding for projects that could be described as primarily concerned with prevention is as follows:2000-01 financial year: eight projects at a total cost of £153,9302001-02 financial year: seven projects at a total cost of £109,5452002-03 financial year: seven projects at a total cost of £249,360In addition the Scottish Executive provided £56,552 in the financial year 2000-01 and £29,440 in the financial year 2001-02 to the Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust, to fund the piloting of the respect package in schools and youth groups in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The aim of this package is to raise awareness amongst young people of the issues around domestic abuse.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to strengthen awareness and action around linkages between domestic violence and other forms of male violence at a local level.
Answer
The National Group to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland has a remit to oversee the implementation of the Action Plan in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland. This includes the consideration of links between domestic abuse and the wider issues of violence against women. It is for the national group to prioritise its work over the three-year period of the action plan.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what training is currently provided within teacher training courses to provide teachers with the necessary skills to support young people experiencing domestic abuse.
Answer
The Guidelines for Courses of Teacher Education in Scotland sets out Scottish ministers' policy on content, nature and duration of courses leading to teaching qualifications. The precise form of individual courses is determined by the higher education institution. Issues such as domestic abuse and the rights of the child are covered within courses of initial teacher education. The guidelines require that newly qualified teachers must be able to demonstrate an understanding of international, national and local guidelines on child protection and teachers' roles and responsibilities in this area. They must also understand the roles of other professionals concerned with pupil learning and welfare and how to work with them.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2002
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 13 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a decision not to fund training posts under the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund; if so, when this decision was taken, who made it and how it was transmitted to those applying for funds.
Answer
The second round of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund received applications to fund 83 projects at a cost of £2,314,928 - an oversubscription of £814,928.A decision has been taken to continue to fund those training projects already supported by the fund in 2000-01 and 2001-02 but to leave consideration of new projects until the National Group to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland develops a coherent National Training Strategy.Letters relating to the six projects involved were issued on 5 April.