- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in the light of the findings of the report commissioned by it, The Attrition of Sexual Offences in the Criminal Justice System, completed in May 1999.
Answer
The Attrition of Sexual Offences in the Criminal Justice System was a feasibility study, completed in June 1999, which provided preliminary findings from a pilot sample. Since then, consideration of the responses to the consultation paper Towards A Just Conclusion indicated that the priority was to produce legislative proposals to improve the protection of victims in sex offence cases. We have now published our proposals for restrictions on cross-examination of complainers in sex offence cases and will be working on further proposals to protect other vulnerable victims.We are committed to taking forward, in the New Year, related research on vulnerable witnesses and an investigation of the treatment of sexual offence witnesses in court. We will keep the requirement for further research under review. Additionally, we are working on new information technology systems which should make it easier to track individual cases and aid future research.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has committed to educating voluntary organisations on the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights for their work and what form any such education will take.
Answer
I refer Mr Paterson to my answer to question S1W-11531.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 6 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken or plans to undertake any studies into the impact of opencast mines on national energy strategy.
Answer
Energy policy is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive has no plans to study the impact of opencast mines on national energy strategy.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 30 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the End Child Prostitution and Pornography Trafficking Campaign, what issues were discussed and what the outcome was of any such discussions.
Answer
The Executive has been involved in discussions with ECPAT through our joint review with the UK Government of the Sex Offenders Act 1997. The main issue discussed was the extension of the sex offenders register to those resident in the United Kingdom who have been convicted of sex offences abroad.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 27 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether European Regional Development Fund money is available for the re-opening of the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link.
Answer
In line with current EC policy for the 2000-06 Objective 2 Programmes, ERDF will not provide for major infrastructure projects. Activities indirectly connected with such projects which provide additional economic development outcomes may however be eligible to receive European Funding.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 23 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to meet its target of providing every school pupil with Internet access and a personal e-mail address.
Answer
We expect that by 2002 all schools will be connected to the Internet and that e-mail will be available to all pupils.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend the Sex Offenders Act 1997.
Answer
The provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill currently before the UK Parliament will strengthen the existing regime to include:
- initial registration in person within 72 hours;
- powers for the police to fingerprint and photograph offenders on initial registration;
- an increase in the maximum penalty for failing to register from six months to five years imprisonment;
- powers for Ministers to make regulations requiring sex offenders to notify the police when travelling overseas; and
- powers for Ministers to make regulations on the police stations at which offenders must register and on notification to the police on the release of registrable sex offenders.
The Scottish Parliament approved the extension of the measures to Scotland in a debate on 5 October.
We are also continuing our joint review of the 1997 Act with the UK Government. The conclusions reached by the Expert Panel on Sex Offending chaired by Lady Cosgrove and the findings of Lord MacLean's Committee on violent and sex offenders will also be taken into account in considering future legislation.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are in place at present to place sex offenders who were convicted abroad on the sex offenders register.
Answer
There are no such provisions in the Sex Offenders Act 1997. However, we are considering this subject in our joint review of the 1997 Act with the UK Government.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are in place at present to prevent known sex offenders from relocating to avoid registration on the sex offenders register.
Answer
Under the Sex Offenders Act 1997, sex offenders liable for registration have to inform the police when they move house or if they stay at an address for more than 14 days. Failure to do so is an offence.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 November 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had and with whom regarding a European sex offenders register and what the outcome was of any such discussions.
Answer
There have been no such discussions. Arrangements already exist through the National Criminal Intelligence Service and Interpol for intelligence to be sent to other countries when the police believe a known sex offender has travelled to that country and anticipate that he may commit a criminal offence.
