- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will give a substantive reply to letters sent to him by Mr Ian McKie regarding his daughter Shirley McKie's complaint against the Scottish Criminal Records Office and others.
Answer
Replies to Mr McKie's letters to me of 17 January and 18 February and the letters of 14 January and 18 February to Lord Hardie, about the case of his daughter Shirley McKie, have been held back pending decisions on the terms of reference for a review by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the standards and quality of work within the Fingerprint Section of the Scottish Criminal Record Office. Now that the terms of reference have been agreed and announced substantive replies will be sent today.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost of the current refurbishment of St Andrews House will be met from the block grant allocated to Scotland by Her Majesty's Treasury.
Answer
The project costs are being met from within the Scottish Executive's total budget. The refurbishment project commenced in 1998-99 and is scheduled for completion in 2001-02. The total budget, agreed at the start of the project, is £20 million. No cost overrun is anticipated.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any inquiry by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary into the complaints of Ms Shirley McKie will rely solely on evidence from the Scottish Criminal Records Office during examination of any fingerprint evidence or whether other independent fingerprint experts will be called, including those who gave evidence for Ms McKie at her trial.
Answer
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary plans to use expert assistance in the review of the Scottish Criminal Record Office Fingerprint Section, which will include the fingerprint evidence presented at the trial of Shirley McKie.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the aims, remit and timetable will be of any inquiry to be conducted by HM Inspector of Constabulary into the actions of the Scottish Criminal Records Office in the case of Shirley McKie.
Answer
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary will shortly commence an inspection of the acquisition, examination and presentation of fingerprint evidence, and will include a review of the training, skills and quality assurance aspects of the SCRO operation. The inspection will include a close examination of the Shirley McKie case as an example of the process as a whole. The work is expected to take about three months, and the Inspectorate will make recommendations on any matters on which it concludes there were shortcomings or scope for improvement. The report will be published.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any inquiry into the actions of the Scottish Criminal Records Office with regard to the Shirley McKie case by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary will take evidence from Ms McKie and her family; whether Ms McKie will have full access to its findings, and whether the report will be published.
Answer
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary has contacted the McKie family and he has been assured that they will give every assistance. A report of the inspection will be published in accordance with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary's independent role and in the interests of public accountability.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Strathclyde Police, or any other organisation or individual, regarding compensation for loss of employment and personal damages and suitable pension arrangements for Shirley McKie following her unsuccessful prosecution.
Answer
Decisions relating to Ms McKie's employment by Strathclyde Police are matters for the Chief Constable and Strathclyde Joint Police Board. Ms McKie has appealed against the decision of the police authority not to grant her an injury award. Arrangements are being made to have the appeal determined by an independent medical referee.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions resting solely or mainly on fingerprint evidence have been secured in Scotland in the past five years and in how many of these cases the fingerprint evidence was verified by the four individuals from the Scottish Criminal Records Office who verified the fingerprint evidence in the Shirley McKie case.
Answer
Information on the nature of evidence leading to convictions is not kept centrally.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the concerns about the Scottish Criminal Records Office expressed recently by the fingerprints experts of Lothian and Borders Police.
Answer
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC) will shortly commence an inspection of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO). It will cover the acquisition, examination and presentation of fingerprint evidence and include a review of the training, skills and quality assurance aspects of the SCRO operation. The fingerprint experts of Lothian and Borders Police raised concerns about SCRO's handling of the fingerprint evidence in the case of Shirley McKie. The McKie case will be closely examined as part of the inspection process and recommendations will be made on any matters where there were shortcomings or scope for improvement. HMCIC's report will be published.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 21 March 2000
To ask the Presiding Officer how often the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, or any of its members, has met Enric Miralles since 1 June 1999; where any such meetings were held and what was discussed at each of these meetings.
Answer
Enric Miralles and/or his partners in the joint venture company EMBT/RMJM have met the SPCB on 10 separate occasions since 1 June 1999. Nine took place in Edinburgh and a range of issues were discussed. One meeting took place in the Parliamentary Chambers in Brussels and The Hague to discuss chamber design and was attended by myself and two SPCB members. I also met Enric Miralles while on a private visit to Barcelona.
- Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by David Steel on 16 March 2000
To ask the Presiding Officer at how many Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body meetings, from 1 June 1999 onwards, the design, space or cost of the new Parliament building was discussed.
Answer
I advise members to await the publication of Mr Spencely's report which will enable such details to be set in context.
