Chamber and committees

At present there is no evidence that mixing alcohol and caffeine - whether through consumption of a ready mixed drink or by drinking an alcoholic drink followed by a caffeinated drink (such as coffee) - enhances the intoxifying effect of the alcohol or that it causes aggression. We note the recent call for evidence from manufacturers on the safety of caffeinated alcoholic beverages by US Food and Drug Agency. We will review their findings should they be published and consider whether further research is necessary.

There is, however, a clear link between alcohol consumption and crime, in particular violent crime. That is why Scottish Government is concentrating on tackling excessive alcohol consumption, not consumption of specific brands.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30940 on 1 February 2010. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30940 on 1 February 2010. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30940 on 1 February 2010. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30938 on 28 January 2010. 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.

The statistics provided to the BBC by Strathclyde police indicate that:

There were 5,638 crimes in 2008-09 in which the word Buckfast was mentioned, out of a total of 424,589 recorded crimes and offences. This equates to 1.3% of the total.

The 448 mentions of Buckfast in reports of murders, attempted murders, serious assaults and common assaults in 2008-09, out of a total of 7,483 violent offences. That equates to 6% of the total. Of these 114 involved the use of a Buckfast bottle as a weapon. This equates to 1.5% of the total,

Following the BBC documentary, DCS John Carnochan QPM, Head of Violence Reduction Unit, has commented that while we focus on a single brand we neglect the real issue, which is that excessive and harmful use of alcohol - whatever the brand - is crippling Scotland via a whole host of social problems, of which violence is just one. I have no doubt that by reducing access to alcohol we will reduce violence, but this means all alcohol, not one single brand.

Scottish Government agrees and that is why we have introduced a package of measures to help reduce alcohol consumption in Scotland as a whole. We are also funding research on alcohol and offenders.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling organised crime in all its forms. In order to support business we are providing funds for the Scottish Business Crime Centre, which is a partnership between business, police and government to raise awareness of crime and help business to combat it.

Their work includes effective anti-shoplifting initiatives such as Retail Radio Links which improves the quality of communications and co-operation between retailers; a production of Targeting Retail in Scotland - A Training Booklet for Staff which is a retail crime prevention booklet, and working closely with Retailers Against Crime (RAC) which circulates information to over 600 stores, including police intelligence offices, throughout the UK.

The data in the following table are taken from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database and are based on individuals with a charge proved for shoplifting. Information about whether or not individuals had a criminal record at the time of prosecution is not held centrally. However, the table shows the number of these individuals who had a previous charge proved in court for any offence, at least once, in the previous 10 years. The previous charge has been identified as having a date of sentence which is earlier than the date of sentence for the latest charge of shoplifting.

The data in the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database are derived from data held on the Criminal History System. Prosecution in court is only one of a range of possible options for dealing with an individual who has been charged with an offence. Other actions include the use of fiscal warnings, diversion to social work, fixed penalty notices and fiscal fines. However, these alternatives to court prosecution are not currently held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database and are not included in the data provided.

In 2007-08, 5,133 individuals had a charge proved in court for shoplifting.

Of the 5,133 individuals convicted for shoplifting in 2007-08, 3,353 individuals had another charge proved for shoplifting, in the previous 10 years.

Of the 5,133 individuals convicted for shoplifting in 2007-08, 4,650 individuals had another charge proved for any offence, in the previous 10 years. The breakdown of their most recent offence is presented in the table below.

Persons convicted for shoplifting¹ in 2007-08, who had a previous conviction for another offence between 1997-98 and 2007-08, by type of offence of most recent offence (before the index shoplifting offence in 2007-08):

Type of offence	Number
Homicide	1
Serious assault and attempted murder	37
Robbery	56
Other non-sexual crimes of violence	11
Indecent assault	1
Lewd & indecent behaviour	1
Other crimes of indecency	17
Housebreaking	182
Theft by opening a lockfast place	73
Theft of/from a motor vehicle	29
Shoplifting	1,725
Other theft	313
Fraud	54
Other crimes of dishonesty	100
Fire-raising	7
Vandalism etc	133
Crimes against public justice	263
Handling an offensive weapon	122
Drugs	344
Other crimes	5
Common assault	268
Breach of the peace	412
Drunkenness	7
Other miscellaneous offences	169
Dangerous and careless driving	17
Drunk driving	51
Speeding	22
Unlawful use of vehicle	203
Vehicle defect offences	3
Other motor vehicle offences	24
Total	4,650

Note: 1. Where main offence.

The Scottish Government welcomes and accepts the 19 recommendations in the Multi-agency inspection report, Assessing and managing offenders who present a high risk of serious harm. All of them are being implemented.

An update on progress has been published on the Scottish Government''s website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/offender-management/protection/reports/updatereport.