Chamber and committees

I am advised on foodand feed issues, including labelling, by the Food Standards Agency. Food labellingrules are governed by EU law. Where there are no mandatory requirements, Scottishfood can be labelled on a voluntary basis provided it does not mislead the purchaser.The agency has advised me that existing country of origin labelling requirementsare currently being considered as part of a wider EU review of food labelling.

The test purchasing pilot scheme carried out by Fife Constabulary is tackling the sale of alcohol to children under 18in a variety of ways:

Advising licensees about waysto ensure compliance

Targeting premises that sellalcohol to children

Reporting all breaches to theLicensing Board

Prosecuting where appropriate.

To date there have been two successfulprosecutions and there are a further two cases under consideration for prosecution.Five licensed premises have had their licences suspended for periods of fromthree to six months.

The arrangements for the pilotput considerable emphasis on educating licence holders, and on monitoring premiseswhere an initial failure has been detected.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29452 on 15 November 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

The plan to re-develop the siteof HM Prison Low Moss Prison is currently the subject of a Planning Appeal. TheGovernor and members of the SPS Board have briefed staff on several occasions, andprovided written briefings to all staff. This will continue as needed. Trade UnionPartners are represented at each level of the management process. There remainssome uncertainty until the outcome of the planning appeal is known.

The current system of improvementand repair grants will be modified by the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act2006. The process of implementation will include a review of the test for determiningthe amount of grant where a grant is given.

The total values offinancial penalties imposed in Glasgow Sheriff Court between 1 April 2005and 31 March 2006 are –

£214,403.00 for road trafficoffences and

£1,223,778.14 for non- roadtraffic offences.

This information is notavailable for District Courts.

The total value of thefinancial penalties imposed in any one year is liable to be different from thetotal amount paid or remitted. This is because some of the fines imposed in anyone year will be payable over a period which extends beyond that year, andbecause of fines defaulters.

The total values offinancial penalties paid in Glasgow Sheriff Court between 1 April 2005 and 31March 2006 are:

£191,542.88 for road trafficoffences and

£749,927.71 for non- roadtraffic offences.

This information is notavailable for fines paid in District Courts for 2005-06. The information thatis available does not distinguish between road traffic and non-road trafficfines.

The total value of thefinancial penalties imposed in any one year is liable to be different from thetotal amount paid or remitted. This is because some of the fines imposed in anyone year will be payable over a period which extends beyond that year, andbecause of fines defaulters.

The question asks fordetails of sums applied for and seized. This terminology does not sit easilywith the processes which are available under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Ihave therefore given below the value of orders made under the variousprocesses; confiscation order following conviction, forfeiture of cash, andcivil recovery.

An application for aconfiscation order can only be made following conviction. In relation to thecivil processes, an application for forfeiture of cash or for a recovery orderwill only be made following an extensive investigation during which Scottish ministerswill have satisfied themselves that they can prove that the property isrecoverable. Steps can be taken at an early stage under each of these processesto “freeze” assets to make them available to meet a subsequent confiscation,forfeiture, or recovery order.

(a) Thetotal value of Criminal Confiscation Orders made since the Proceeds of CrimeAct 2002 came into force is as follows:

2003-04	£1,484,795.85
2004-05	£1,347,599.02
2005-06	£3,466,739.48

 

(b) Thetotal amount of cash forfeited under section 298 of the Proceeds of Crime Act2002 since the Act came into force is as follows:

2003-04	£660,950.70
2004-05	£787,164.72
2005-06	£583,967.88

 

(c) Thetotal amount realised following the grant of recovery orders under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 since the act came into force is as follows:

2003-04	£23,986.29
2004-05	£203,407.93
2005-06	£761,602.23

 

(d) Figures from the first half of the 2006 financial yearwill be published at the end of October 2006.

The total values of financialpenalties remitted by Glasgow Sheriff Court between 1 April 2005 and31 March 2006 are:

(a) £3,387 for road traffic offencesand

(b) £60,230.57 for non- roadtraffic offences.

This information is not availablefor district courts. The decision on remit of fines is a matter for the court.

Since the ponds have not beenfully operational since occupation, we have not yet established an accurateannual maintenance cost. Maintenance requirements for the ponds are currentlybeing reviewed and this will determine the annual cost.