Chamber and committees

The law concerning physical restraint centres around the use of reasonable force. NHS staff have a duty of care not to cause unnecessary harm to patients. Where a decision is made under the Mental Health Act (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, the strong legislative and supporting messages are that such interventions be undertaken only by staff who are fully trained in appropriate control, restraint and resuscitation techniques.

Following recommendations from the inquiry into the death of the psychiatric patient David Bennet, NHS Education Scotland has developed training standards on Prevention and Therapeutic Management of Violence in Adult Mental Health Settings. These have been piloted and are now being consulted on with the NHS publication later this year. A copy will be placed in the  Parliament’s Reference Centre under reference (Bib. number 35187).

NHS staff have a duty of care not to cause unnecessary harm to patients. Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, where a decision is made to administer urgent medical treatment under the act and this treatment is to be administered by force, the strong legislative and supporting messages are that such interventions be undertaken only by staff who are fully trained in appropriate control, restraint and resuscitation techniques.

Before Communities Scotland approves proposals for the construction of affordable houses for rent or ownership, a pre-approval process establishes that sufficient infrastructure capacity, including water and sewerage, is available to support the project. As a result, while there may be occasions when progress is delayed while infrastructure issues are addressed, there are no affordable homes for rent or ownership for which approval was granted by Communities Scotland this financial year and which are unable to be built due to a lack of appropriate water and sewage infrastructure.

I refer the member to the answer to S2W-14421 on 22 February 2005 . Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14423 on 22 February 2005. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to question S2W-14422 answered on 22 February 2005. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

	Percentage of SDEA Police Officers from an Ethnic Minority (%)
Chief Officer	0
Superintendent	0
Inspector	0
Sergeant	0
Constable	0.5

Note: Chief officer includes the ranks of chief constable, deputy chief constable and assistant chief constable; superintendent includes the rank of chief superintendent, and inspector includes the rank of chief inspector.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

	Percentage of SDEA Police Officers who are Female (%)
Chief Officer	0
Superintendent	33
Inspector	0
Sergeant	7
Constable	14

Note: Chief Officer includes the ranks of chief constable, deputy chief constable and assistant chief constable; superintendent includes the rank of chief superintendent, and inspector includes the rank of chief inspector.

The percentage of recruits who leave before the end of their training is not held centrally but is likely to vary from year to year. In 2003-04 there were 306 female recruits to the Scottish Police Service. In the same year, 11 female recruits (equivalent to 3.6% of the number joining in that year) left through voluntary resignation. However, the initial training period for new recruits lasts for up to two years and some of these leavers may have been recruited in 2002-03.

Information about those who may have been required to resign or who may have transferred to other forces outside Scotland is not held centrally.

The percentage of recruits who leave before the end of their training is not held centrally but is likely to vary from year to year. In 2003-04 there were 15 ethnic minority recruits to the Scottish Police Service. In the same year, one ethnic minority recruit left through voluntary resignation. However, because the initial training period for new recruits lasts for up to two years, the information held centrally does not indicate whether this leaver was recruited in 2002-03 or 2003-04.

Information relating to those who may have been required to resign or who may have transferred to other forces outside Scotland is not held centrally.