Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-27128

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the British-Irish Council summit held in London on 2 June 2006.

On 2 June 2006, the UK Governmenthosted the eighth British Irish Council Summit in London, attendedby myself and Mr Ross Finnie MSP, Minister for Environment and Rural Development.The focus of the summit was the Environment on which the UK Government takes thelead in the council.

The council recognised that,as well as mitigating future emissions, BIC Members must also look at how to adaptto the impacts of unavoidable climate change. Ministers availed of the opportunityto share experience and exchange knowledge in order to improve our understandingof the impacts of climate change and to develop appropriate adaptation strategies.

The council recognised the importanceof scientific knowledge in developing effective strategies to prepare for the impactsof climate change. The council agreed to look at ways in which Governments, Agenciesand researchers across the British Irish Council region can work together to improveour understanding of the impacts of climate change.

The council agreed on a numberof further areas where the BIC could usefully examine the impacts of climate change.These include impacts on the marine environment, the increased likelihood of extremeweather events, implications for energy and transport infrastructure, and the potentialeffects on the economies of BIC Members. The council agreed on a number of proposalsfor work going forward including participation in the Marine Climate Change Partnership,the sharing of best practice, participation in a workshop on the development ofadaptation strategies, and the establishment of a working group on indicators ofclimate change impacts and adaptation.

As with previous summits, the meeting also received progress reportsand agreed a plan for future work on the other subjects being taken forward by CouncilMembers. These are drugs; environment; knowledge economy; minority andlesser–used languages; tourism; transport, and social inclusion.

At this summit, Scottishministers proposed a new priority work area for the BIC – Demography. Thecouncil agreed that demographic issues, such as attitudes to ageing and migrationstrategies, present significant challenges for BIC Member Administrations and thatthere is much to be gained from sharing experience, information and approaches tothem.

The council approved the proposalto adopt Demography as a new work area, to be led by Scotland.

I am placing a copyof the Communiqué issued by the British Irish Council after the summit meetingin London in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39921).

Question reference: S2O-10270

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Johann Lamont on 22 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it is providing for community development trusts.

Development trusts have receivedfinancial support totalling over £800,000 from the Scottish Executive in the lastthree years. Communities Scotland is also funding the Development Trusts Association Scotland.Support may also be available via the enterprise networks.

The Scottish Rural DevelopmentProgramme 2007-13, which is currently out to consultation, may also offer opportunitiesfor rural development trusts to pursue projects to support developments and communitiesin rural Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-26546

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to improve clinical psychology assessment and treatment services in the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S2W-26547

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2006
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 19 June 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was given to provide clinical psychology assessment and treatment services in the last year, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S2W-25222

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2006
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 16 May 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to amend the Community Right to Buy (Definition of Excluded Land) (Scotland) Order 2004, and, if so, when this is likely to take effect.

The Scottish Executive expectsto present to Parliament later this year an amending order to update the CommunityRight to Buy (Definition of Excluded Land)(Scotland) Order 2004. This willtake account of changes to population statistics and settlement boundaries sinceimplementation of the Community Right to Buy legislation in June 2004. The effectivedate will depend on Parliament’s determination of the amending order, which willbe subject to affirmative resolution.

Question reference: S2W-25413

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2006
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 8 May 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive when a framework will be put in place to replace the functions performed by the Advocacy Safeguards Agency.

We remain committed tosupporting the development of advocacy. NHS boards are required to ensure thatindependent advocacy is available to all those that require it.

NHSQuality Improvement Scotland and the Scottish Health Council have complementaryroles in ensuring the delivery of high quality, patient focussed healthservices, and ensuring that independent advocacy is available to all who needit. The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance is also a key organisation in ensuringthe continued promotion of good practice in advocacy, and we have increased thefunding available to it.

We are currently working todevelop principles and standards for advocacy in health services and revisedguidance on the commissioning and evaluation of advocacy. We plan to begin aconsultation on these issues in June.

Question reference: S2W-23681

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 3 April 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the limits which are in place to prevent the illegal use of the National DNA Database, particularly in respect of DNA samples collected from Scotland.

DNA samples collected by thepolice in Scotland are not held by the National DNA Database. However,it does hold DNA profiles derived from such samples.

The National DNA Databasemust comply with the legislation which governs the use of the DNA profiles andsamples which it holds.

The National DNA Databasehas a series of arrangements to ensure the security of the information which itholds. These include: measures to ensure the physical security of the premisesin which the DNA samples are stored and analysed and in which the Database isstored; security clearance of all staff involved in key processes; and the useof the police secure IT network for communication of all information betweenthe Database and the laboratories and the police.

Question reference: S2W-23539

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 15 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it contributed to the National Criminal Intelligence Service in 2004-05; what the contribution was spent on, and, in particular, whether the contribution funded permanently staffed immigration posts at Scottish ports, harbours and airports and, if so, how many.

The Scottish Executive contributed£5,496,000 to the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) in 2004-05.

NCIS has a remit to provide leadershipand excellence in criminal intelligence to combat serious organised crime. It providesa range of Co-ordination services to support multi-agency law enforcement operations,including the collection, analysis and dissemination of criminal intelligence. Fulldetails of its aims, functions and outputs can be found in its Annual Report for2004-05 at:

http://www.ncis.co.uk/downloads/NCISAnnualRep2005.pdf.

The NCIS office in Scotland is co-locatedwith the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency in Paisley, and is involved in mappingout criminality in Scotland, identifying key threats and establishing links to UK and overseasorganised crime groups. The contribution made by the Scottish Executive helps fundthis office and ensures that law enforcement in Scotland has access to all the servicesprovided by NCIS, both locally and at a national and international level, such asNCIS Overseas Liaison Officers and enquiries through Europol and Interpol.

NCIS do not fund any permanentlystaffed immigration posts. This function is provided by the UK Immigration Service.

Question reference: S2W-23682

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 13 March 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it contributes funding to the maintenance of the National DNA Database and, if so, how much.

Question reference: S2W-22664

Asked by: Jeremy Purvis, MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2006
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 7 February 2006

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a firearm were considered by trial on indictment in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.

The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in April 2006.

Persons Proceeded Against for Possession of a Firearm¹, by Trial on Indictment in Scottish Courts, 2003²

Sheriffdom	Possess a Firearm with Intent to Endanger life, Commit Crime etc.	Reckless Conduct with Firearms	Firearms Miscellaneous Offences	Total
High court	5	1	7	13
Glasgow	5	-	9	14
Lothian and Borders	2	-	2	4
North Strathclyde	-	-	2	2
South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway	1	-	1	2
Tayside, Central and Fife	4	-	2	6
Scotland	17	1	23	41

Notes:

1. Where main offence.

2. Includes estimated data.