- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any member of the police has made representations to it requesting an investigation into allegations that US agencies may be using Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive isnot aware of any representations from the police regarding this matter.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International their allegations that US agencies may be transporting individuals suspected of being involved in terrorism to countries that practice torture to assess whether there is any veracity in the allegations that planes being used by US agencies for these purposes have stopped for refuelling in Scottish airports.
Answer
The Scottish Executive hasnot had any discussions with Human Rights Watch or Amnesty Internationalregarding these allegations.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many planes stopping over at Scottish airports, in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation, have been searched by the police to investigate these claims.
Answer
This is a matter for thepolice. Whether or not to undertake an investigation is an operational decisionfor the Chief Constable of the relevant police force.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would expect the police force with the appropriate jurisdiction to inspect a plane stopping over at a Scottish airport for refuelling if there was a suspicion that the plane was transporting individuals against their will to a country where they might be tortured.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21579 on 22 December 2005. 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/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed the issue of US agencies using Scottish airports for refuelling for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation with either (a) Her Majesty’s Government or any of its representatives or (b) the US Government or any of its representatives and, if so, with whom such discussions took place and what their nature was.
Answer
Officials have had routinediscussions with counterparts in the UK Government primarily in relation to theanswering of Scottish parliamentary questions and other enquiries about theseallegations. No discussions have taken place with representatives of the USGovernment regarding these allegations.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the details of the case being pursued by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the German national Khaled al-Masri, who alleges he was seized in Macedonia and taken to a US prison in Afghanistan in 2004 where he was tortured whilst being interrogated, when considering whether to investigate the claims that US agencies are using Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation.
Answer
Whether or not toinvestigate an allegation of any criminal matter is an operational decision forthe Chief Constable of the relevant local police force.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had internal discussions on the matter of US agencies using Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation.
Answer
There have been a number ofroutine discussions primarily in relation to the answering of parliamentaryquestions and other enquiries on this matter.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of US agencies using Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21092 on 8 December 2005. 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/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21070, S2W-21071 and S2W-21072 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, why historical data is not retained in respect of prisoners held in a regular prison who should be held in an open prison.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21529 on 22 December 2005. 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/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 December 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21070, S2W-21071 and S2W-21072 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, whether it will now consider instructing the Scottish Prison Service to keep historical data in respect of prisoners held in a regular prison who should be held in an open prison.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21529 on 22 December 2005. 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/wa.search.
