- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal sanctions cover the destruction of any paper or electronic data (a) by Executive staff, (b) when directed by ministers, (c) when undertaken by Executive agencies and (d) by PFI or PPP contractors earlier than the prescribed, advised or contracted periods for retention.
Answer
The only legal sanctionwhich might be applicable in this context is section 65 of the Freedom ofInformation (Scotland) Act 2002, under which it is an offence to alterrecords (including destruction) to prevent disclosure. However, this onlyapplies where the information is held by a Scottish public authority listed in schedule1 of the act and a request for the information has already been made.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what rules cover the retention of paper or electronic data which are held by its PFI or PPP contractors or those of its agencies.
Answer
Scottish Executive agenciesare expected to manage their records in accordance with the Public Records Actsof 1958 and 1967. PFI or PPP contractors are responsible for their own recordsmanagement, and for ensuring that it conforms to any specific legislation whichmay apply to their business, or any requirements there may be in their contract.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many first-time entrants there were to the youth justice system in the year ended (a) 31 March 2004, (b) 31 March 2005 and (c) 31 March 2006.
Answer
Information on the numbers ofchildren referred to the Children’s Reporter on offence grounds is available inthe
Scottish Youth Justice Performance Report 2003-04 to 2005-06 which waspublished in July 2006 a copy of which is available in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 40065).
The Scottish Youth JusticePerformance Report 2003-04 to 2005-06 also contains information on childrenidentified as new and requalifying persistent young offenders between 2003-04 and2005-06. Information on children referred to the Children’s Reporter for the firsttime on offence grounds in the above periods is not collated centrally.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what categories of its records, correspondence or other paperwork are completely destroyed after (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years, (e) five years, (f) 10 years, (g) 25 years and (h) more than 25 years.
Answer
Details of the Executive’sdestruction and retention policy regarding its paper and electronic records,including categories of records, are contained in its records management manualpublished on the Scottish Executive website, available through the followinglink:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/08/15152416/24168.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the destruction of paper records.
Answer
The Executive reviews anddisposes of its records in accordance with the Public Records Acts of 1958 and1967. Although these acts have no legal force in Scotland, they have beenapplied by the Executive in reviewing and disposing of its records by agreementwith the UK Cabinet Office, in the absence of modern Scottish public records legislation.Records are recommended for destruction in accordance with retention anddisposal schedules and only when reviewing staff are satisfied that theycontain no papers that are likely to be of continuing public interest. NoScottish Executive record is actually destroyed without the agreement of theNational Archives of Scotland, whose staff work alongside Executive reviewingstaff to ensure that proper procedures are followed.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its paper records are recorded on microfilm or microfiche or stored electronically prior to destruction.
Answer
No, no reason has been identifiedfor doing so. Files which are judged to be of continuing public interest are transferredto the National Archives of Scotland for permanent preservation once their immediatebusiness use has expired (typically, 25 years after creation).
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have sought support from the NHS for alcohol addiction in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally. However, information on the number of individuals treated by the NHSfor alcohol dependency has been placed in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. numbers 40168 and 40169).
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether electronic data which it holds as a legal requirement, as a result of an administrative decision or for other reasons are held in hard copy format at a site secure from physical damage or destruction.
Answer
No. It is, of course, Executivepractice to store electronic backup offsite for the appropriate period.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists provided NHS services in each of the last 10 years, broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Answer
The information requested isgiven in the table Number of Dentists Providing NHS GDS by Parliamentary Constituencya copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 41525).
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 January 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to reply to my letter dated 21 November 2006 regarding my constituent, Mr A Lyons of Mintlaw.
Answer
I am sorry for the delay inresponding. My reply was sent on 17 January 2007.
