- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to figures for charges proved for handling an offensive weapon in Tables 6(a) and 6(b) of Criminal Proceedings In Scottish Courts, 2007/08, what the age of the offender was at the time of the offence, broken down by sex.
Answer
The available information is given in the following table.
Persons Convicted of Handling an Offensive Weapon1 by Sex, 2007-08
| Age2 | Males | Females |
| 15 | 6 | 0 |
| 16-21 | 1,115 | 46 |
| 21-30 | 1,221 | 78 |
| Over 30 | 870 | 82 |
| Total | 3,212 | 206 |
Notes:
1. Where main offence.
2. At date of sentence.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to (a) maintaining or (b) increasing the number of firefighters on the front line in the future years.
Answer
Decisions on current and future resourcing requirements within the fire and rescue service are entirely for local government to take.
It is clear that local government will be operating within a more challenging economic climate in the future and the Scottish Government have made clear our expectation that spending decisions should protect frontline services wherever possible.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned at the comments of Ken Ross of the Fire Brigades Union to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that the COSLA was unable to tell the fire service “what formula or criteria it was using to determine the allocation that the fire service was going to get” and that “it seems that there is no longer a clear and transparent set of criteria for setting fire and rescue service budgets” (Official Report c. 2286) and, if so, what action it will take.
Answer
The allocation of revenue funding to fire and rescue services is currently a decision for their constituent local authorities, taking into account their statutory obligations and national and local priorities.
We believe that local government is best placed to understand the unique geography, population spread and risk profile of their communities. For these reasons, a uniform funding formula may not be practical. But we remain open to discussing alternative approaches with our partners, where these bring clear benefits to the frontline services delivered in our communities.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments of Ken Ross of the Fire Brigades Union to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that “our priority is to ensure that at the very least the number of firefighters on the front line is maintained if not increased. That can be done by redirecting funding to the front line from other areas where we see duplication and waste” (Official Report c. 2295).
Answer
The Scottish Government has made clear its expectation that future spending decisions should, wherever possible, protect the frontline services on which our communities depend. We are clear that when considering the delivery of services, local government should deploy the principles of Best Value, as well as considering options for shared services.
The Scottish Government and COSLA believe that there are significant efficiencies to be realised within our fire and rescue services and that these can be delivered without a reduction in the overall capacity of the service to protect our communities.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments of John Speed of the Prison Officers Association to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 concerning a reduction in frontline prison staff that he stated has a massive impact on the health and safety of prison officers; whether it intends to take action and, if so, what action (Official Report c. 2285).
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:
The written evidence subsequently sent to the committee by Mr Speed on 19 October 2009, clarified that the concerns referred to by Mr Speed in his oral evidence related to future staffing levels and confirmed that current staffing levels have been agreed between SPS and its recognised trade unions. Any requirement for further reductions in staffing will be discussed between SPS and the recognised trade unions, and will be subject to rigorous health and safety risk assessments conducted by local management and trade union representatives.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 3 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact that (a) overcrowding and (b) reduced prison officer numbers is having on the safety of prison officers.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:
Current staffing levels have been agreed with local trade union partners and there are a number of protocols and contingencies in place to allow for increases in prisoner numbers and unforeseen staffing problems. The health and safety of SPS staff is paramount and staffing levels are subject to rigorous health and safety risk assessments conducted by local management and trade union representatives.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide police forces with sufficient funding to ensure that they are able to maintain police numbers at current levels until May 2011.
Answer
Provision has been included in the draft budget for 2010-11 for the Scottish Government to pay police grant of £586.7 million, which is a 3.1% (£17.6 million) increase over 2009-10. In addition, in 2010-11 we will continue to meet the costs associated with police forces enjoying the benefits of 1,000 extra officers. We have also provided £95 million to meet the additional costs of police and fire pensions.
Following the concordat with local government, the level of funding local authorities provide to police authorities is no longer set by the Scottish Government. However, the Scottish Government is providing record levels of funding for policing in Scotland and we expect local authorities to continue delivering their end of the bargain in meeting the concordat commitment of providing 1,000 extra officers in our communities by 2011.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the comment of the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 in relation to maintaining officer numbers through 2010-11 that “every force will have looked at profiles of what it might mean if budgets are not at the level that is hoped for” (Official Report c. 2265), whether it considers that this may mean a reduction in officer numbers in some forces.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28037 on 28 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary’s comments to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that it may not be possible to maintain police officer numbers at current levels through 2010-11 (Official Report c. 2265).
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28037 on 28 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
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- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 27 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that all police forces attach sufficient priority to community policing and, if not, what action it will take.
Answer
The Scottish Government worked with police and stakeholders to develop and disseminate the Scottish Community Policing Engagement Principles earlier this year. This work, taken alongside the continuing high priority attached by Scottish Police Forces to ensuring that police officers work within communities to reduce crime and reassure the public, is having a considerable impact in making our communities safer and stronger.
Importantly, the Scottish Government has provided resources which are delivering record numbers of police officers in Scotland “ already over 1,000 more than in March 2007.
