- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration has been given to exempting students from the proposed local income tax.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not propose that their should be any exemptions under a local income tax as individual liability is based on ability to pay. However, the issue of exemptions will be considered as part of the current consultation exercise which closes on 18 July 2008.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed local income tax would be levied on bursaries, hardship funds, grants and other payments to students.
Answer
There will be no local income tax liability for bursaries, hardship funds, and grants paid to students.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students will have to pay the proposed local income tax.
Answer
The number of students liable for a local income tax will depend on the numbers of students at the time a local income tax is implemented and the level of the personal allowance. Students with earned income or pension income at a level that is higher than their personal allowance will be liable for a local income tax.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 and over have been prosecuted for the offence of proxy purchase of alcohol for supplying it to people aged under 18 in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The available information is given in the following table:
Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Purchasing Excise Liquor for Consumption by Person Under 181, by Approximate Local Authority Area2, 2003-04 - 2005-06
| Local Authority | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Aberdeen City | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | - | - |
| Total | 1 | - | - |
| Aberdeenshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 3 | - | - |
| Total | 3 | - | - |
| Angus | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | 1 |
| 18 and Over | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Total | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Argyll and Bute | | | |
| Under 18 | 1 | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Clackmannanshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | - | 2 |
| Total | - | - | 2 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Total | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Dundee City | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | - | 1 |
| Total | 2 | - | 1 |
| East Ayrshire | | | |
| Under 18 | 1 | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| East Dunbartonshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| East Lothian | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | - | 1 |
| Total | 1 | - | 1 |
| East Renfrewshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | - | - |
| Total | - | - | - |
| Edinburgh, City of | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | - | 3 |
| Total | 2 | - | 3 |
| Eilean Siar | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | 1 | 1 |
| Total | - | 1 | 1 |
| Falkirk | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Fife | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | - | 1 |
| Total | 2 | - | 1 |
| Glasgow City | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 7 | 6 | 12 |
| Total | 7 | 6 | 12 |
| Highland | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| Total | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| Inverclyde | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | - | 1 |
| Total | - | - | 1 |
| Midlothian | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | - | 1 |
| Total | 1 | - | 1 |
| Moray | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| North Ayrshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | - | 1 |
| Total | 1 | - | 1 |
| North Lanarkshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | 1 |
| 18 and Over | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Orkney Islands | | | |
| Under 18 | - | 1 | - |
| 18 and Over | - | 1 | - |
| Total | - | 2 | - |
| Perth and Kinross | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | - | 1 |
| Total | 2 | - | 1 |
| Renfrewshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | - | 4 |
| Total | - | - | 4 |
| Scottish Borders | | | |
| Under 18 | 1 | - | 1 |
| 18 and Over | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Shetland Islands | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | 2 | - |
| Total | - | 2 | - |
| South Ayrshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 2 | - | 6 |
| Total | 2 | - | 6 |
| South Lanarkshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Total | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Stirling | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| West Dunbartonshire | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | - | - | 1 |
| Total | - | - | 1 |
| West Lothian | | | |
| Under 18 | - | - | - |
| 18 and Over | 1 | - | - |
| Total | 1 | - | - |
| Scotland | | | |
| Under 18 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 18 and Over | 55 | 54 | 83 |
| Total | 58 | 55 | 86 |
Notes:
1. Where the main offence is under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 Section 68(3).
2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to medical professionals on the use of complementary therapies, such as diet control, to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer
Diet control is not considered to be one of the complementary therapies. Accordingly guidance on diet control is not provided in this context.
The Scottish Government recognises that complementary or alternative medicine may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions and leaves it open to NHS boards to provide these therapies based on their assessment of needs in their areas. Treatment options, based on individual care assessments, are a matter for clinical decision in consultation with all relevant professionals and the individual. Guidance to NHS boards in August 2005, available at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/ drew further attention to this care option.
Advice including dietary management regarding the treatment and care for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder sufferers is provided by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network in SIGN 52 - Attention Deficit and Hyperkinetic Disorders in Children and Young People. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has undertaken a review of the implementation of SIGN 52. The findings will be published on 25 April.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for illegally selling alcohol, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The available information is given in the following table.
Persons Proceeded Against for Selling Alcohol Illegally1 by Approximate Local Authority Area2 2003-04 to 2005-06
| Local Authority | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Aberdeen City | 3 | - | 3 |
| Aberdeenshire | 1 | 1 | - |
| Angus | - | - | - |
| Argyll and Bute | - | - | - |
| Clackmannanshire | - | 3 | 1 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Dundee City | 6 | - | - |
| East Ayrshire | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| East Dunbartonshire | - | 2 | - |
| East Lothian | - | - | 2 |
| East Renfrewshire | - | - | - |
| Edinburgh, City of | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Eilean Siar | - | - | - |
| Falkirk | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Fife | 5 | 1 | - |
| Glasgow City | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| Highland | - | 1 | 2 |
| Inverclyde | 1 | 1 | - |
| Midlothian | - | 2 | 2 |
| Moray | 3 | - | - |
| North Ayrshire | 1 | - | - |
| North Lanarkshire | - | - | 6 |
| Orkney Islands | 3 | - | - |
| Perth and Kinross | - | 1 | 1 |
| Renfrewshire | 5 | 5 | - |
| Scottish Borders | - | 3 | 4 |
| Shetland Islands | - | 3 | - |
| South Ayrshire | 4 | - | 11 |
| South Lanarkshire | 2 | 8 | 18 |
| Stirling | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 2 | - | 1 |
| West Lothian | - | - | - |
| Scotland3 | 57 | 60 | 87 |
Notes:
1. Where main offence.
2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.
3. Includes courts which could not be mapped to approximate local authority areas.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive through which government bodies the additional money for wheelchair and seating services announced in the spending review will be distributed and what allocations these government bodies will receive.
Answer
The additional funding of £16 million from the 2007 Spending Review (£4 million in 2008-09, £6 million in 2009-10 and £6 million in 2010-11) will be distributed through NHS boards to the five rehabilitation technology centres in Scotland.
The funding will be subject to the submission of business cases for approval by the Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board, which meet the objectives and recommendations of the report Moving Forward: Review of NHS Wheelchair and Seating Services in Scotland.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 or over have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for supplying alcohol to those aged under 18, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The available information is given in the following table.
Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Selling Alcohol to Underage Persons1 by Age2 and Approximate Local Authority Area3, 2003-04 to 2005-06
| Local Authority Area | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| under 18 | 18 and over | under 18 | 18 and over | under 18 | 18 and over |
| Aberdeen City | - | 2 | - | - | - | 3 |
| Aberdeenshire | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Angus | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Argyll and Bute | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Clackmannanshire | - | - | - | 3 | - | 1 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 6 |
| Dundee City | - | 5 | - | - | - | - |
| East Ayrshire | - | 3 | - | 5 | - | 4 |
| East Dunbartonshire | - | - | - | 2 | - | - |
| East Lothian | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| East Renfrewshire | | | | | | |
| Edinburgh, City of | - | 3 | - | 5 | - | 5 |
| Eilean Siar | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Falkirk | - | 4 | - | 2 | - | 4 |
| Fife | - | 5 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Glasgow City | - | 3 | - | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Highland | - | - | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| Inverclyde | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Midlothian | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 |
| Moray | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| North Ayrshire | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| North Lanarkshire | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Orkney Islands | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| Perth and Kinross | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Renfrewshire | - | 5 | - | 3 | - | - |
| Scottish Borders | - | - | - | 2 | - | 4 |
| Shetland Islands | - | - | - | 3 | - | - |
| South Ayrshire | - | 4 | - | - | - | 9 |
| South Lanarkshire | - | 1 | - | 8 | - | 17 |
| Stirling | - | 2 | - | 3 | - | 2 |
| West Dunbartonshire | - | 2 | - | - | - | 1 |
| West Lothian | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Scotland | 1 | 46 | 1 | 49 | 1 | 69 |
Notes:
1. Where this is the main offence. Includes the offences of Sale of drink to person under 18 and Wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, the figures do not include those prosecuted for the offence of proxy purchase under section 68(3) of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976
2. Excludes a small number where age is unknown.
3. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for driving under the influence of drugs, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Figures for driving prosecutions involving drugs alone are not available. However, the number of persons proceeded against for drink or drug driving offences in the years 2003-04 to 2005-06 is given in the following table.
Persons Proceeded Against for Drink/Drug driving Offences1,2 in Scottish Courts, by Approximate Local Authority3, 2003-04 to 2005-06
| Local Authority Area | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Aberdeen City | 66 | 73 | 68 |
| Aberdeenshire | 20 | 31 | 27 |
| Angus | 25 | 18 | 27 |
| Argyll and Bute | 13 | 20 | 25 |
| Clackmannanshire | 8 | 6 | 9 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 35 | 48 | 46 |
| Dundee City | 58 | 36 | 23 |
| East Ayrshire | 41 | 46 | 44 |
| East Dunbartonshire | - | - | - |
| East Lothian | 25 | 14 | 10 |
| East Renfrewshire | - | - | - |
| Edinburgh, City of | 87 | 94 | 91 |
| Eilean Siar | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| Falkirk | 48 | 38 | 33 |
| Fife | 74 | 84 | 58 |
| Glasgow City | 222 | 220 | 224 |
| Highland | 78 | 87 | 79 |
| Inverclyde | 30 | 30 | 20 |
| Midlothian | - | - | - |
| Moray | 21 | 20 | 15 |
| North Ayrshire | - | - | - |
| North Lanarkshire | 44 | 47 | 34 |
| Orkney Islands | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Perth and Kinross | 28 | 45 | 33 |
| Renfrewshire | 44 | 45 | 60 |
| Scottish Borders | 24 | 23 | 21 |
| Shetland Islands | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| South Ayrshire | 42 | 43 | 30 |
| South Lanarkshire | 78 | 89 | 113 |
| Stirling | 27 | 21 | 24 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 48 | 59 | 48 |
| West Lothian | 48 | 32 | 51 |
| Scotland4 | 1,256 | 1,285 | 1,228 |
Notes:
1. Where main offence.
2. Includes the offences of driving motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs, in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs, failure to provide a breath specimen at the roadside, and failure to provide a breath, blood or urine specimen at police station.
3. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.
4. Includes courts which could not be mapped to approximate local authority areas.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what sentencing guidelines are issued to judges for murder convictions.
Answer
Scotland at present has no system of sentencing guidelines. However, the Scottish Government believes that there is a case for guidelines to deliver more consistent and transparent sentencing and for setting up a sentencing council to create them. We consider that there needs to be further consultation and dialogue with key interests, principally the judiciary, on this issue.
