- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation has the statutory responsibility for dredging the River Clyde and the maintenance of navigable channels on the river.
Answer
Statutory responsibility for the dredging and maintenance of navigational channels on the River Clyde is a matter for Clydeport as harbour authority, under the Clyde Port Authority Confirmation Act 1965.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when discussions were last held with Clydeside local authorities concerning the dredging of the River Clyde.
Answer
Dredging of the River Clyde has not been raised by the Clydeside local authorities with the Executive. Clydeport, as harbour authority, has statutory powers to dredge the River Clyde.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what training courses are provided for judges in relation to court cases involving charges of rape and other sexual offences.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28964 today. All answers to 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been commissioned into the conduct of the judiciary in rape trials and whether the findings of any such research will lead to discussions about such trials.
Answer
No research into the conduct of the judiciary in rape trials has been commissioned. Research carried out by Brown, Burman & Jamieson into the use of sexual history and sexual character evidence in Scottish sexual offence trials, published by the Scottish Office Central Research Unit in 1992, did, however, involve court observation of sexual offence trials. That research report informed the development of policy in this area, and underpinned the changes in the law of evidence made by the Sexual Offences (Procedure & Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2002.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what training courses are provided for judges and sheriffs in relation to court cases involving allegations of domestic violence.
Answer
Judicial training is a matter for the judiciary. It is overseen by the Judicial Studies Committee. The subjects of rape, other sexual offences, child abuse, sexual abuse and domestic violence are currently dealt with in the annual refresher courses, primarily in the context of domestic violence. I understand that consideration is being given to seminars on sexual offences next year.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what training courses are provided for judges and sheriffs in relation to court cases involving charges of child abuse and sexual abuse.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28964 today. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 16 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities (a) continue to control and manage council houses and (b) have carried out complete housing stock transfers.
Answer
All local authorities in Scotland currently own and manage council houses. Tenants in Glasgow, Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway have voted in favour of whole transfers, and work to complete the transfers is continuing.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive on what grounds a judge may be removed from any list of judges authorised to conduct trials involving charges of rape and other sexual offences.
Answer
There is no list of judges authorised to conduct trials involving charges of rape and other sexual offences and hence no procedures for the removal of a judge from such a list.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any procedures in place that ensure that only judges with the appropriate training, experience and sensitivity conduct trials involving charges of rape and other sexual offences and whether it will publish a list of such judges.
Answer
Any Judge of the High Court of Justiciary may conduct trials involving charges of rape and other sexual offences. There are no procedures to restrict such trials to certain judges.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 16 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in hand to improve or create flood management control schemes.
Answer
Local authorities already have wide powers under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 to mitigate flooding of non-agricultural land in their areas. Measures, other than maintenance or repair, have to be in accordance with flood prevention schemes, made by councils, widely advertised and submitted for confirmation to Scottish ministers. The Executive issued National Planning Policy Guidance, in 1995, to planning authorities to apply the precautionary principle so that flood risk is avoided where possible and managed elsewhere.
