Chamber and committees

Mr Louis McDonald was released on licence on 3 January 1997 in accordance with section 1(3) of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993, in the light of a recommendation from the Parole Board which the Secretary of State was statutorily obliged to accept.He was recalled to custody on 19 May 1999 on the recommendation of the Parole Board because of a breach of licence which suggested that he presented an unacceptable risk to the public. He remained in custody until the expiry of his sentence on 4 July 1999 when he was released.

I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-15809.

The information requested is given in the following table:Crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland in which a firearm wasalleged to have been used, 1995-96 to 1999-2000

	Financial Year
	1995-96	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000 (provisional)
Crimes and offences involving pistol/revolver	120	175	134	156	114
Total crimes and offences involving firearms	1,763	1,530	1,076	1,066	976

The information requested is given in the table:Crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland in which a firearm was alleged to have been used, 1995-96 to 1999-2000

Percentage

	Financial Year
	1995-96	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000 (provisional)
	(%)
Percentage of crimes and offences involving firearms which were robberies	13.2	14.4	11.3	13.1	12.2

The latest available information, which relates to 1999, is given in the table. In the majority of cases, information on prosecutions of repeat offences in relation to this type of offence cannot be separately identified within the data held centrally.Number of offences of failing to insure against third party risks proceeded against in Scottish courts, 1999

	Total
Number of offences proceeded against	16,251
Number of offences with a charge proved	14,461
of which resulting in:
Custody	39
Community Service Order	164
Admonition	3,589

The latest available information, which relates to 1999, is given in the table.Number of offences of driving while disqualified proceeded against in Scottish courts, 1999

	Total	No previous convictions1	One or more previous convictions1
Number of offences proceeded against	3,464	1,498	1,966
Number of offences with a charge proved	3,205	1,408	1,797
of which resulting in:
Custody	1,352	291	1,061
Community Service Order	643	344	299
Admonition	129	69	60

Notes:1. Previous convictions in Scottish courts, in the period 1989-99, for the offence of driving while disqualified.

This is essentially an operational matter for Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.All NHS hospitals will face peaks in demand at certain points of the year.I understand that a recent outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea has put additional pressure on services. However, I am reassured that at all times the Trust has been able to provide emergency medical provision.

The latest information available from the Teacher Census at September 1998, shows there were an estimated 20,398 (FTE) teachers who were permanently employed, out of a total of 22,508 (FTE) teachers employed in publicly funded primary schools. The School Census at September 1999 shows there was a FTE of 22,643 teachers employed in publicly funded primary schools, with a total headcount of 27,621.In publicly funded secondary schools at the time of the Teacher Census at September 1998, there were an estimated 22,447 (FTE) teachers who were permanently employed, out of a total of 24,091 (FTE) teachers. The School Census at September 1999 shows there was a FTE of 24,455 teachers employed in publicly funded secondary schools, with a total headcount of 26,119.There is no date set for a Teacher Census, however, information from the September 2000 School Census will be published soon.

The School Census at September 1999 shows there were 1,553 (FTE) male teachers, out of a total of 22,643 (FTE) teachers in publicly funded primary schools. Out of a total headcount of 27,621 primary teachers there were 1,927 male teachers.In publicly funded secondary schools, 11,305 (FTE) teachers were male, out of a total of 24,455 (FTE) teachers. Out of a total headcount of 26,119 secondary teachers, there were 11,641 male teachers.

In the year ended 31 December 2000, the Parole Board recommended the early release on licence of 374 prisoners sentenced to a term of imprisonment of four years or more. Scottish Ministers were statutorily obliged to accept the board's recommendation in 344 of the cases concerned. Of the 30 cases over which Scottish Ministers exercised discretion, they accepted the Parole Board's recommendation in all but one. In view of the timing and terms of the board's recommendations, some of the prisoners concerned may not have been released until 2001.32 life prisoners, including 10 designated life prisoners whom the Parole Board directed should be released, were released on life licence. The remainder were released following a recommendation from the board and after consultation with the judiciary. 30 of those concerned had been convicted of murder, one of wilful fireraising and one of various crimes, including rape and assault and assault and robbery. Two life prisoners were recalled to custody because they faced criminal allegations involving violence which suggested that they presented an unacceptable risk to the safety of the public.