- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for the decline in the number and proportion of cases reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service being sent to the district court since 1997-98.
Answer
The reduction in business in the district court is a consequence of the reduction in the overall number of cases reported to the procurator fiscal, the availability of fiscal fines and other alternatives to prosecution and the shift in the balance of business towards more serious crime.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what the reason is for the rise in the number of cases marked "no proceedings" due to a time-bar under section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 since 1998-99.
Answer
This information is not held centrally. However, we are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what steps it is taking to reduce the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the procurator fiscal.
Answer
We are implementing the recommendations of the recent management review. Additional prosecutors have been recruited and structural changes are being made to improve the management support given to prosecutors.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what the reason is for the rise in the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the police and other reporting agencies since 1998-99.
Answer
This information is not held centrally. However, we are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what steps it is taking to reduce the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the police and other reporting agencies.
Answer
We are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what figures are available regarding the number of threats, assaults and other criminal activity involving sub-postmasters.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to waive prescription charges for people with chronic disabling illnesses such as Parkinson's disease.
Answer
We have no plans to do so.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of summary criminal trials adjourned in advance of the trial date due to the unavailability of police officers.
Answer
Police officers inform the procurator fiscal, in the report which they submit, of any dates on which they will not be available. Procurators Fiscal take that information into account in accepting suggested trial diets. Lothian and Borders Police are, with the co-operation of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service piloting arrangements for police rostering, leave and availability to be checked immediately before trials are fixed. Early indications are that significant reductions in adjournments are being achieved as a result. Grampian Police are also, with the co-operation of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service, piloting a similar process but one based on direct computer access in court. Such measures are designed to ensure that, so far as possible, trial dates are fixed when police officers will be available.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 5 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25671 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 May 2002, what the criteria were for accessing the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme funding and in what ways Independent Special Education Advice failed to meet those criteria.
Answer
The following criteria and priorities were set out in the grant application pack:
- promoting inclusive policies in mainstream and special schools
- approaches to improving links, and sharing skills/expertise between special and mainstream schools
- empowering parents to enable them to participate fully in their children's education
- improving children's participation in decisions which affect them
- promoting integrated and co-ordinated approaches to service delivery (e.g. key worker role)
- offering new approaches to advice and resolution of disagreements between professionals and families
We are writing to those unsuccessful applicants who have requested feedback on their bids. This includes Independent Special Education Advice and a letter outlining the reasons for refusing funding was issued to them on Thursday 30 May.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 29 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish in full a scheme in Scotland similar to the Phoenix Fund which operates in England to encourage entrepreneurship in disadvantaged areas.
Answer
We have no plans to do so. The Enterprise Networks already target entrepreneurship in disadvantaged areas through a range of measures - including the holding of Personal Enterprise Shows in such areas. We have also introduced recently a specific Scottish Enterprise Network annual target for the number of business start-up assists from residents in disadvantaged areas.
