- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Simpson on 13 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to redirect any resources of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency following the reclassification of cannabis.
Answer
No. The SDEA was established to drive and co-ordinate an enhanced multi-agency response to the threat from drug trafficking and other forms of serious and organised crime in Scotland. That threat still exists, particularly from Class A drugs, and for so long as it does the SDEA will continue to have a vital role.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Simpson on 13 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it envisages will be released as a result of the reclassification of cannabis in respect of (a) the police, (b) the procurator fiscal service, (c) the courts, (d) the Scottish Prison Service and (e) criminal justice social work services.
Answer
While it is possible that the reclassification of cannabis will result in some redirection of resources, no estimates have been made of the impact on the different elements in the criminal justice system. The Executive and the criminal justice agencies in Scotland will continue to devote substantial effort and resources to tackling all aspects of drug misuse which cause harm to individuals and communities.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give any new advice to judges on sentencing in the light of the reclassification of cannabis.
Answer
The Home Secretary proposed on 10 July that cannabis should be reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. If approved by the Westminster Parliament, this will reduce the maximum penalty for possession of cannabis from five years to two years imprisonment. The Home Secretary also proposed a 14-year maximum prison sentence for drug traffickers who deal in Class B or Class C drugs. The current maximum penalty for possession with intent to supply Class C drugs is five years in prison, compared with 14 years for Class B drugs. The Scottish Executive does not provide advice to judges on sentencing as the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental principle of the Scottish legal system. The role of the Scottish Executive is to ensure that the courts have an adequate range of penalties available to them.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by Her Majesty's Government about any impact of reclassifying cannabis on (a) education, (b) health, (c) social work, (d) police work and (e) the criminal prosecution system.
Answer
The classification of drugs is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive was informed by Her Majesty's Government of the proposal to reclassify cannabis and the consequences highlighted were fully considered. The Home Secretary's decision was based, in part, on a recommendation by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, on which Scottish interests are well represented. The Executive has issued a guide, which is also on the Know the Score website at:
www.knowthescore.info, setting out the legal position in Scotland, the effects of cannabis and the health risks associated with its use.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will change its drug strategy in the light of findings by the Effective Interventions Unit that school-based programmes are "generally ineffective in reducing drug use".
Answer
The Executive has no plans to change its drugs strategy. The research referred to was about young people who already have drug problems. As part of the research, an international literature review examined a range of school-based programmes that sought to reduce drug use in this group. There was some evidence that such programmes did reduce drug use but that certain approaches, e.g. skills development, building self-esteem and confidence, were more beneficial than others. Education, as part of a programme of treatment and care, can have successful results but the use of a purely educational approach was found to be generally ineffective in reducing drug use. The Effective Intervention Unit's (EIU) review did not examine drug education programmes in Scotland, nor did it examine the effectiveness of drug education generally. To follow up the research, the EIU will be working with the Lloyds TSB Foundation Partnership Drugs Initiative to develop a practical guide to the planning, designing and delivery of services for young people with drug problems.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 12 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve drug treatment services for young people in rural areas.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has already taken a number of actions to improve drug treatment services for young people in rural areas. All areas are benefiting from increased drug treatment resources of £13.3 million for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04. In addition, funding of £18 million has been made available over the same period through the Changing Children's Services Fund for work with young people and families affected by drug misuse. Applications have now been approved and grants issued to all local authorities, both urban and rural. These include prevention and treatment facilities for the under 16s. The Executive has set a national standard for all Drug Action Teams (DATs) to ensure that drug users aged under 16 have access to drug treatment and care services which are in line with national guidance, by 2004. Achievement of the standard is being monitored through DAT annual Corporate Action Plans. Plans received to date demonstrate a wide range of new and expanded services for young people in rural areas, covering education, prevention and treatment.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25345 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 June 2002, what periods of time the contracts for social work services for HM Young Offenders Institution (a) Glenochil and (b) Polmont have been agreed to cover.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:(a) An initial period of two years 11 months.(b) An initial period of two years five months.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 July 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24629 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 May 2002, whether it will provide a table showing where omissions have been made in the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock and in each schedule, showing in each case the paragraph and sub-paragraph numbers or specified section of the text as appropriate and what the reasons were for each omission.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Members of the Justice 1 Committee have now had the opportunity to view the contract in full.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 July 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost at March 2001 prices to obtain the outline planning approval for the construction of the prison referred to in section 1.1.73 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The actual cost is not separately identifiable. The best estimate is approximately £32,000 including planning fees.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 July 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25345 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 June 2002, why it did not provide in the answer details of the periods of time within which the outputs are required and whether this answer complies with Part I of its Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Question S1W-25345 did not request the periods of time within which the outputs were required. The answer to question S1W-25345 assumed that it was annual outputs that were required.