Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 1531 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S3W-26531

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that every sex offender and serious violent offender on supervision has a full and current risk of harm assessment that is available to all tasked with the responsibility of risk management.

The Scottish Executive is working with agencies to introduce the Level of Service Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) which aims to introduce a common approach for risk assessment and case management across agencies tasked with managing offenders. The version of LS/CMI proposed for use across agencies also includes a method for assessing the nature, pattern and seriousness of the offending and, where a risk of serious harm is identified, provides a framework for risk management planning.

Question reference: S3W-26528

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a national review of the joint and integrated working practices in place between police, social work services, co-located units and other relevant agencies, in order to identify and disseminate good practice.

Yes. The Scottish Government accepts and supports the recommendation on integrated working arrangements contained in the joint report by the Social Work Inspection Agency, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland and HM Inspectorate of Prisons on the inspection of the management of high risk offenders. Officials are currently working with the Inspectorates and key stakeholders to examine the options for taking forward this recommendation, and build on the existing examples of co-location and partnership working referred to in the report.

Question reference: S3W-26523

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ensure improvement of social work and prisons access to the Violent and Sex Offenders Register (ViSOR) to enhance information sharing.

The Scottish Government is already working closely with Scottish stakeholders and the National Policing Improvement Agency to enhance information sharing across the public protection network by improving access to ViSOR.

There are 68 ViSOR terminals now available for use in Criminal Justice Social Work with a further eight terminals soon to be deployed. This, in addition to improvements in technical functionality to save staff time and the provision of specialist training, will result in greater use of ViSOR by Criminal Justice Social Work.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) currently has access to a ViSOR terminal and inputs data prior to the release of sex offenders. In the longer term, SPS is considering the feasibility of developing electronic links between ViSOR and its own IT system.

Staff in the Scottish Government''s Health Directorate who deal with restricted patients are also being provided with access to ViSOR.

Question reference: S3W-26524

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to address concerns set out in Multi-agency inspection: Assessing and managing offenders who present a high risk of serious harm 2009, regarding inadequate social work plans for serious violent offenders and sex offenders, with reference to the quality of the plans, evidence of risk management within them, and the failure to carry out subsequent home and unannounced visits as part of them.

National Objectives and Standards for the delivery of social work services in the criminal justice system, with the associated guidance, set out the principles of planning and preparation for release and supervision of offenders in the community.

We plan to introduce a revised and updated version of these standards, which will provide a concise statement of core processes and practices to be applied in a variety of duties and contexts, including risk assessment and case management

We are also working with local authorities to introduce the Level of Service Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) which will introduce a common approach to risk assessment and case management for criminal justice social work and other responsible authorities. This approach includes a method for assessing the nature, pattern and seriousness of offending and where a risk of harm is identified it provides a framework for risk management planning. The method of delivery for this project is currently subject to a national consultation exercise, which will also aims to establish the quality assurance framework which will support long term delivery of consistent approaches to risk assessment and risk management.

Question reference: S3W-26530

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 3 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that social workers who prepare home background reports for serious violent and sex offenders always interview the prisoner, visit the prospective release address and address specifically any risk issues.

Question reference: S3F-01837

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Salmond on 3 September 2009

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government has taken in response to the anticipated problems in implementation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Question reference: S3W-26389

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what the retail vacancy rate has been in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S3W-26385

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what quantity of drugs has been recovered in the Strathclyde Police force area in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) sub-division and (b) type of drug.

Data on drug seizures is available by police force region and not by sub-division.

Figures for the years 1999 to 2006-07 are given in the following publications list, copies of which are available from the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre. The following table provide details of quantities of drug seizures by class.

Year of Seizures	Publication	Tables	Bib. Number
1999	Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2001	104	20860
2000	Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2002	E2.2	27706
2001	Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2003	E2.2	32141
2002	Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2004	E2.2	36121
2003	Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2005	D2.2	38474
2004-05 and 2005-06	Drug Seizures by Scottish Police Forces, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006	15,16,17, 18,19,20	42386
2005-06 and 2006-07	Drug Seizures by Scottish Police Forces, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007	15,16,17, 18,19,20	45847

Question reference: S3W-26387

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people accused in assault cases in each Strathclyde Police force sub-division in each year since 1999 was under the influence of (a) alcohol and (b) drugs at the time of the offence.

Information on whether people accused in assault cases were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the offence is not held centrally.

Data is available for crimes/offences related to alcohol or drugs where the involvement of alcohol or drugs is implicit in the offence, such as drunk/drug driving, drunkenness, general drugs/drugging offences (for example possession with intent to supply), contravention of liquor licensing laws, offences by licensed persons and consumption of alcohol in designated places prohibited by byelaws.

Question reference: S3W-26386

Asked by: Robert Brown, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been charged by Strathclyde Police for possession of illegal drugs in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) sub-division and (b) type of drug.