- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 13 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of reported rapes, in each of the last five years, did not proceed to prosecution or had the prosecution abandoned because the complainant was unwilling or too distressed to proceed.
Answer
There are no figures for the numbers of rapes recorded by the police which resulted in reports to Procurators Fiscal for consideration of proceedings. Of the reported cases, we do not have figures about cases where criminal proceedings are not instituted by the Crown because the complainer is too unwilling or distressed to proceed, or where a trial cannot proceed or is discontinued for those reasons.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackie Baillie on 4 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund has been pledged towards projects aimed at changing youth attitudes regarding rape and violence against women.
Answer
The following councils will be using all or part of their award for such projects:
Falkirk - An Abuse Prevention Worker
Glasgow - An Educational Resource Worker
Inverclyde - A Zero Tolerance Development Worker
North Ayrshire - Preventative work in schools
Renfrewshire - Preventative work in schools
A full list of the successful applications for funding from the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund was given in response to S1W-5631.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 31 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making the funding of rape crisis and victim support services a statutory provision, and, if so, whether it will give a timescale for any such development.
Answer
There is already statutory basis for funding voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis or Victim Support services. Section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, makes provision for financial assistance by way of grant or loan to be provided to voluntary organisations whose sole or primary objective is to promote social welfare.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the number of reports of rape on an annual basis for the last five years (a) which were made to the police or relevant authority, (b) where a prosecution did not take place with a breakdown of the reasons why, (c) where a prosecution was proceeded with and (d) where the case proceeded to prosecution and where the prosecution was abandoned with the reasons for abandonment, and whether it will provide an estimate of the number of cases of rape which are unreported annually.
Answer
We do not hold all the information requested. The available information is set out below:Number of rapes recorded by the police:
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | |
| Number Recorded by Police (1) | 395 | 403 | 447 | 570 | 613 | |
Notes:1. Grampian Police include attempted rape in their figures for rape.There are no figures for the number of rapes recorded by police which resulted in reports to Procurators Fiscal for consideration of proceedings and, therefore, no reliable basis for estimating the number of reports which did not result in a prosecution.Number of persons proceeded against for rape and results, 1994-1998
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | |
| Persons Proceeded Against | 63 | 49 | 81 | 75 | 77 | |
| Persons with Charge Proved | 36 | 32 | 41 | 35 | 43 | |
| Proceedings dropped | 1 | | 2 | | 1 | |
| Proceedings discontinued | | | | | 1 | |
| Deserted simpliciter | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| Plea not guilty accepted | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Acquitted not guilty | 14 | 11 | 24 | 31 | 20 | |
| Acquitted not proven | 10 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 8 | |
Persons proceeded against for rape, but subsequently convicted of a lesser charge are not included in these figures. They include persons prosecuted for attempted rape and assault with attempted rape (but not assault with intent to rape).The statistics dealing with court proceedings and recorded crime are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim, or a crime may be reported in one year and proceedings taken in a subsequent year.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 23 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value is of financial savings which have been made across Scotland following the recent local government financial settlement.
Answer
Next year's settlement provides for real terms increases. Government Supported Expenditure (GSE) is set to rise by 3.7% and Aggregate External Finance (AEF) by 2.9%.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the overall cost of establishing and maintaining a Water Industry Commissioner; what will be the salary of the Commissioner and which body will be responsible for paying these costs.
Answer
The cost of recruiting the Water Industry Commissioner is estimated to have been £20,000 and was paid by the Scottish Executive. The cost of maintaining the Commissioner and his office from establishment on 1 November 1999 to 31 March 2000 is expected to be of the order of £450,000. We are currently considering the level of the Commissioner's budget for 2000-01. The water authorities meet the cost of the Commissioner and his office. The Commissioner's salary is currently £67,500 per annum.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number and value of sewerage assets currently owned by the private sector through Private Finance Initiative or Public Private Partnerships, and the number and value of sewerage assets publicly owned in respect of (i) East of Scotland Water (ii) West of Scotland Water and (iii) North of Scotland Water.
Answer
There are nine PFI waste-water schemes currently being developed on behalf of the Scottish water authorities. The value of these schemes is a matter for the PFI contractors but the equivalent capital cost by conventional procurement would be around £600 million. Water authorities are currently conducting studies of their above and below ground assets comprising water and waste-water treatment works etc and the mains network of pipes supporting them. In his advice on charges, the Water Industry Commissioner gives an estimate that the replacement value of the water authorities' assets could be up to £16 billion.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number and value of water supply assets currently owned by the private sector through Private Finance Initiative or Public Private Partnerships, and the number and value of water supply assets publicly owned in respect of (i) East of Scotland Water (ii) West of Scotland Water and (iii) North of Scotland Water.
Answer
There are no PFI schemes relating to the supply of drinking water.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 9 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of rape victims have their request to be examined by a female police surgeon granted and, of this percentage, whether it will detail the average distance travelled and time waited by these victims to receive attention in comparison with those who receive treatment from a male surgeon.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Gil Paterson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 2 March 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police officers have specialist training in dealing with victims of rape and domestic abuse and what percentage of these are female, and what measures it is taking to ensure that specialist training of all police officers is a national provision within police forces from the time of recruitment and as part of ongoing professional development.
Answer
Approximately 11 per cent of police officers in Scotland, including detectives, are specially trained in dealing with victims of rape and 50 per cent of those trained are women. It is more difficult to quantify those specially trained to deal with domestic abuse but all operational officers receive training in recognising and dealing with domestic violence and all forces are actively trying to raise awareness of domestic violence.80 per cent of training is provided on a national basis by the Scottish Police College, and awareness training on rape and domestic abuse is incorporated into many of the courses they run, including probationer training. Local forces supplement the national training with a wide range of local courses. Training needs are regularly reviewed by the Scottish Executive and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland.
