- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any precedents which were relevant to the release from custody of Andrew Affleck and Gavin Armstrong, who were charged with murder following a fatal fire in Irvine on 2 March 2001.
Answer
The decision to liberate Andrew Affleck and Gavin Armstrong was based on the circumstances of the case and not by reference to precedent.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what circumstances led to the release from custody of Andrew Affleck and Gavin Armstrong, who were charged with murder following a fatal fire in Irvine on 2 March 2001.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16452.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 5 July 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that full details of the circumstances which led to the release from custody of Andrew Affleck and Gavin Armstrong, who were charged with murder following a fatal fire in Irvine on 2 March 2001, are made publicly available and that the victims and the public are kept fully informed of any developments with this case.
Answer
Proceedings against Andrew Affleck and Gavin Armstrong remain active. It is therefore inappropriate to make public disclosure of any factors relevant to the liberation of the accused. The police remain in touch with the next-of-kin.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will supply the publications Taking Sex Seriously, The Primary School Sex Education Pack and Living and Growing to all MSPs to enable them to inform constituents about the material in the Guide for Teachers and Managers: Health Education 5-14, produced by Learning and Teaching Scotland in 2000.
Answer
No. This would not be an appropriate use of public resources.In March 2001, the Executive issued a circular to Directors of Education giving guidance on the conduct of sex education. At the same time, Learning and Teaching Scotland issued three new publications: A Summary of National Advice; Guidance for Schools and Local Authorities on Effective Consultation with Parents and Carers, and Sex Education in Scottish Schools - A Guide for Parents and Carers. These documents are all available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to establish a public inquiry into the handling by the Crown Office of the recent Ayrshire sex abuse case following the abandonment of the trial.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 28 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3917 by Iain Gray on 25 October 2001, what steps it will take to meet the requirements of those who seek access to police road traffic accident reports.
Answer
Police Road Traffic Accident Reports often contain sensitive information, most notably those involving fatal accidents. Such reports, if made available generally to the public, can cause great distress to victims' families and others. Therefore, it is not appropriate that Police Road Traffic Accident Reports are made available generally to the public. However, the Crown Office recognises the importance of making such reports available in private to those with a legitimate interest, for example victim's families, and this practice will continue. Of course, this will be subject to consideration of prejudice to any proceedings, either in contemplation or pending.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners entering Kilmarnock Prison in each year since 1997 were (a) drug abusers and (b) drug injectors.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:Precise figures of the number of drug abusers entering Scottish prisons are not available, but a prisoner survey at Kilmarnock showed that over 90% of prisoners at entry admitted to being illegal drug users.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the additional #10 million earmarked for work with prisoners with a drug problem in the period 2001-02 to 2003-04 has been allocated to each prison in each year and what criteria were used to determine these allocations.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:Additional funding for expanding work performed within the Scottish Prison Service drug strategy has not been allocated to individual establishments, it will be managed centrally.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners who had been subjected to a self-harm risk assessment were transferred from Kilmarnock Prison to Low Moss in the last year and, of these, how many were Ayrshire home-based.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:All prisoners admitted into prison are assessed for suicide risk - therefore all prisoners who are subsequently transferred will have been assessed at least once, and then again when they are admitted into a new location. We do not have details of how many prisoners transferred to Low Moss are from Ayrshire.
- Asked by: Phil Gallie, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 June 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many robberies involving (a) firearms and (b) handguns were committed in (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97, (iii) 1997-98, (iv) 1998-99 and (v) 1999-2000.
Answer
The information requested is given in the table:Robberies recorded by the police in Scotland in which a firearm was alleged to have been used, 1995-96 to 1999-2000Number
| Financial year |
| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 (provisional) |
| Robberies involving pistol/revolver | 44 | 103 | 66 | 67 | 49 |
| Total robberies involving firearms | 233 | 221 | 122 | 140 | 119 |
