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: S4W-00601

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive who the operator of last resort would be in the event of (a) Argyll or (b) Western Ferries being unable to fulfil its contractual obligations.

In the event that Argyll Ferries Ltd, were unable to fulfil its contractual obligations in respect of the new Gourock to Dunoon ferry service, responsibility would pass to its parent company, David MacBrayne Ltd (DML). This arrangement is assured by means of a parent company guarantee signed by DML.

Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd has no contractual obligations to Scottish ministers in respect of the ferry services that it operates.

Question reference: S4O-00033

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in extending the living wage across the public sector.

Question reference: S4W-00154

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scotland is fully compliant with the EU directive on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings.

It is expected that the Framework Decision on the Standing of Victims in Criminal Proceedings, which was published in 2001, will be replaced by a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council aimed at establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime. A draft Directive was published on 18 May 2011; the exact requirements flowing from the Directive and the steps necessary to achieve compliance will become clearer as negotiations on the proposed Directive progress.

Question reference: S4W-00153

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will launch a consultation for a proposed victims' rights bill.

Question reference: S4W-00152

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of the Scottish Strategy for Victims will be published.

Question reference: S4W-00151

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to (a) strengthen and (b) support the rights of victims and witnesses.

The Scottish Government is planning a victims’ rights bill; to continue our strong level of support and funding for victim support organisations for 2011-12, and to implement the requirements of the proposed Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council aimed at establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime. As part of this process, we will be considering how best to take into account the findings of the review of the Scottish Strategy for Victims and the outcome of the victims’ summit held earlier this year.

Question reference: S4W-00149

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the criminal justice budget in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 has been allocated to victims and witnesses.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36898 on 8 November 2010 for information on 2010-11. 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.

As explained in the answer to question S3W-36898, expenditure on victims and witnesses is incurred across a range of criminal justice agencies. For example, engagement with victims and witnesses is central to the operation of the police, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service. This work is such an integral part of the normal functions of these agencies that it is not possible to disaggregate total expenditure on victims and witnesses. In addition, a number of services are delivered to both victims and witnesses as there is an overlap between the two categories.

Support and services for victims and witnesses are also provided by agencies funded by other parts of the Scottish Government, for example, £11.5 million has been provided in 2011-12 to combat violence against women, which includes funding for Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, and the Rape Crisis Helpline.

Expenditure that is specifically earmarked for victims and witnesses in 2011-12 within the Scottish Justice Budget is listed in the following table:

	2011-12
	£000
Scottish Justice Budget	1,734,900
Victims and Witnesses	5,600
Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme	25,500

The budget for 2012-13 has not yet been set, and will form part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

Question reference: S4W-00150

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider establishing a commissioner for victims and witnesses.

Question reference: S4O-00004

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the Gourock to Dunoon ferry tender.

Question reference: S3W-38691

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 January 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for the reinstatement of passing loops at Ballinluig and Newtonmore.