- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Dorothy Bain on 10 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27369 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, how many of the (a) 545 charges related to incidents that took place in and (b) 17 convictions were for crimes against residents of the Lothian region.
Answer
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) uses a live, operational database to manage the processing of reports submitted to Procurators Fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies throughout Scotland. It is designed to meet business needs in the processing of criminal cases, rather than for statistical purposes and the information within it is structured accordingly. Information provided is at date of extract and may therefore be subject to change as data and systems are updated for operational reasons.
Of the 545 charges referred to in the answer to question S6W-27369, 90 charges took place in the Lothian region. For the purposes of this answer, the ‘Lothian region’ has been limited to charges reported to COPFS from Edinburgh and Livingston Sheriff Court Districts only.
Of the 17 convictions referred to in the answer to question S6W-27369, there were 2 which related to offending against residents of the Lothian region.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Scottish breast screening programme data 2022-23, for what reason the uptake for routine first invitations has been declining, and what steps are being taken to address this.
Answer
The Scottish Breast Screening Programme Statistics 2022-23 show that more women than ever are attending breast screening appointments, and that uptake is increasing for most groups. It is important to note that uptake for women receiving their first breast screening invitation in 2022-23 was higher than any pre-COVID year since 2013-14, and was above the 10 year average of 70.8%. It is also above the standard uptake rate of 70%. Therefore, overall the picture for breast screening uptake is encouraging.
However, the Scottish Government recognises that there is still work to be done to improve uptake, including among those receiving their first invitation, and to meet the 80% achievable standard. We continue to work with the organisations responsible for breast screening to fully understand barriers to uptake, and to encourage all women to attend breast screening when invited. As part of this, we continue to ensure work is carried out to address inequalities in uptake and access to screening, having committed £3 million since 2021 to tackle inequalities in the programmes, which remains a priority. We will also provide £1 million funding for 2024-25.
The Breast Screening Review that was published in 2022 noted recommendations that seek to increase breast screening uptake. The Breast Screening Modernisation Board, chaired by Dr Marzi Davies, is currently taking forward these recommendations.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many women have been invited for their breast screening appointment outwith the 36-month round length standard, in each year since 2019.
Answer
The Scottish Breast Screening Programme Statistics 2022-23 published by PHS confirm that uptake of breast screening is at its highest level. This means that more women with breast cancer are diagnosed at an early stage when it is more easily treatable and survivable.
Secondary data from this report shows the following number of women seen from 37 months in the respective years.
Year | >37 months screening round |
2019 | 61,091 |
2020 | 81,021 |
2021 | 188,081 |
2022 | 198,981 |
2023 | 138,120 |
The programme pause between March and August 2020, and the continued impacts of COVID-19, including the measures designed to control its spread, made it particularly challenging for the programme to run at full capacity. This resulted in a significant backlog. Screening organisations worked closely with the breast screening centres to increase the number of available appointments, including introducing more mobile units and extending opening hours.
Significant progress has been made on reducing the average round length, the interval between the date of a woman’s previous screening mammogram and the date of her next first offered appointment, as it has fallen from 41 months in 2021 to 37 months in the first quarter of 2024. We will continue to monitor progress and work with the organisations responsible for breast screening to ensure as many women are invited within 36 months (up to one day less than 37 months) as possible.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 10 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what temporary facilities are available for critical policing facilities in the event that Police Scotland's Edinburgh Division Fettes headquarters are closed, and what assurances it can provide that any such facilities do not contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), unsafe cladding or any other unsafe materials.
Answer
The location of critical policing facilities is an operational decision for the Chief Constable.
Police Scotland is currently in discussions with a number of partners around possible locations in Edinburgh, to ensure it can continue to provide a policing service that meets the needs of communities across the city, in the event that the Divisional headquarters at Fettes are closed.
It is for Police Scotland to assure itself on the condition of its estate, and to ensure it meets all health and safety statutory requirements, to support the wellbeing of officers, staff and the public.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 7 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any legal advice that it has received regarding the potential for any action in the Scottish courts against (a) it and (b) Police Scotland resulting from any disclosure of a non-crime hate incident.
Answer
The recording of non-crime hate incidents is an operational matter for Police Scotland.
Under legal professional privilege the Scottish Government does not disclose the content or source of any legal advice it has received on any topic or whether it has received any legal advice.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has ever corresponded with the Divisional Commander of Police Scotland's Edinburgh Division regarding the operational distribution of officers.
Answer
Scottish Government ministers and officials liaise with Police Scotland officers of various ranks on a regular basis. I and accompanying officials met the then Divisional Commander for Edinburgh in August 2023 as part of a short visit to the joint Police Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council operation overseeing the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The operational deployment of officers is however a matter for the Chief Constable. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 is very clear on this point, and that Police Scotland is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority for this, rather than to Scottish Ministers directly. These arrangements are in place to ensure public confidence that the police act independently, free from unwarranted Ministerial interference.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government which police stations in the (a) Lothian region and (b) Edinburgh Division area have been identified as containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
Answer
Within the Police Scotland estate in the Edinburgh and Lothians area, Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) has been identified as being present in Fettes, and in an outbuilding at Haddington Police Station.
Police Scotland have ensured that there is no risk to officers, staff or visitors to their buildings that contain RAAC.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ruth Charteris on 6 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of hate crime charges or hate crime aggravations have been recorded in Lothian region, to date, under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.
Answer
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) uses a live, operational database to manage the processing of reports submitted to Procurators Fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies throughout Scotland. It is designed to meet business needs in the processing of criminal cases, rather than for statistical purposes and the information within it is structured accordingly. Information provided is at date of extract and may therefore be subject to change as data and systems are updated for operational reasons.
From 1 April to 28 May 2024, 170 hate crime charges and 615 charges with one or more hate crime aggravations in terms of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 have been reported to COPFS for the whole of Scotland. The total, therefore, is 785 charges.
From 1 April to 28 May 2024, 33 hate crime charges and 98 charges with one or more hate crime aggravations in terms of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 have been reported to COPFS in the Lothian region. For the purposes of this answer, the ‘Lothian region’ been restricted to charges reported to COPFS from the Edinburgh and Livingston Sheriff Court Districts. The total 131 hate crime charges and aggravations for Lothian region represents 16.7% of the total for the whole of Scotland.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it will end the reported practice of children and young people being admitted to adult services for treatment, rather than an NHS specialist child and adolescent mental health ward.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 4 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the third supplementary to question S6O-03335 by Angela Constance on 24 April 2024, whether it can confirm if any non-crime hate incidents recorded by Police Scotland under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 will appear in any (a) disclosure and barring service check, (b) security clearance check, including a developed vetting check and (c) database check by (i) a serving officer or civil employee of Police Scotland and (ii) an employee of Disclosure Scotland, including an informal inquiry carried out with regard to current or potential employment.
Answer
In the Interim guidance published for officers on the recording of Non-Crime Hate Incidents - Police Scotland published by Police Scotland on 9 May 2024, it explains that the alleged perpetrator would usually be recorded as the ‘other party’ (unless in exceptional circumstances where there is real risk of harm or future criminal offence). When asked at the Scottish Police Authority Board Meeting on Thursday 23 May 2024 if detail on the ‘other party’ would appear on a Disclosure check, Deputy Chief Constable Alan Spiers provided reassurance that it would not.
In rare cases, Disclosure Scotland may receive other relevant information (ORI) from relevant police forces (including forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) when someone applies to join the PVG scheme, the ongoing monitoring of scheme members, or for an enhanced disclosure check.
ORI is used across the UK, with the UK Government having their own guidance to the police for the handling and processing of non-crime hate incidents in relation to disclosure checks. ORI about the applicant or scheme member can only be provided where the chief officer of a relevant police force reasonably believes it is relevant for the specific purpose of the disclosure and ought to be included on the disclosure certificate. The inclusion of any information Scottish police may hold on an individual is a decision for Police Scotland to make with regard to the statutory Guidance for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.
Disclosure Scotland staff do not have access to the database on which non-crime hate incidents are recorded.
