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: S2W-26462

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24473 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 April 2006, how it reconciles the statement that no credible or reliable information exists regarding the facilitation of “extraordinary rendition” flights through Scottish airports by US agencies with its statement, in answer to question S2W-24475 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 April 2006, that it would not comment on the credibility of a report handed to it by Angus Robertson MP regarding the existence of such flights, on the grounds that “it is not for ministers to judge the credibility, or otherwise, of the information in the report”.

Question reference: S2W-26464

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24680 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2006, how many communications, other than those in the form of written parliamentary questions, it has received on the subject of “extraordinary rendition”; who initiated each communication, and what the Executive's response has been in each case.

I refer the member to theresponses made by the Scottish Executive to recent requests under freedom ofinformation legislation, which will be available as from 19 June on theExecutive’s website. The material published there includes all relevantcommunications to the Executive on the subject of extraordinary rendition andthe Executive’s responses. Names of correspondents have been omitted in orderto comply with data protection requirements.

Question reference: S2W-26526

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what the findings have been of any investigations, undertaken by it, the police or any Executive agency or supported agency, or in which these bodies have co-operated, into the process known as extraordinary rendition.

It is for the police tomount an investigation if information comes to light which they regard ascredible and reliable and indicating that criminal offences may have beencommitted. To date they have not mounted any such investigation: hence thereare no findings. I refer to the member to the answer to question S2W-24473 on 13April 2006.

All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for whichcan be at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S2W-26038

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 16 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Strathclyde Partnership for Transport or its predecessor organisation has made any representations about expansion of the Glasgow subway network.

Question reference: S2W-26489

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 16 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has monitored traffic flow on the A80 at the upgraded Auchenkilns intersection to assess any improvement since the roundabout was replaced by a grade-separated junction and, in particular, whether issues have arisen as a result of tailbacks on the M73 at its junction with the A80.

Traffic patterns on the A80 havebeen monitored since completion of the Auchenkilns Improvement scheme. The surveydata indicates significant travel time savings and that these savings are attractingtrips off the secondary road network. The scheme is therefore already providingconsiderable benefits to both strategic and local traffic and these are not affectedby the remaining endemic capacity problems at the M73 junction.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.

Question reference: S2W-26525

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for rape in each of the last 20 years.

The available information isgiven in the following table.

Persons with a Charge Provedfor Rape¹ in Scottish Courts, 1985-86 to 2004-05

Year	Number
1985-86	44
1986-87	26
1987-88	40
1988-89	49
1989-90	40
1990-91	29
1991-92	29
1992-93	29
1993-94	41
1994-95	26
1995-96	30
1996-97	35
1997-98	30
1998-99	37
1999-2000	27
2000-01	28
2001-02	45
2002-03	37
2003-04	36
2004-05	41

Note: 1. Where main offence.

Question reference: S2W-26037

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 13 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce light rail systems in any location other than the planned Edinburgh tram network.

Question reference: S2W-26109

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tavish Scott on 13 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative route will be in place when there is a closure of both carriageways on the upgraded A80 between Castlecary and Haggs and what steps have been taken to ensure that diverted traffic causes minimal disruption to nearby communities.

The A80 upgrade wouldinvolve the addition of hard shoulders to assist in keeping traffic moving attimes of accident and maintenance. Should an unforeseen incident cause totalclosure, and in common with other parts of the trunk road network, strategicredirection options on the trunk road network would be advised through Traffic Scotland,and as discussed at the Public Local Inquiry last year, the local road networkwould provide alternative routing for the limited time of the closure.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for moreinformation if required.

Question reference: S2W-26414

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 13 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of its expenditure and that of its agencies in the Greengairs area of Lanarkshire in the current year and in each of the last three financial years.

Question reference: S2W-25544

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 13 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm the accuracy of statements made by the Director and Deputy Director of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) to the Justice 1 Committee on 26 April 2006 that none of the SCRO experts involved in the identification of fingerprint evidence during investigation into the Shirley McKie case are currently engaged in the processing or identification of fingerprints (Official Report, Justice 1 Committee, c. 2875), and what duties these experts have been undertaking to date.

The Deputy Director of SCRO didnot give evidence to the committee on 26 April 2006. The SCRO was represented byits Director and two colleagues from the ScottishFingerprint Service, which is currently part of the SCRO. The fingerprint officersinvolved in the court presentation of fingerprint evidence in the Marion Ross murdercase are not providing and are not eligible to provide fingerprint evidence in court.They are employed in the checking and auditing of processes and procedures, andin general supervisory duties within the Glasgow Fingerprint Bureau.