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-12698

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of domestic assault resulted in a guilty disposition between February 1998 and February 2000.

Question reference: S1W-12696

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average length of time is from charges being brought against an offender of domestic assault to the date of verdict.

There is no available information about the average length of time for a case of domestic assault to progress through the criminal justice system, from charge by the police to verdict.

The Procurator Fiscal Service has set a target in its Strategic Plan for 2000-03, where an accused is not in custody, to take and implement decisions in 80% of all cases within seven weeks of receipt of an offence report, and to issue a summary complaint citation for a first diet hearing to be held within nine weeks of receipt. The scheduling of diets thereafter is for the local sheriff clerk.In custody and in solemn cases, the investigation and prosecution of offences is subject to strict statutory time limits.

Question reference: S1W-12704

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 5 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates exist on what proportion of women with disabilities will be sexually assaulted at some point during their life.

Question reference: S1W-12697

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2001
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 February 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that cases of domestic assault are dealt with as quickly as possible through the criminal justice system.

Question reference: S1W-11760

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 17 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the police have in relation to the policing of the Internet and how any such powers can be extended.

In general, the position in law is that what is illegal "offline" is also illegal "online". Those who commit, or attempt to commit, crimes online are therefore liable to prosecution. The law also provides for specific offences of accessing or tampering with computer systems. Changes to the law relating to the Internet is reserved to Westminster. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is represented on a UK-wide Internet Crime Forum that allows policy and practice in this area to be kept under review.

Question reference: S1W-11756

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 17 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any criminal prosecutions have been pursued in Scotland as a result of offences committed against children where the first point of contact was through Internet chat rooms.

Question reference: S1W-11757

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 17 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any reported cases of approaches to children in Scotland by known paedophiles, initiated through chat rooms or the Internet, that have not led to criminal proceedings.

Question reference: S1W-12176

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for recording the number and nature of European Convention on Human Rights issues raised in legal proceedings under section 7 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Question reference: S1W-11758

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 10 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the computers and e-mail addresses being provided to schoolchildren will not allow access to children by paedophiles.

The Scottish Executive has issued an information pack "ClickThinking - Personal Safety on the Internet" to all Scottish schools and to a wide range of other bodies dealing with children. The pack gives guidance to children and young people, their parents or carers, teachers and others who work with young people on using the Internet in a safe and informed way; and includes a set of resources for schools and families. The pack can be found on the Internet at www.scotland.gov.uk/clickthinking.

All schools and education authorities have been encouraged to produce policies for the safe and ethical use of the Internet. In order to facilitate this development the Scottish Executive is organising a conference in February 2001 for Education Authorities to ensure a common understanding of security issues.

Question reference: S1W-11759

Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2000
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 10 January 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to educate children and parents on the danger of approach by paedophiles through chat rooms and the Internet.