- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 8 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive which prisons use sniffer dogs to detect drugs.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
All prisons have access to drug detection dogs.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons have been for excluding the public from court when a witness has given their evidence in each of the last five years.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the public has been excluded from court when a witness has given evidence in each of the last five years.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 17 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has sought in respect of the Information Commissioner's response to the Executive's consultation on the retention of DNA profiles of persons arrested but not convicted of any offence.
Answer
We can confirm that we haveconsidered the UK Information Commissioner’s consultation response and it isnot thought that the policy proposals set out in the consultation paper PoliceRetention of Prints and Samples: Proposals for legislation would be inbreach of the fairness requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of serving police officers have voluntarily provided DNA samples for DNA profiles to be held in the Police Elimination Database
Answer
As at 31 January 2006, there are a total of 1,574 personnel currently listed on the Scottish Police Elimination Database. 1,458 of these are police officers which is approximately 9% of serving police officers.
The majority of these are thought to have provided their DNA sample voluntarily but precise figures are not available. The Police Elimination Database does not distinguish between samples from volunteers and samples from new recruits, who may be required to provide a sample for elimination purposes.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive who owns the DNA profiles and DNA samples collected by the police
Answer
Profiles and the data derived from them have always been considered the property of the police force obtaining the original mouth swabs. One mouth swab is used to develop the personal profile. The DNA extracted from this swab is converted into a numerical sequence and entered onto the database, this data is considered the property of the police. The original swab and the cellular material contained on it are destroyed as part of this process.
The second swab taken from the suspect is placed in long-term storage and is currently used for purposes such as confirming DNA Intelligence matches. The stored swabs are considered to be the property of the force submitting them.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2006
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 27 January 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations have taken place with local business organisations, and specifically the local chambers of commerce network, in respect of any restructuring of local enterprise companies.
Answer
Ministers have made it clear that any proposals should have the support of business. They have discussed, and will continue to discuss, with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the nature and outcome of their discussions with business organisations and other interested parties.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 17 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has had on recruitment within the police.
Answer
Both serving police officers and applicants to joint the police service are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Scotland’s Chief Constables have a clear responsibility for ensuring that their recruitment policies and employment practices are consistent with the terms of the act.
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 07 October 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 4 November 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many procurators fiscal were employed in each sheriff court in each of the last five years.
Answer
The following table shows the number of procurators fiscal and total number of legal staff in each sheriff court area in each of the last five years. The numbers reflect permanent staff in post at 1 October each year only and do not include trainee solicitors. In cases where no Procurator Fiscal or other legal staff are shown, the relevant officers are shared with or based in another district office and are not included in the individual entries to avoid double counting. In the five year period, there has been an increase of 20% in legal staff numbers. The decrease in the number of PF posts is as a result of re-structuring in the department and areas introducing the most efficient way of delivering the service.
Sheriff Court Areas October 2001 to October 2005, Legal Staff in Post – Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Numbers (does not Include Trainee Solicitors)
Grampian, Highland And Islands
| Office | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Aberdeen | 1 | 18 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 23 |
| Banff | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dingwall | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Dornoch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elgin | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Fort William | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Inverness | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Kirkwall | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lerwick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lochmaddy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peterhead | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Portree | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stonehaven | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stornoway | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tain | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wick | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | 13 | 35 | 13 | 42 | 13 | 43 | 9 | 42 | 9 | 45 |
Tayside Central and Fife
| Office | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Alloa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Arbroath | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.6 | 1 | 1.8 |
| Cupar | 1 | 1.6 | 1 | 1.6 | 1 | 1.6 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.8* | 1.3 |
| Dundee | 1 | 15 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 18.8 |
| Dunfermline | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5.8 | 1 | 5.8 |
| Falkirk | 1 | 7.5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Forfar | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kirkcaldy | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8.6 | 1 | 9.6 | 1 | 8.6 |
| Perth | 1 | 6.5 | 1 | 6.5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Stirling | 1 | 6.9 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 9.5 | 1 | 7.4 | 1 | 7.8 |
| Totals | 9 | 55.5 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 60.7 | 8 | 59.9 | 7.8 | 61.1 |
Note: *Present post holder is part time but post remains a full time post.
Lothian and Borders
| Office | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Duns | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Edinburgh | 1 | 38 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 40.4 | 1 | 41.1 |
| Haddington | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jedburgh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Linlithgow | 1 | 7.1 | 1 | 7.1 | 1 | 8.6 | 1 | 9.1 | 1 | 8.6 |
| Peebles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Selkirk | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 5 | 49.1 | 5 | 47.1 | 5 | 44.6 | 3 | 53.5 | 3 | 53.7 |
North Strathclyde
| Office | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Campbeltown | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dumbarton | 1 | 8.4 | 1 | 8.4 | 1 | 8.4 | 1 | 8.4 | 1 | 8.7 |
| Dunoon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0* | 0 |
| Greenock | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5.8 | 1 | 6.8 |
| Kilmarnock | 1 | 9.6 | 1 | 9.6 | 1 | 12.4 | 1 | 13.4 | 1 | 13.6 |
| Oban | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Paisley | 1 | 15.6 | 1 | 17.6 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 18.8 | 1 | 16.2 |
| Rothesay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 7 | 41.6 | 7 | 43.6 | 7 | 48.8 | 6 | 48.4 | 5 | 46.3 |
Note: *Oct 2005 Dunoon PF now located in Greenock office but retains commission for Dunoon
South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway
| Office | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Airdrie | 1 | 11.2 | 1 | 10.2 | 1 | 11.2 | 1 | 13.5 | 1 | 13.8 |
| Ayr | 1 | 4.6 | 1 | 6.6 | 1 | 6.6 | 1 | 6.8 | 1 | 6.8 |
| Dumfries | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Hamilton | 1 | 22 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 28.8 | 1 | 30.8 |
| Kirkcudbright | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lanark | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Stranraer | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Totals | 6 | 46.3 | 6 | 49.8 | 6 | 59.8 | 6 | 60.1 | 6 | 62.4 |
Glasgow and Strathkelvin
| Office | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Glasgow | 1 | 73.2 | 1 | 81.1 | 1 | 86.4 | 1 | 85.2 | 1 | 89.9 |
Crown Office
| | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| Office | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Crown Office | N/A | 43.5 | N/A | 50.9 | N/A | 57.5 | N/A | 59.3 | N/A | 53.3 |
| | 1-10-2001 | 1-10-2002 | 1-10-2003 | 1-10-2004 | 1-10-2005 |
| PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post Fte Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF | PF Posts | Staff in Post FTE Including PF |
| Grand Total | 41 | 344.2 | 41 | 366.5 | 41 | 400.8 | 33 | 408.4 | 31.8 | 411.7 |
- Asked by: Margaret Mitchell, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 6 October 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases were subject to a continuance in each sheriff court in each of the last five years and what the average duration of a continuance was.
Answer
Sheriff courts handle a range of civil and criminal business, but the largest component of it is summary criminal cases. Summary cases are often subject to a number of procedural steps. The number of summary cases which were concluded after a second or subsequent trial is shown for each sheriff court for each of the last five financial years in the following table. Information on the average duration of a continuation is not held centrally.
Number of Summary Cases Concluded at 2nd or Subsequent Trial Diet
| Court | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 |
| Aberdeen | 110 | 190 | 251 | 331 | 232 |
| Airdrie | 224 | 300 | 390 | 361 | 415 |
| Alloa | 67 | 93 | 112 | 131 | 137 |
| Arbroath | 64 | 66 | 78 | 77 | 84 |
| Ayr | 164 | 186 | 166 | 186 | 235 |
| Banff | 29 | 39 | 38 | 30 | 29 |
| Campbeltown | 16 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 18 |
| Cupar | 39 | 52 | 70 | 47 | 43 |
| Dingwall | 19 | 29 | 23 | 30 | 41 |
| Dornoch | 8 | 13 | 10 | 21 | 8 |
| Dumbarton | 249 | 362 | 315 | 451 | 415 |
| Dumfries | 74 | 80 | 59 | 80 | 72 |
| Dundee | 301 | 442 | 438 | 503 | 579 |
| Dunfermline | 94 | 87 | 146 | 88 | 76 |
| Dunoon | 39 | 52 | 53 | 65 | 79 |
| Edinburgh | 888 | 757 | 791 | 608 | 640 |
| Elgin | 71 | 103 | 105 | 117 | 144 |
| Falkirk | 174 | 196 | 372 | 214 | 160 |
| Forfar | 24 | 35 | 53 | 34 | 33 |
| Fort William | 25 | 31 | 21 | 23 | 34 |
| Glasgow | 1,767 | 2,066 | 2,356 | 2,439 | 2,097 |
| Greenock | 72 | 99 | 153 | 183 | 185 |
| Haddington | 64 | 63 | 71 | 88 | 80 |
| Hamilton | 690 | 694 | 1,052 | 842 | 719 |
| Inverness | 76 | 119 | 133 | 152 | 164 |
| Jedburgh/Duns | 13 | 28 | 32 | 33 | 36 |
| Kilmarnock | 67 | 107 | 93 | 117 | 165 |
| Kirkcaldy | 187 | 215 | 243 | 203 | 229 |
| Kirkcudbright | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| Kirkwall | 14 | 11 | 16 | 7 | 2 |
| Lanark | 55 | 80 | 84 | 75 | 112 |
| Lerwick | 29 | 15 | 25 | 18 | 18 |
| Linlithgow | 219 | 240 | 421 | 219 | 205 |
| Lochmaddy | 5 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Oban | 23 | 24 | 33 | 33 | 36 |
| Paisley | 336 | 457 | 547 | 480 | 516 |
| Peebles | 6 | 13 | 20 | 10 | 15 |
| Perth | 208 | 275 | 260 | 249 | 258 |
| Peterhead | 65 | 62 | 65 | 33 | 37 |
| Portree | 6 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 12 |
| Rothesay | 5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 8 |
| Selkirk | 18 | 33 | 47 | 34 | 29 |
| Stirling | 125 | 187 | 198 | 177 | 176 |
| Stonehaven | 17 | 26 | 17 | 20 | 11 |
| Stornoway | 20 | 15 | 21 | 25 | 27 |
| Stranraer | 30 | 34 | 19 | 39 | 45 |
| Tain | 31 | 18 | 24 | 19 | 18 |
| Wick | 9 | 17 | 23 | 14 | 30 |
| Total | 6,846 | 8,063 | 9,494 | 8,956 | 8,726 |
