- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it defines "frontline police officer", and what changes there have been to this definition since January 2007.
Answer
Categorisation and deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.
Police Scotland has been working closely with HMICS to ensure a robust approach to the categorisation of officers, which is based on Home office guidance.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the total number of police officers is falling, whether it is taking action to ensure that the number of frontline officers is protected.
Answer
Deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.
Policing 2026, published in June 2017, set out Police Scotland’s aim to create the right workforce mix to tackle new and emerging criminal threats. This included a commitment to move more officers onto the frontline and HMICS have confirmed that progress is being made.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendation in the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales that "any police officer (or staff equivalent) who wants to progress to the Chief Officer cadre must first be required to have operational policing experience in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse, and achieve accreditation in the role of the police service in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse", whether it will implement such a policy for the position of the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.
Answer
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse relates to England and Wales only, but we will work with the Home Office and the College of Policing to consider the recommendations in relation to senior officer appointments.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 10 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of the European Court of Justice judgement, Ville de Nivelles v Rudy Matzak, Case C-518/15, will be on (a) employment practices, (b) terms and conditions and (c) pay for (i) retained firefighters, (ii) on-call carers and (iii) other workers who may be affected.
Answer
The legal case in question related to a Belgian fire-fighter's on-call period and counting such periods as working time under the Working Time Directive. As the ruling related to a specific set of circumstances in place for that person it does not follow that the same opinion would be reached for the different circumstances in place in Scotland for (i) retained fire-fighters, (ii) on-call carers or (iii) other workers. Clarity would only be reached on the counting of stand-by or on-call time as working time if a specific set of circumstances was examined by a UK court or employment tribunal.
Having reached clarity on the counting of on-call time as working time there would be a separate consideration on possible impacts on (a) employment practices (b) terms and conditions of service and (c) pay.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 10 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to discuss with (a) its agencies, (b) local government, (c) other public sector employers and (d) private sector employers regarding the impact of the European Court of Justice judgement, Ville de Nivelles v Rudy Matzak, Case C-518/15.
Answer
The terms and conditions of employees, including interpretation of Working Time regulations, are matters for employers. It would be for individual Public Bodies to seek legal advice on any obligations they may have relating to European Court of Justice judgements.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how student support eligibility is assessed for young migrants who have moved to Scotland, including those who have "limited leave to remain" status.
Answer
Access to Higher Education student support in Scotland is assessed by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and is determined based on an applicant’s residency status, as laid out in The Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007 - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2007/153/contents/made .
These regulations make provision for various categories of student to access tuition fee and living-cost support, including, in some cases, those with Limited Leave to Remain.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what planning requirements there are for public input prior to the sale of large public buildings and public land.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2018
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what the legal consequences are of the post of the Chief Constable being vacant.
Answer
The vacancy of the chief constable post is covered by section 18(3) of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 which sets out that the Scottish Police Authority must designate a deputy chief constable to carry out the chief constable’s functions where the office of chief constable is vacant, or the chief constable is unable to carry out those functions by reason of being absent, incapacitated or suspended from duty.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the role not being defined in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, what the legal status is of the Acting Chief Constable.
Answer
Section 18(3) of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 sets out that the Scottish Police Authority must designate a deputy chief constable to carry out the chief constable’s functions where the office of chief constable is vacant, or the chief constable is unable to carry out those functions by reason of being absent, incapacitated or suspended from duty.
Deputy Chief Constable designate Iain Livingstone has been carrying out the functions of the Chief Constable since 8 September 2017.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since July 2017 ministers have met the (a) Chair of the Scottish Police Authority and (b) Chief Constable; what was discussed; whether minutes were taken, and, if so, whether it will publish these.
Answer
The Scottish Government proactively publishes details of ministerial activity, the details of which can be found on the Scottish Government website at https://beta.gov.scot/publications/?term=ministerialengagements&publicationTypes=transparency_data . Scottish Government policy on the recording of meetings involving Ministers is set out in guidance for civil servants.