- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much in Scottish police resources, funding and time has been used to apprehend Richard Crawford after his absconding on bail.
Answer
Where an individual absconds on bail, Scottish forces will as a matter of course take steps to check whether that individual is in their area and, if so, to seek his/her apprehension. However, any resources expended as a consequence are a matter for individual forces and the information is not held centrally
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements the justiciary has in place to notify the police when a person (a) charged with and (b) convicted of (i) serious assault, (ii) rape, (iii) culpable homicide and (iv) murder is granted bail and what plans it has to issue guidance or directions to the justiciary on this issue.
Answer
The Scottish Court Service (SCS) notify the police in those cases where bail is granted to an accused person and a further condition, or conditions, is imposed in addition to the standard conditions irrespective of the type of offence. The police are informed by the SCS when an appellant is granted bail pending the determination of his appeal irrespective of the offence and of whether further conditions in addition to the standard conditions are imposed.Where the police require details of a particular bail application not covered by these arrangements, such information will be available from the police officer present in court where the accused appears from custody, or from the clerk of court when bail is granted or bail conditions are varied.On guidance or directions to the judiciary, I would refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28832 today.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 August 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many daily doses of (a) methadone and (b) the opiate blocker Naltrexone were prescribed in each prison in 2001.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information requested is not available.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 August 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what risk assessment it has carried out into the community safety implications of prescribing heroin substitutes and blockers in prison, in order to reduce dependency on heroin following a prisoner's release.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Clear guidelines as to prescribing for drug misusers in prison are contained within SPS' Health Care Standards, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20561).
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 August 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 10 September 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what policies and procedures it has in place to ensure that any complaints made against the (a) Crown Office, (b) Office of the Procurator Fiscal, (c) Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman, (d) Law Society of Scotland, and (e) police forces are dealt with correctly and without prejudice against the complainant.
Answer
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has a complaints procedure, details of which are available on the Crown Office website. The policy is to respond to all complaints quickly, courteously, fairly and efficiently and to take appropriate action when required. In addition, members of the public can, and often do, write to the Lord Advocate either personally or via their Member of Parliament. The Lord Advocate and his officials investigate concerns and complaints made in this way with a view to giving full and objective responses.Complaints of criminal conduct by police officers are investigated independently by Area Procurators Fiscal and reported to Crown Office for consideration of a Law Officer. Again details of this procedure are available on the departmental website. The procedures for handling complaints against the police, which do not involve criminal conduct, are regulated by statute. The legislation enables a dissatisfied complainant to ask Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to review the case. A consultation paper was issued last year with proposals on ways to enhance the independence of the police complaints system and we are currently considering the next steps in light of the responses to that consultation.The Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 provides for the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman to investigate complaints about the way in which the Law Society of Scotland has handled a complaint against a solicitor. The Ombudsman's powers and relevant procedures are set out in sections 34, 34A, and 34B of the 1990 Act and schedule 3. A complaint to the Ombudsman marks the end of the appeals process, and the Ombudsman's written report setting out her conclusions on a complaint is final. The Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman is appointed by the Scottish ministers after consultation with the Lord President of the Court of Session and is independent of both the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish ministers. Complaints about the service received from the Ombudsman's Office should be made to the Ombudsman. The Scottish ministers may give general directions to the Ombudsman about the scope and discharge of her functions, but do not at any time get involved with individual complaints. The General Directions which came into force on 1 April 1993 are set out in Appendix A to the Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2001-02.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 14 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has in relation to criminal investigations by the police of fraud relating to tribunals operating in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive expects that any fraud relating to tribunals involving potential criminal activity would be reported to the police. It would be a matter for the appropriate police force to decide whether to pursue a criminal investigation and what form any investigation should take.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) cost and (b) benefits are, in terms of potential mortality and morbidity, of treating drug-using prisoners in accordance with published European recommendations.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The Scottish Prison Service provides a range of services and treatments to drug-using prisoners. We have not undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of this provision in relation to potential mortality or morbidity.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have suffered (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal overdoses from illegal opiates whilst receiving legal opiates in prison in each year from 1997-98 to the present date, broken down by prison.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:(a) None.(b) The information requested is not available.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 August 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Prison Service spent on (a) heroin substitutes and (b) heroin blockers in (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99, (iii) 1999-2000, (iv) 2000-01 and (v) 2001-02.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Figures are available only for 2000-01 and 2001-02. These are shown in the table:
| | 2000-01 | 2001-02 |
| (a) | £13,324 | £49,009 |
| (b) | £3,955 | £3,567 |
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 17 July 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Committee of the Council of Tribunals has any powers to investigate allegations of fraud in respect of tribunals and, in particular, employment tribunals and whether it will detail such powers.
Answer
The Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals has no powers to investigate allegations of fraud in respect of tribunals. The committee's statutory role is to keep under review and to report on the constitution and working of tribunals and on matters such as the rules of procedure under which they operate. Fraud is a criminal matter which is for the police and Crown Office to investigate.
