- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 1 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on police officers were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percentage change over the five-year period.
Answer
I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 28 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the decision by the Planning Inspectorate to order the removal of polytunnels and temporary worker accommodation at Tuesley Farm in Surrey and whether the Executive has any plans to introduce a requirement for planning permission to erect polytunnels on agricultural land with permitted development rights.
Answer
I am aware of the decision in question. The Executive is currently reviewing the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, including permitted development rights in relation to agriculture and has commissioned research on this from Heriot Watt University. The research is due to report towards the end of the year. We will consult on any proposed changes arising from the report in due course.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 23 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of providing a long-term solution to any ongoing competitive disadvantage associated with high fuel prices in rural areas.
Answer
The cost of fuel is a matter reserved to the UK Government. However, Scottish ministers have regular dialogue with Treasury Ministers and will continue to ensure that the Scottish interest on this issue is fully understood by the UK Government. Ministers last met in January.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 23 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20459 by Rhona Brankin on 17 November 2005, whether it will provide an update on the consultation concerning the proposed 300% rise in the cost of sheep dip disposal registration and what representations it has made to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s consultation on the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Fees and Charges (Scotland) Scheme 2006 closed at the end of December 2005. The Executive is currently considering all responses to the consultation, including those concerning the disposal of spent sheep dip and a decision on the final charging scheme will be made shortly.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 23 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in publishing volumes 3 to 5 of its report on energy generation commissioned from AEA Technology and when these volumes will be published.
Answer
Forward energy demand projections contained in the remainder of the study require updated economic data, which has only recently become available to our consultants. Volumes 3 to 5 should be published later this year.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 20 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on paramedics were reported in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percentage change over the five-year period.
Answer
The information requested is not collected centrally in the form requested. The data available on violence and aggression related incidents can be seen on the Scottish Health Statistics website under workforce statistics,
www.isdscotland.org/workforce.
The Scottish Ambulance Service have, however, provided their own locally collected data from 2004 and 2005, which shows the total incidents reported for all ambulance staff including verbal and physical incidents and threats:
Number of Incidents
| Health Board | 20041 | Estimated 20042 | 2005 | Variance | Percentage Variance3 |
| Argyll and Clyde | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | N/A |
| Ayrshire and Arran | 3 | 8 | 7 | -1 | -12.5 |
| Borders | 2 | 5 | 2 | -3 | -60 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 2 | 5 | 1 | -4 | -80 |
| Fife | 5 | 12 | 8 | -4 | -33.3 |
| Forth Valley | 2 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 20 |
| Grampian | 17 | 41 | 30 | -11 | -36.9 |
| Greater Glasgow | 26 | 63 | 74 | 11 | 17.5 |
| Highland | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 233.3 |
| Lanarkshire | 6 | 15 | 30 | 15 | 100 |
| Lothian | 19 | 46 | 42 | -4 | -8.7 |
| Tayside | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 40 |
| Total | 87 | 213 | 232 | 19 | 8.9 |
Notes:
1. Data for 2004 only from Aug onwards.
2. Estimated full year figures (total/5*12) and rounded up to whole figure.
3. Uses Estimated 2004 figures as base.
N.B. The island boards have not been included in this table as they have had no reported incidents.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 10 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers reported being assaulted in each of the last five years, broken down by school and showing (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) the total percentage change over the five-year period.
Answer
School level information has never been collected centrally. Authority level data, which was collected between 1998-99 and 2002-03, was found not to be reliable and this collection was discontinued. Education authorities are responsible for local reporting and recording of incidents. Local authority information for years 2000-01 to 2002-03 was provided in response to question S2W-14364 on 8 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:
http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been employed by each police force in each of the last three years, expressed on a per capita basis and showing year-on-year percentage changes and national totals.
Answer
The information is shown in the following tables.
Number of Police Officers (Whole-Time Equivalent) Per 1,000 Population
| Force | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Central Scotland Police | 2.61 | 2.71 | 2.95 |
| Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary | 3.25 | 3.32 | 3.25 |
| Fife Constabulary | 2.64 | 2.78 | 2.81 |
| Grampian Police | 2.42 | 2.56 | 2.62 |
| Lothian and Borders Police | 3.02 | 3.09 | 3.13 |
| Northern Constabulary | 2.50 | 2.47 | 2.52 |
| Strathclyde Police | 3.37 | 3.37 | 3.48 |
| Tayside Police | 3.00 | 2.99 | 3.01 |
| Total | 3.04 | 3.08 | 3.15 |
Year-on-Year Percentage Change
| Force | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Central Scotland Police | +2.35% | +3.83% | +8.86% |
| Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary | +0.93% | +2.15% | -2.11% |
| Fife Constabulary | +1.93% | +5.30% | +1.08% |
| Grampian Police | +2.54% | +5.79% | +2.34% |
| Lothian and Borders Police | +0.33% | +2.32% | +1.29% |
| Northern Constabulary | +1.63% | -1.20% | +2.02% |
| Strathclyde Police | +2.12% | 0.00% | +3.26% |
| Tayside Police | +0.33% | -0.33% | +0.67% |
| Scotland | +1.67% | +1.32% | +2.27% |
Notes:
Police Officer Numbers (whole-time equivalent) from Quarterly Strength Returns from forces.
Population figures are mid-year estimate.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 December 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 3 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels of long-term industrial investment have been in each year since 1992, showing year-on-year percentage changes.
Answer
It is not possible to answer this question from the data held centrally. The Office for National Statistics collects information on Net Capital Expenditure through the Annual Business Inquiry. This survey does not, however, cover investment from all industrial sectors.
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 3 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any discussions have taken place with the energy sector or the UK Government in connection with potential energy shortages and relevant contingency plans and, if so, whether it will give details of such discussions.
Answer
Energy policy, including security of supply, is mainly a reserved matter. However, there is regular contact between the Department of Trade and Industry and Scottish Executive officials on a wide range of energy matters.
The DTI lead the Energy Emergencies Executive Committee (E3C), and the Executive sits on this committee. In this role, the Executive liaises regularly with both the energy sector; Ofgem, the gas and electricity industry regulator, and the UK government on energy emergencies and contingency arrangements.
