- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to increase the number of convictions for offences relating to domestic abuse and what changes are being implemented by the police in the way they investigate and gather evidence and by prosecutors fiscal in respect of the evidence they request from the police and the way they structure their cases.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is committed to raising awareness about domestic abuse, improving information about the scale and nature of the problem and ensuring that victims get the protection and support they need. This is being achieved through the implementation of the Action Plan in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland. Raising awareness in this way is designed to encourage the reporting of domestic abuse.As regards the criminal justice system, the Prosecution Code sets out the legal, evidential and public interest criteria which apply to all cases, including domestic abuse, and which are taken into account in considering the actions to be taken in relation to a report of a crime. The prosecution views allegations of domestic abuse seriously and where a report alleging such abuse is submitted to the procurator fiscal, the allegation is fully and thoroughly investigated.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 15 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many short-term sex offenders have been released from HM Prison Edinburgh in each month since September 2001.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
| September | 1 |
| October | 4 |
| November | 2 |
| December | 3 |
| January | 5 |
| February | 4 |
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many press releases it has issued in each of the last 12 months about issues concerning the judiciary.
Answer
We do not keep records of the number of press releases issued on particular topics. The total number of press releases issued in the categories "Law and Order" and "Justice" in that period was 213. A full archive of these press releases can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/search.aspx?d=last
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 3 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE5439/2002, when the process of recruiting more prosecutors for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service will begin and when it expects these prosecutors to take up their duties.
Answer
A Depute Procurator Fiscal recruitment exercise is currently under way. The closing date for applications was 15 March 2002. Interviews will be held in April. Successful applicants are expected to take up post from June onwards. Sixteen trainee solicitors will take up post in August 2002 and recruitment will commence in October for trainees to take up post in 2003.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 28 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next have discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the #50,000 for a barrier free refuge in Glasgow announced on 5 March 2002 will be used for.
Answer
The funding is a contribution towards the start up costs for the new barrier free refuge. It will help pay for the specialised furniture and fittings necessary to provide access for the disabled.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the source will be of the funding to keep Steven Beech under 24-hour surveillance.
Answer
Costs incurred by Aberdeen City Council in providing 24-hour surveillance of Mr Beech will be reimbursed by the Scottish Executive under the 100% funding arrangements for criminal justice social work services.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many bids were received for funding under the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund in 2001-02.
Answer
Forty-eight applications were received for the first round of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund. Most were for two year funding and covered the financial years 2000-01 and 2001-02. A further 10 projects were approved later to take up the full funding provision available.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the sustainability plan is for the barrier free refuge in Glasgow announced on 5 March 2002.
Answer
Glasgow Women's Aid has been granted £50,000 from the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund for a contribution to the set up costs of the barrier free refuge being developed under the Refuge Development Programme. Sustainability is not an issue for this project as the set up cost is one off expenditure for 2002-03 only.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 26 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects under the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund have had their funding discontinued and how many of these will continue to be funded by the other funding partner.
Answer
Nine projects from the first round had funding discontinued in this round. It is a matter for other funding partners to decide whether they should continue their support.
