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: S1W-30703

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Richard Simpson on 13 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of any impact that the draft EU framework decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties will have on Scots law.

The draft Framework Decision (FD) on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties envisages financial penalties imposed in one member state being enforced in another member state, if this proved necessary and if there was a request from the issuing state to this effect. The terms of this FD have not yet been finalised. However, the principle behind mutual recognition is that a judicial decision taken in one member state is accepted and enforced as it stands in another. It is not thought at this stage that this FD will have any significant impact on Scots law.

Question reference: S1W-30702

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Richard Simpson on 13 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific representations to Her Majesty's Government about the draft EU framework decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties.

Question reference: S1W-30701

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Richard Simpson on 13 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific representations to (a) the Council of the European Union, (b) any member or body of (i) the European Parliament and (ii) the Committee of the Regions and (c) the European Commission on the draft EU framework decision about the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties.

Question reference: S1W-30694

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Richard Simpson on 13 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28027 by Mr Jim Wallace on 9 September 2002, whether it has yet reached any conclusion on the implications for Scots law of the EU draft framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumentalities and property.

The draft framework decision on the confiscation of crime-related proceeds, instrumenalities and property is still being negotiated within the EU and thus the Scottish Executive is continuing its determination of what the implications might be for Scotland. However, the UK, including Scotland, already has comprehensive provision in relation to confiscation of the proceeds of crime as provided for by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Question reference: S1W-30775

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30102 by Cathy Jamieson on 15 October 2002, with which local authorities it has held discussions on a pilot of specialist children's hearings to fast-track persistent offenders under 16 years old, as referred to in point one of the 10-point action plan set out in Scotland's Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime 2002.

I announced on 23 October that the fast-track hearing pilots will take place in Ayrshire, Dundee and East Lothian/Borders. An initial meeting was held with these authorities as well as Aberdeen, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and Stirling. Further, more detailed discussions were also held with the pilot areas, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling and South Lanarkshire, before decisions on the pilot areas were taken.

Question reference: S1W-30372

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many injuries occurred in each prison that were reportable to the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The available information is as follows:HSE Reportable Accidents Reported to SPS Headquarters: 1 April 1998 to 30 September 2002

Establishment	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
Aberdeen	6	4	2	7	11
Barlinnie	7	10	6	18	17
Castle Huntly	3	1	1	0	2
Cornton Vale	3	6	4	7	11
Dumfries	7	5	9	7	8
Edinburgh	13	9	9	13	18
Glenochil	28	23	25	13	19
Greenock	7	2	5	2	6
Inverness	6	3	2	1	2
Low Moss	7	11	10	8	14
Noranside	2	2	1	3	2
Perth	13	8	4	10	8
Peterhead	2	3	7	6	3
Polmont	7	12	7	13	28
Shotts	6	8	2	25	21
Totals	117	107	94	133	170

Information on Kilmarnock is held by Premier Prison Services which has contractual responsibility for this matter. The SPS does not monitor the number of reportable accidents notified by Premier Prison Services to HSE. The SPS Controller at HM Prison Kilmarnock does however have access to any relevant information should a prisoner be injured.

Question reference: S1W-30713

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 12 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the proposal for a Council of the European Union directive to establish minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers in EU member states.

Question reference: S1W-30760

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 12 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of requirements of licences granted under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 reported to procurators fiscal were marked no proceedings in respect of each category recognised by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each the last three years, broken down by sheriff court district.

Question reference: S1W-30758

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 12 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of offences under sections 2 to 6, 21, 22 and 42 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 were marked no proceedings in respect of each category recognised by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each of the last three years, broken down by sheriff court district.

Question reference: S1W-30759

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2002
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 12 November 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of health and safety regulations made under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 were marked no proceedings in respect of each category recognised by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in each of the last three years, broken down by sheriff court district.