Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-32236

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level of qualification held by an offender is on admission to prison.

Question reference: S3W-32241

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 March 2010

I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The following table provides the average daily population broken down by establishment.

Establishments	2007	2008	2009
Aberdeen	232	237	230
Addiewell	0	28	639
Cornton Vale	350	398	390
Barlinnie	1,462	1,568	1,436
Dumfries	203	204	194
Edinburgh	785	842	870
Glenochil	573	720	678
Greenock	314	316	271
Inverness	147	150	147
Kilmarnock	633	640	551
Open Estate	436	379	282
Perth	512	753	698
Peterhead	305	305	305
Polmont	657	685	699
Shotts	531	541	537
Average Totals	7,140	7,766	7,927

Question reference: S3W-32240

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30602 by Kenny MacAskill on 11 January 2010, how many Scottish Qualifications Authority units were achieved by prisoners in each of the last three years, broken down by prison.

I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The number of Scottish Qualification Authority units achieved by prisoners in each of the last three financial years is as follows:

Prison	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Aberdeen	141	209	152
Addiewell	N/A	N/A	20
Barlinnie	475	887	1,656
Cornton Vale	179	272	223
Dumfries	123	288	374
Edinburgh	743	813	827
Glenochil	855	685	668
Greenock	411	185	695
Inverness	218	189	152
Kilmarnock	141	172	133
Open Estate	508	610	849
Perth	540	652	1,101
Peterhead	168	368	202
Polmont	609	767	685
Shotts	236	254	221
Totals	5,347	6,351	7,958

Question reference: S3W-32243

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what crimes and offences in relation to which a custodial sentence of six months or less can currently be imposed it considers should not incur a custodial sentence.

The principle of judicial independence is a fundamental cornerstone of the Scottish justice system. In bringing forward the proposals to create a presumption against sentences of six months or less, contained in the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government is upholding this principle. The presumption does not take the form of identifying particular crimes which should not receive a custodial sentence of six months or less. Individual sentencing decisions are for the courts, taking into account all the circumstances of the case before them.

Question reference: S3W-32173

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how many attacks there were on emergency workers while on duty in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08, broken down by local authority area.

The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return and do not record the occupation of the victim. However, following the introduction of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act in 2005, a new distinct crime classification of Minor assault of an emergency workers was created.

The following table shows the number of minor assaults on emergency workers for 2006-07 and 2007-08, in each local authority area. The data for Fife also includes minor Assaults on police officers. All other police forces have recorded minor assault of a police officer in 2006-07 and 2007-08 under the crime of minor assault.

Offences of Minor Assault of an emergency worker recorded by the police by local authority area, 2006-07 and 2007-08

Local Authority Area	2006-07	2007-08
Aberdeen City	10	9
Aberdeenshire	2	2
Angus	0	0
Argyll and Bute	4	3
Clackmannanshire	0	0
Dumfries and Galloway	2	8
Dundee City	0	0
East Ayrshire	12	12
East Dunbartonshire	2	0
East Lothian	3	1
East Renfrewshire	0	3
Edinburgh, City of	42	48
Eilean Siar	0	0
Falkirk	0	0
Fife	436	452
Glasgow City	117	103
Highland	0	0
Inverclyde	8	9
Midlothian	4	2
Moray	6	3
North Ayrshire	7	9
North Lanarkshire	5	19
Orkney Islands	0	0
Perth and Kinross	0	0
Renfrewshire	9	23
Scottish Borders	23	14
Shetland Islands	0	0
South Ayrshire	8	4
South Lanarkshire	13	15
Stirling	0	0
West Dunbartonshire	4	5
West Lothian	6	9
Scotland	723	753

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

All serious assaults are recorded under a separate crime classification. However, the Scottish Government does not hold the number of serious assaults on emergency workers as the occupation of the victim is not held centrally.

Question reference: S3W-32174

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 15 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 reported to the Procurator Fiscal in north east Scotland have been the subject of court proceedings in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) section of the Act and (b) local authority area.

The following table shows (for each section of the act) the number of charges prosecuted under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, based on the year when the charge(s) were reported.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) database does not contain information to identify local authority areas and individual jurisdictions do not always match such areas. As a result, the information has been split by Procurator Fiscal Offices.

Charges: Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005^1,2

Procurator Fiscal Office	Section	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Aberdeen	Section: 1(1)	9	3	8
	Section: 2(1)	2	4	2
	Section: 5(1)	3	4	3
Arbroath	Section: 1(1)	-	2	2
	Section: 2(1)	-	-	1
	Section: 5(1)	1	-	-
Banff	Section: 1(1)	-	-	1
Dundee	Section: 1(1)	-	-	9
	Section: 2(1)	8	2	-
	Section: 5(1)	7	7	5
Forfar	Section: 1(1)	-	1	-
Peterhead	Section: 1(1)	-	-	2
Peterhead	Section: 2(1)	-	1	-
Stonehaven	Section: 1(1)	-	-	1

Notes:

1. The information for this question has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service''s Case Management Database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency the database will record details only of the amended charge.

2. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges.

Question reference: S3W-31785

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 February 2010
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people received methadone in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S3W-32092

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Homicide in Scotland, 2008-9, how many homicide victims there were in 2008-09 in each (a) local authority and (b) police force area, broken down by main method of killing.

The following tables contain a breakdown of homicide victims by (a) local authority area and by (b) police force area, by main method of killing.

Victims Currently¹ Recorded as Homicide Victims by Main Method of Killing and Local Authority Area, 2008-09

Local Authority	All main Methods	Shooting	Sharp Instrument	Blunt Instrument	Hitting and Kicking	Strangulation/ Asphyxiation	Drowning	Fire	Poisoning	Other or Unknown
Aberdeen City	6	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Aberdeenshire	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
Angus	2	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Argyll and Bute	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Clackmannanshire	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dumfries and Galloway	2	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Dundee	3	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
East Ayrshire	5	-	2	1	2	-	-	-	-	-
East Dunbartonshire	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
East Lothian	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
East Renfrewshire	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Edinburgh City	4	1	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Eilean Siar	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Falkirk	3	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	1
Fife	6	-	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-
Glasgow City	25	1	20	1	2	-	1	-	-	-
Highland	2	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Inverclyde	2	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
Midlothian	2	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Moray	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
North Ayrshire	3	-	2	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
North Lanarkshire	5	-	2	2	-	-	-	-	-	1
Orkney Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Perth and Kinross	2	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Renfrewshire	4	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	1
Scottish Borders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shetland Islands	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-
South Ayrshire	4	-	2	-	-	1	-	1	-	-
South Lanarkshire	8	-	4	1	-	1	-	-	2	-
Stirling	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
West Dunbartonshire	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
West Lothian	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Scotland	99	2	57	8	10	5	1	3	8	5

Source: Justice Analytical Services, Scottish Government.

Note: 1. As at January 2010.

Victims Currently¹ Recorded as Homicide Victims by Main Method of Killing and Police Force Area, 2008-09

Police Force Area	All Main Methods	Shooting	Sharp Instrument	Blunt Instrument	Hitting and Kicking	Strangulation/ Asphyxiation	Drowning	Fire	Poisoning	Other or Unknown
Northern	4	-	2	-	-	-	-	1	1	-
Grampian	8	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	2	1
Tayside	7	-	3	1	-	2	-	-	1	-
Fife	6	-	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-
Lothian and Borders	7	1	5	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Central	5	-	2	-	-	1	-	-	-	2
Strathclyde	60	1	36	7	6	2	1	2	3	2
Dumfries and Galloway	2	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Scotland	99	2	57	8	10	5	1	3	8	5

Source: Justice Analytical Services, Scottish Government.

Note: 1. As at January 2010.

In 2008-09, there were 97 cases currently (as at January 2010) recorded as homicide by the police, in Scotland. These cases resulted in the deaths of 99 victims. For 96 of the 99 homicide victims in 2008-09, one or more accused persons have been identified (as at January 2010). A total of 132 accused persons had been identified for the homicide cases recorded in 2008-09.

The Scottish Government is taking proactive action to address violent crime and homicide. The government''s alcohol bill is bringing forward proposals for minimum prices for alcohol “ an approach supported by experts as an effective way of reducing alcohol misuse, a contributory factor in much violent crime.

We are continuing to provide record investment in the police-led national Violence Reduction Unit. Their work to tackle homicide includes the development of the Phoenix homicide database in conjunction with Strathclyde Police. This database enables the police to collect and analyse information from homicides in the force area, including detailed information about victims, offenders and locations. Feedback received at debriefing meetings, held once cases are closed, is also being inputted to enable officers to learn from the experience of previous cases and promote best practice.

Question reference: S3W-32091

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28146 by Kenny MacAskill on 27 October 2009, how many of the police officers recruited in the fourth quarter of 2009 were funded by (a) police authorities and (b) the Scottish Government, broken down by police force.

Police authorities are funded by Police Grant from the Scottish Government, with the balance of their budgets being met by constituent local authorities. Police funding is at a record level and police grant will increase by 3.1% in 2010-11.

In addition, the Scottish Government is directly meeting the recruitment, training and salary costs of 1,000 officers over the lifetime of this Parliament. In 2009-10, the Scottish Government has provided funding for 189 new officers as well as continuing to meet the salary costs of 612 additional officers recruited in 2007-08 and 2008-09. From 1 April to 31 December 2009, 704 police officers have left the service and 929 have been recruited. The timing of recruitment of additional officers and officers replacing those who have left the service is a matter for police authorities.

Police Officers Recruited and Trained from 1 October to 31 December 2009, Broken Down by Police Force

Police Force	Number of Officers
Central Scotland Police	20
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary	0
Fife Constabulary	12
Grampian Police	12
Lothian and Borders Police	44
Northern Constabulary	14
Strathclyde Police	158
Tayside Police	7
Total	267

Question reference: S3W-31951

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31332 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 February 2010, what support is available to prisoners in the Addiction Support Areas being piloted at HMP Edinburgh.

I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Assessments are made by the nursing addictions team and regular drug testing is part of the agreed criteria. Each prisoner is supported with an individual care plan and has community and through care links to ensure continued support after release. The regimes include regular one to one support and group work with the Enhanced Addiction Casework Service and Addiction Nurses, group work with both Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Lothian and Borders Abstinence Programme (LEAP) and various healthcare supported relaxation and self-awareness therapies. Prisoners have access peer support from C-Plus, an organisation providing knowledge and awareness on Hepatitis C, HIV and other blood borne viruses.

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