- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what disposals were applied to people prosecuted under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in the Grampian Police area in 2007-08.
Answer
Court Proceedings data for 2007-08 is not yet available; it is due to be published in April 2009.
The available information is given in the following table. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 includes a range of offences including: illegal importation of drugs, production and manufacture or cultivation of drugs, supply or possession with intent to supply, possession of drugs and obstructing a constable in pursuance of his duty.
Persons with a charge proved in Grampian police force area, where the main offence was under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, by disposal, 2006-07:
| Disposal | Number |
| Prison | 118 |
| Young Offenders Institution | 5 |
| Probation | 84 |
| Community service order | 41 |
| Restriction of liberty order | 1 |
| Drug treatment and testing order | 2 |
| Fine | 428 |
| Caution or admonition | 94 |
| Total | 773 |
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what new technology it is considering for introduction to police forces.
Answer
The introduction of new technology to policing is primarily a matter for the police. We work closely with the Scottish police service, police boards and the Scottish Police Services Authority to support the introduction of technology that will improve policing. A variety of technologies is currently under consideration, including personal digital assistants, mobile fingerprint recognition devices and data enabled breath screening devices.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10012 by Shona Robison on 29 February 2008, how many deaths in NHS (a) Grampian and (b) Tayside hospitals in 2007 were drug-related and, of these, how many were of people aged (i) under 18, (ii) 18 to 29, (iii) 30 to 55 and (iv) over 55.
Answer
The most recent deaths data currently available is for 2007, Source GRO(S).
The total numbers of drug-related deaths in NHS Grampian and in NHS Tayside in 2007 were less than five in both cases. To protect the identities of the individuals involved, the exact numbers have not been disclosed. The highest numbers of drug related deaths were in the 30 to 55 age group.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10011 by Shona Robison on 29 February 2008, how many deaths in NHS (a) Grampian and (b) Tayside hospitals in 2007 were alcohol-related and, of these, how many were of people aged (i) under 18, (ii) 18 to 29, (iii) 30 to 55 and (iv) over 55.
Answer
The information requested is given in the following table.
Alcohol-Related Deaths in NHS Grampian and Tayside Hospitals in 2007
| Age Group | All Ages | Under 18 | 18-29 | 30-55 | Over 55 |
| Health Board | | | | | |
| Grampian | 63 | - | - | 26 | 37 |
| Tayside | 35 | - | - | 17 | 18 |
Source: GRO(S).
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with trade unions on the review of the future of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.
Answer
We have regular informal contact with trade union representatives, in addition to formal meetings of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it costs per day to hold a person on remand.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS does not record the costs broken down between Remand and Convicted prisoner numbers.
The annual average cost of a prisoner place is in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts for 2007-08, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45921), or via the Scottish Prison Service website http://www.sps.gov.uk/. This informs that the cost per prisoner place, calculated on a resource accounting basis (including capital charges), in 2007-08 was £41,470.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19678 by Kenny MacAskill on 22 January 2009, whether it is aware of any group of offenders that, while on bail, go on to reoffend and, if so, what action it is taking to reduce such instances of reoffending.
Answer
The police will take all necessary steps to prevent and deal with offending, including offending by people on bail. That is why our courts dealt with 29,000 offences committed while the offender was on bail and 7,500 other bail-related offences in 2006-07.
Admitting a person to bail is a decision for the court. Since December 2007, the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform)(Scotland) Act 2007 requires the court to state its reasons whenever it grants or refuses bail. Furthermore, where a person is accused of a violent or sexual offence or a drug trafficking offence and has a previous conviction for same, bail will be granted only if there are exceptional circumstances justifying bail.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19678 by Kenny MacAskill on 22 January 2009, whether it intends to collate further information on the number and type of offences carried out by people on bail.
Answer
Information covering offences committed by people on bail and other bail-related offences is published annually under the title
Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts. This can be found on the Scottish Government website at the following address:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/02124526/24.
We have no plans to collate any further information.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, given that previous economic downturns have seen an increase in acquisitive crime, whether it plans any new initiatives to increase personal security, particularly for vulnerable people.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the potential impact on crime of the current economic situation and that is why we are working with all the key partners including Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (ACPOS) and the Scottish Business Crime Centre (SBCC) to ensure there is an integrated approach to crime prevention and community safety.
There is already activity underway with recent events such as Risky Business, a conference organised by the SBCC and Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, seeking to highlight some of the emerging threats and recommend practical action. We have already agreed with ACPOS and other partners to develop a crime prevention information resource for practitioners and the public, and that again will provide clear, direct advice to householders and others on how to take practical steps to protect themselves and their property. The first stage of this was published by the SBCC in December and we expect the remainder to be available in summer 2009. We will ensure this resource meets the needs of vulnerable people.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 February 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what new initiatives it is undertaking to highlight the simple and inexpensive steps that homeowners can take to reduce the risks of acquisitive crime.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the potential impact on crime of the current economic situation and that is why we are working with all the key partners including Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (ACPOS) and the Scottish Business Crime Centre (SBCC) to ensure there is an integrated approach to crime prevention and community safety.
We have already agreed with ACPOS and other partners to develop a crime prevention information resource for practitioners and the public that will provide clear, direct advice to householders and others on how to take practical steps to protect themselves and their property. The first stage of this was published by the SBCC in December and we expect the remainder to be available in summer 2009.
