- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions to accident and emergency departments there were in the last year where a glass bottle was used as a weapon, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Unintentional injury is a common cause of emergency hospital admissions and accounts for 1 in 9 of all admissions for adults aged 15 and over. However, there is no recognised diagnosis code for assault where a glass bottle was used as a weapon, and ISD (Information Services Division Scotland) does not collect data on the reason for attendance at an Accident and Emergency clinic.
The closest external cause diagnosis code is for ˜assault by sharp object'', data on which is held centrally by Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland at the following link:http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5337.html.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the finding in Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in January 2009, that the proportion of offenders blaming their current offence on alcohol had risen from 29.5% in 1979 to 56.8% in 2007, whether it intends to increase the provision of alcohol misuse support in prisons or make any other changes to this programme.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
SPS has been providing treatment, support and behavioural change programmes for alcohol and other substance misuse problems for a number of years. In light of recent evidence, including the research cited, the Scottish Prison Service will adjust its investment in alcohol programmes and service provision improvements.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the publication in January 2009 of Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), whether it has commissioned any further research into issues uncovered in the report.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
The Scottish Prison Service, in partnership with the Scottish Government and Health Scotland, is planning to commission research to guide effective alcohol interventions for the prisoner population, as well as including additional problem alcohol use questions in the Annual Prisoner Survey in 2009.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in January 2009 by William McKinlay, governor of HMP Barlinnie.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:
SPS considers the report to be sound research which highlights a strong link between alcohol consumption and violent crime among young offenders in Scotland. The study has shown a dramatic change in alcohol use among cohorts of young offenders over three surveys conducted since 1979. The qualitative interviews conducted in 2008 also shed light on young people''s perspectives on intoxication and alcohol''s disinhibiting effect in perpetrating violence. Many of the presenting issues of this group of young men appear to be culturally conditioned and peer influenced and SPS continues to work with partner agencies in the community to support the maintenance of appropriate behavioural change, responsible use of alcohol and desistance from criminal activities and violent acts on release from custody.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings in Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in January 2009, that prisoners questioned felt that increasing the prices of alcohol products would have little positive impact on their behaviour and that this policy might impact more strongly and negatively on law-abiding consumers, what its assessment is of these findings and what action it intends to take.
Answer
Our document
Changing Scotland''s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action (Bib. number 47805) sets out a package of measures to rebalance Scotland''s relationship with alcohol. Some actions are specific legislative measures designed to effect change in the short term and others focus on creating cultural change over the longer term. The price of alcohol needs to form part of this package as there is strong evidence to show that the consumption of alcohol is affected by price.
In relation to crime harms, research carried out by the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield shows that these are estimated to reduce as the price of alcohol is increased, and that the section of the population that is most likely to be affected is 11 to 18-year-olds as they are disproportionately involved in alcohol-related crime.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the finding in Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in January 2009, that price was not a major constraint on alcohol consumption among these young offenders, what its assessment is of this finding and what action it intends to take.
Answer
The research referred to aims to develop understanding of the use of alcohol and violence among male young offenders in Scotland. This is a very specific remit and should not be taken to be representative of the population as a whole. We note the report with interest.
Taking a wider population approach, our document Changing Scotland''s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action (Bib. number 47805) sets out a package of measures to rebalance Scotland''s relationship with alcohol. Some actions are specific legislative measures designed to effect change in the short-term and others focus on creating cultural change over the longer term. The price of alcohol needs to form part of this package as there is strong evidence to show that the consumption of alcohol is affected by price.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the finding in Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in January 2009, that suggested that a prohibitive price increase to alcohol products would foster an illegal market, perhaps with alcohol drinkers turning to illegal drug use and illegal drug dealers turning to alcohol sales, what its assessment is of this finding and what action it intends to take.
Answer
Our detailed proposals for minimum pricing will be proportionate, reasonable and effective, not prohibitive.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of findings in Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in 2009, that prisoners questioned felt that increasing the prices of cheaper alcohol products would not reduce consumption but encourage the consumption of stronger alcohol products, what its assessment is of these findings and what action it intends to take.
Answer
Our document
Changing Scotland''s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action (Bib. number 47805) sets out a package of measures to rebalance Scotland''s relationship with alcohol. Some actions are specific legislative measures designed to effect change in the short term and others focus on creating cultural change over the longer term. The price of alcohol needs to form part of this package as there is strong evidence to show that the consumption of alcohol is affected by price.
Various studies have been carried out on the effects of product switching if the price of alcohol is increased. There is strong evidence to show that increasing the price of alcohol reduces overall consumption, even taking into account product switching.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has recently undertaken into drug misuse among students.
Answer
The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey gives an indication of illicit drug use in those aged 16 years and above, although this excludes those living in communal accommodation such as student halls.
The Scottish Government is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of drug misuse research and information on behalf of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drugs Misuse (SACDM) National Drug Evidence Group. This expert group will advise Scottish ministers on research priorities required to deliver the national drugs strategy. The review includes assessment of the current evidence base on students and other populations.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 30 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences were recorded for the (a) sale of alcohol to a person under 18, (b) purchase of alcohol for consumption by a person under 18, (c) purchase of alcohol or its consumption on a licensed premises by a person under 18 and (d) confiscation of alcohol from a person under 18 in 2007-08, broken down by police force.
Answer
The following table shows the number of alcohol offences relating to persons under 18 recorded by the eight Scottish police forces in financial year 2007-08, broken down by police force:
Number of Alcohol Offences Relating to Persons Under 18, by Police Force, 2007-08
| | (a) Sale of Alcohol to Person Under 181 | (b) Purchasing Excisable Liquor for Consumption by Under 18 | (c) Person Under 18 Buying Excisable Liquor or Consuming in a Bar | (d) Confiscation of Alcohol from Person Under 182 | Total |
| Central | 49 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 112 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 36 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 72 |
| Fife | 76 | 41 | 0 | 3 | 120 |
| Grampian | 76 | 61 | 13 | 0 | 150 |
| Lothian and Borders | 104 | 65 | 26 | 1 | 196 |
| Northern | 20 | 42 | 12 | 0 | 74 |
| Strathclyde | 196 | 187 | 50 | 4 | 437 |
| Tayside | 19 | 61 | 6 | 0 | 86 |
| Scotland | 576 | 548 | 115 | 8 | 1,247 |
Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.
Notes:
1. Covers sale of alcohol to under 18s by all licensed persons. There were no crimes recorded in 2007-08 for wholesalers selling alcohol to persons under 18 years.
2. The offence being failure to comply with a confiscation request by a police officer made under Section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997.
I also refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22056 on 30 March 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.
