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: S4W-17032

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 20 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the stage 1 application for support from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund submitted by (a) Aberdeen City Council for all-weather pitches for Riverbank Primary School and (b) Tillydrone Community Trust for the Wallace Tower was not accepted.

Question reference: S4O-02403

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the participation of police officers makes a positive difference to road safety education in schools.

Question reference: S4W-16559

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many sheriff court trials have been (a) abandoned and (b) delayed in each month since April 2007.

Question reference: S4W-16558

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 27 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many hours of ad hoc assistance has been provided by legal staff not normally employed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each month since April 2007.

Since 2010 COPFS has had a practice of offering fixed term contracts to legal staff not normally employed by COPFS rather than daily ad hoc assistance. This allows COPFS to better manage situations where cover has been required for permanent staff as a result of their absence on maternity leave, sickness leave, project work or secondment. Information regarding any ad hoc assistance over the period identified is not held on an hourly basis.

Question reference: S4W-16557

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 27 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) permanent and (b) temporary legal staff have been employed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each month since April 2007.

The following table shows the breakdown as requested. Trainee Solicitors are normally employed on a fixed term basis for a period of two years.

Legal Staffing Figures (FTE):


Date	Permanent	Fixed Term	Trainee Solicitors	Total
01 April 2007	403.8	1	41	445.8
01 May 2007	402.8	0	41	443.8
01 June 2007	402.6	1	41	444.6
01 July 2007	404.4	1	41	446.4
01 August 2007	401.5	1	41	443.5
01 September 2007	414.2	2	50	466.2
01 October 2007	413.5	2	50	465.5
01 November 2007	406.7	2	50	458.7
01 December 2007	402.1	2	50	454.1
01 January 2008	405	1	50	456
01 February 2008	401.1	1	50	452.1
01 March 2008	405.9	2	50	457.9
01 April 2008	404.8	2	50	456.8
01 May 2008	405.29	2.41	50	457.7
01 June 2008	404.8	2	50	456.8
31 July 2008	411.89	1.41	50	463.3
31 August 2008	433.99	4.41	51	489.4
30 September 2008	435.22	5.41	51	491.63
31 October 2008	436.81	7.41	51	495.22
30 November 2008	434.83	8.41	51	494.24
31 December 2008	439.41	6.41	51	496.82
31 January 2009	445.42	3.41	51	499.83
28 February 2009	447.99	4.41	51	503.4
31 March 2009	445.4	5.22	51	501.62
30 April 2009	445.91	5.22	52	503.13
Date	Permanent	Fixed Term	Trainee Solicitors	Total
31 May 2009	446.05	5.22	54	505.27
30 June 2009	442.37	9.22	54	505.59
31 July 2009	442.37	8.22	54	504.59
31 August 2009	465.93	10.22	54	530.15
30 September 2009	471.85	25.83	54	551.68
31 October 2009	472.84	28.83	53	554.67
30 November 2009	471.72	31.83	54	557.55
31 December 2009	473.51	30.83	54	558.34
31 January 2010	471.46	31.43	54	556.89
28 February 2010	470.27	31.44	54	555.71
31 March 2010	464.86	29.44	53	547.3
30 April 2010	463.3	24.83	53	541.13
31 May 2010	464.41	22.02	51	537.43
30 June 2010	462.74	22.02	51	535.76
31 July 2010	463.19	14.91	51	529.1
31 August 2010	465.52	32.92	53	551.44
30 September 2010	465.74	30.53	52	548.27
31 October 2010	467.12	29.53	51	547.65
30 November 2010	466.93	29.53	51	547.46
31 December 2010	466.28	28.53	50	544.81
31 January 2011	459.4	28.63	49	537.03
28 February 2011	458.67	29.45	50	538.12
31 March 2011	454.95	28.45	50	533.4
30 April 2011	451.9	19.7	50	521.6
31 May 2011	450.28	20.74	49.61	520.63
30 June 2011	443.23	21.74	49.61	514.58
31 July 2011	447.39	23.74	49.61	520.74
31 August 2011	445.43	23.74	44.61	513.78
30 September 2011	443.13	21.74	44.61	509.48
31 October 2011	443.41	14.74	44.61	502.76
30 November 2011	442.7	13.04	44.61	500.35
31 December 2011	441.48	12.65	45.61	499.74
31 January 2012	438.07	12.24	44.61	494.92
29 February 2012	440.07	12.24	44.61	496.92
31 March 2012	428.51	12.24	44.61	485.36
30 April 2012	430.84	15.33	44.61	490.78
31 May 2012	427.96	21.24	44.61	493.81
30 June 2012	429.12	23.24	44.61	496.97
31 July 2012	426.28	24.24	44.61	495.13
31 August 2012	431.89	21.24	38.61	491.74
30 September 2012	427.3	21.83	38.61	487.74
31 October 2012	425.99	21.22	38.61	485.82
30 November 2012	427.3	19.63	38.61	485.54
Date	Permanent	Fixed Term	Trainee Solicitors	Total
31 December 2012	428.52	23.06	38.61	490.19
31 January 2013	435.33	25.06	38.61	499
28 February 2013	436.22	23.06	38.61	497.89
31 March 2013	438.81	22.06	38.61	499.48
30 April 2013	436.38	21.84	38.61	496.83
31 May 2013	428.17	22.41	38.61	489.19
30 June 2013	428.73	21.45	38.61	488.79
31 July 2013	427.44	22.02	38.61	488.07

Question reference: S4W-16562

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 27 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the FDA union regarding the impact of workload pressure on staff of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

COPFS enjoys productive partnership working agreements with both FDA and PCS Trade Unions. A variety of regular meetings occur with TUS representatives including monthly meetings with senior management board members at which workload and staffing matters are discussed.

We are in agreement that every COPFS workplace should be safe and healthy for all staff and, to assist in planning for that, FDA and PCS conducted a stress audit in June 2013.

At an initial meeting between PCS, FDA and COPFS management thereafter the preliminary findings were discussed. It was agreed that PCS and FDA should be allowed further time to carry out a full analysis of the results.

COPFS is awaiting receipt of that further information from PCS and FDA and is committed to assessing any further materials provided and agreeing actions based on the full analysis.

Question reference: S4W-16561

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 27 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is taking to address allegations of bullying in the organisation.

COPFS Fair Treatment at Work Policy highlights the rights and responsibilities of all employees in relation to fair treatment and re-iterates our organisational values, ‘Being Professional and Showing Respect’. The policy was last reviewed in 2012 and all our employees were reminded of the contents of the policy at that time.

The policy makes it clear that bullying behaviour towards our staff by any person will not be tolerated. It explains how to use the grievance procedure to raise a complaint with COPFS management regarding inappropriate behaviours of another employee. Staff members are also encouraged to report inappropriate behaviours towards them by persons not employed by COPFS. Any employee raising an allegation of bullying, from whatever source, will have their complaint taken seriously and be offered support from COPFS Staff Welfare Service and Employee Assistance Programme. These services are made available to staff at any time for the purposes of confidential advice and support.

Question reference: S4W-16560

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 27 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued to Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service staff regarding the prioritising of high court cases since April 2007.

A number of factors inform the priority with which high court cases are prepared within COPFS.

COPFS staff work to strict time limits imposed by the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 both where accused persons are remanded in custody awaiting trial and where accused persons are released by the court on bail.

In cases where the accused is remanded in custody COPFS must serve an indictment within 80 days of full committal, for a preliminary hearing within 110 days and trial commencing within 140 days.

In cases where the accused has been granted bail COPFS must serve an indictment no later than 10 months after the date of first appearance on petition and a preliminary hearing must be held within 11 months of the date of first appearance on petition.

COPFS has a published target of serving all high court indictments in 80% of cases within 9 months of the first appearance of the accused. This target has been exceeded in each of the last six years.

Staff specialising in high court work manage and prioritise their preparation of cases bearing in mind the time limits and associated supporting target outlined above, in line with COPFS internal guidance which directs further prioritisation on the basis of the vulnerability or age of the witnesses and the nature of the charges involved.

Question reference: S4W-16567

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 August 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions, (b) meetings and (c) correspondence it has had with the UK Government since April 2012 regarding (i) the Aberdeen Coastguard and (ii) coastguard management in Scotland, what matters were considered and who participated.

Since April 2012, Scottish Ministers have written to the UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport three times, and once to the Chair of the UK Parliament Transport Committee regarding the UK Government’s modernisation of the Coastguard. Scottish Ministers received two responses from the then UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport Mike Penning and two from his successor Stephen Hammond.

I also met Stephen Hammond in London on 1 November 2012 to discuss the Coastguard modernisation plans.

Throughout this correspondence the Scottish Government has reiterated our belief that the UK Government was wrong to close Clyde and Forth and downgrade Aberdeen coastguard station. We pressed the UK Government to reverse the decision, and requested details of any staff shortages at Aberdeen following the increase in coastline responsibilities and reduction in staffing levels at the station.

Question reference: S4W-15743

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Scottish Court Service’s anticipated income from (a) fiscal direct penalties and (b) police antisocial behaviour penalties in 2013-14 will be lost as a result of the closure of 16 Justice of the Peace courts.