- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) plans to recommence publishing monthly performance indicators on the Disclosure Scotland website and (b) has discussed publishing police response times on a monthly basis.
Answer
On a weekly basis, Disclosure Scotland publishes information on its website about its performance against its service level target. In the near future, Disclosure Scotland will begin publishing monthly performance indicators about the PVG Scheme.
Police response times for force enquiries have not been published by Disclosure Scotland. This remains under consideration.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) police forces, (b) Disclosure Scotland and (c) representatives of the Scottish police service regarding whether additional resources will be needed once retrospective checks on enhanced disclosure certificates start on 29 October 2012.
Answer
Discussions have taken place between Disclosure Scotland officials representing Scottish Ministers, the Scottish police forces and the ACPOS strategic lead for this area of work.
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10280 on 7 November 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether the energy skills academy highlighted in the budget by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth on 20 September 2012 (Official Report, c. 11744) will be located in Aberdeen.
Answer
The Scottish Energy Skills Academy will be developed as a Scotland wide academy based around the national frameworks which already exist through the Energy Technology Partnership and Scotland’s Colleges Energy Skills Partnership.
It will build on good practice that exists in Aberdeen and will be anchored in the north east of Scotland.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include provisions in its proposed Victims and Witnesses Bill for witnesses to access information about the result of pleading diets in their cases before receiving a citation to appear in court.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that more needs to be done to ensure that victims and witnesses get better information and support. The recent consultation paper Making Justice Work for Victims and Witnesses contained proposals on a comprehensive package of both legislative and non-legislative measures designed to provide better support to victims and witnesses and improve their experience of the criminal justice system. This included proposals on the provision of information and a commitment to commission a feasibility study into developing an online data hub to provide case specific information to victims and witnesses.
Work in this area is ongoing, and details of provisions to be included in the Victims and Witnesses Bill will be announced in due course.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued to independent custody visiting schemes ahead of the change to the statutory system under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.
Answer
Officials are currently working with custody visiting scheme administrators to consider options and recommendations for a new statutory scheme under the reform agenda. No new guidance has been issued to administrators or visitors to date.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether all Disclosure Scotland applications requiring police checks will be handled by one centralised office under the single Scottish police service and, if so, where this office will be based.
Answer
<>I refer the member to the answer given for S4W-10276 on 2 November 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Force Disclosure Units will be centralised into a country-wide department in the single Scottish police service.
Answer
The organisation of departments within the Police Service of Scotland is an operational matter for the chief constable. Disclosure Scotland will liaise with the existing Force Disclosure Units until such time as the chief constable has made a decision about the future arrangements.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether the statutory independent custody visiting scheme under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 will be a Scotland-wide organisation or whether the administration will be split into geographical areas and, if so, what geographical areas.
Answer
Officials are currently working with custody visiting scheme administrators to consider options and recommendations for a new statutory scheme under the reform agenda. The scheme will be Scotland-wide. Decisions on the administration and operation of the scheme will be a matter for the Scottish Police Authority.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether the National Police Reform Team is assessing the administration of the statutory independent custody visiting scheme under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.
Answer
This is not part of the National Police Reform Team’s remit. Justice officials are, however, working with administrators of the current custody visiting schemes to consider options for a new statutory scheme, and to make recommendations to the Scottish Police Authority.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had meetings with (a) administrators or (b) representatives of independent custody visiting schemes and, if so, how often these meetings have taken place since May 2007.
Answer
Yes, officials have regular meetings with the administrators of the present custody visiting schemes, and work closely with them on a number of issues. No central count of such meetings since 2007 is held.