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: S5W-04868

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners assessed with brain injury were given release conditional on attending neuropsychological rehabilitation in each of the last five years.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The Parole Unit database for the release of prisoners on compassionate grounds shows that there were no prisoners released on those grounds to attend neuropsychological rehabilitation in the last 5 years.

This information is available on the Scottish Government Website.

Any information on prisoners who attended a neuropsychological rehabilitation service as an out-patient would be held by the individual NHS Health Board.

Question reference: S5W-04870

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners assessed with brain injury were provided with outpatient neuropsychological rehabilitation, and how long they waited for treatment, in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5O-00403

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of health services in the Moray area.

Question reference: S5O-00297

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland and Network Rail regarding establishing a safe pedestrian crossing on the A96 between Forres and the rail station.

Question reference: S5O-00222

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Grampian about the current level of ophthalmic care provided at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin and what plans it has for the future of this service.

Scottish Government officials meet regularly with the Board to discuss matters of interest to the people of Grampian. This includes discussions with Grampian’s senior management about waiting times performance and associated service delivery across all specialties.

It is for NHS boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to plan and provide services that meet the needs of local people, whilst being consistent with national policies and frameworks established by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5W-02690

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time from caution and charge to verdict for (a) sheriff court and (b) Justice of the Peace court cases has been in each month since April 2014.

Michael Matheson:The average time from caution and charge to verdict for Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court cases for each month since 2014 is in the following table. The last full month’s recorded data currently available is July 2016.

	Sheriff Courts	Justice of the Peace Courts
April 2014	147	175
May 2014	143	176
June 2014	157	188
July 2014	140	177
August 2014	146	183
September 2014	158	194
October 2014	160	192
November 2014	165	203
December 2014	150	183
January 2015	161	192
February 2015	168	207
March 2015	162	212
April 2015	163	222
May 2015	167	218
June 2015	165	223
July 2015	164	210
August 2015	158	210
September 2015	161	211
October 2015	164	209
November 2015	166	209
December 2015	150	199
January 2016	162	218
February 2016	173	240
March 2016	164	220
April 2016	158	216
May 2016	156	199
June 2016	150	218
July 2016	165	225

Question reference: S5W-02689

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of (a) sheriff court and (b) Justice of the Peace court cases has been dealt with within the 26-week performance target from caution and charge to verdict, in each month since April 2014.

The percentage of Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court cases dealt with within 26-weeks (from caution and charge to verdict) for each month since 2014 is in the following table. The last full month’s recorded data currently available is July 2016.

	Sheriff Courts	Justice of the Peace Courts
April 2014	68%	64%
May 2014	68%	63%
June 2014	66%	60%
July 2014	69%	65%
August 2014	67%	62%
September 2014	64%	60%
October 2014	64%	61%
November 2014	63%	59%
December 2014	67%	65%
January 2015	64%	62%
February 2015	62%	57%
March 2015	64%	56%
April 2015	64%	52%
May 2015	63%	53%
June 2015	63%	53%
July 2015	66%	57%
August 2015	64%	59%
September 2015	66%	56%
October 2015	64%	56%
November 2015	65%	60%
December 2015	68%	63%
January 2016	66%	59%
February 2016	63%	53%
March 2016	65%	59%
April 2016	66%	61%
May 2016	66%	64%
June 2016	67%	60%
July 2016	65%	62%

Question reference: S5W-02686

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates a decrease in the number of railway police officers and staff following the integration of the British Transport Police into Police Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-02687

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it will put in place to deal with any rise in calls from the public following the proposed merger of the British Transport Police and Police Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-02688

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it anticipates policing cross-border travel without disrupting service provision to passengers and railway operators following the integration of the British Transport Police into Police Scotland.