- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Scottish Police Authority and what issues were discussed.
Answer
I met the Chair of the Scottish Police Authority on Wednesday 22 February 2017 when we discussed matters of SPA business.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what oversight it has regarding the sharing of details on the Police Scotland Vulnerable Persons Database with other agencies.
Answer
The sharing of information contained within the interim Vulnerable Persons Database is an operational matter for Police Scotland. Police Scotland is required to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and all other relevant legislation.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government which public bodies have access to the Police Scotland Vulnerable Persons Database.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Police Scotland as owner of the interim Vulnerable Persons Database.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the consultation document, Policing 2026: Our 10 year strategy for policing in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2017
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05946 by Michael Matheson on 1 February 2017, in light of the comment that it "allocates funding directly to NHS Boards as part of their overall funding allocations", whether the amount given to Police Scotland was reduced when this funding was allocated to the NHS boards.
Answer
From 1 April 2014, the budget for the provision of healthcare and forensic services for people in police care transferred from the Police Scotland budget within the Justice Directorate to the Health and Social Care Directorate budget and was subsequently allocated to NHS Boards.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by James Wolffe QC on 16 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether it was alerted by the Lord Advocate prior to the 2017-18 Draft Budget that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service would need to lose around 200 posts from its current workforce to deliver the required real terms savings over the next five years.
Answer
There is no plan to reduce the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s workforce by 200. The Workforce Planning Strategy, which is a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service rather than the Scottish Government, sets out, in line with the recommendations of Audit Scotland, a possible model for the future beyond 2017-18 but no decisions have yet been taken about staffing beyond that point. Future decisions about staffing will depend on what budgets are set in subsequent years, the numbers and types of cases reported to the Service, and progress with reform in the operation of the criminal justice system. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service budget has only been set for one year (2017-18) and the expected impact of that budget on staffing levels has been shared publicly with the Justice Committee and with staff.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by James Wolffe QC on 16 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it was made aware of the contents of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Workforce Planning Strategy, which was reportedly published on 30 January 2017.
Answer
The Workforce Planning Strategy is a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, not the Scottish Government, and was made available to all parties for the first time when published on 30 January 2017.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by James Wolffe QC on 16 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service would be able to achieve the priorities identified in the 2017-18 Draft Budget with a reducing workforce.
Answer
As the Lord Advocate confirmed in his evidence to the Justice Committee, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will, with its budget allocation for 2017-18, continue to prosecute crime rigorously, fairly and independently. The Service remains committed to improving the level of service delivered and promoting system reform.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the board of NFU Scotland and what issues were discussed.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2017
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 3 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has not placed the findings of its 2015 staff survey in the public domain, and what its position is on this decision.
Answer
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) cultural audit of 2014 asked staff for their views in confidence.
The Scottish Information Commissioner upheld the view of the SFRS that disclosure would compromise confidentiality.
The Scottish Government respects the Commissioner’s decision.