- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackson Carlaw on 18 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), in relation to the notice for a contractor to provide taxi services (Public Contracts Scotland reference FEB471362), how many (a) applications have been received, (b) applicants completed the required Declaration of Non-Involvement in Serious Organised Crime and (c) applicants were rejected as a result of, or following, advice provided to the SPCB by Police Scotland.
Answer
The SPCB’s procurement function operates in accordance with its published Procurement Strategy and established industry practice including guidance published by the Scottish Government. There are robust processes in place to deliver sustainable contracts that provide best value for money and resilient supply chain governance.
To support this strategy, and in line with procurement regulations, as a matter of policy the SPCB does not publish specific information regarding contracts or tenders which might prejudice fair competition, which would prejudice the commercial interests of any person or organisation or otherwise be contrary to the public interest.
I am therefore limited in the detail I can provide in response to your questions. I can confirm that two quotations were submitted for the contract advertised as FEB471362.
The SPCB has made the decision to award the contract to provide taxi services to City Cabs (Edinburgh) Limited in line with the advertised requirements.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the guideline, Sentencing young people, issued by the Scottish Sentencing Council.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 11 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its latest estimate is of the number of serious organised crime gangs operating in Scotland.
Answer
According to Police Scotland's most up to date information, there are 101 mapped Organised Crime Groups in Scotland as at 31 March 2023.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many transgender women are currently held within the female estate of the Scottish Prison Service; what crime, or crimes, each individual was convicted of and, in the case of any prisoners being held on remand, what crime they are accused of.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
On 10 March 2023, there were 7 transgender women located within the female estate in the care of the SPS. Out of those 7; 4 individuals were sentenced, and 3 were held on remand.
The 4 sentenced individuals all had an index offence in the Non-sexual crimes of violence group. The remanded individuals are alleged to have committed index offences in the Non-sexual crimes of violence group and the Crimes against society group.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that over 600,000 people are on a hospital waiting list.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2023
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of any trends in the number of suspected spiking-related incidents in the last 12 months.
Answer
Analysis of spiking incidents is undertaken by Police Scotland on a weekly basis to ensure national oversight is maintained and understanding evolves. The Scottish Government is kept informed about any changes in the prevalence of spiking.
Most recently, a report by Police Scotland from 7 December 2022 indicated that in mid-October 2021, Police Scotland noted a significant increase in the number of reported crimes relating to spiking. This pattern continued for an initial 8 week period, peaking at almost 60 in the first week of November 2021. After this initial period, reports of spiking decreased quickly and amounted to single figure weekly reporting by mid-December 2021. A slight increase was noted in the second half of January and into February 2022 however levels have since reduced, returning to an average of 6 reports per week since mid-December 2021 until 30 October 2022. The report showed that between 1 October 2021 and 30 October 2022, there were 601 recorded crimes relating to Spiking.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent spiking incidents at festivals and other outdoor events and gatherings.
Answer
The Scottish Government held several roundtable meetings to bring together partners including representatives from the major events sector to discuss the prevalence of spiking and a range of initiatives and information available on spiking, which they are adopting.
With concerts, festivals and other events resuming following the pandemic, Police Scotland have been working with partners to identify appropriate vehicles for the delivery of the key messaging. For example, as an interim measure and in advance of the Harry Styles concert at Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow on 11 June 2022, an overview of ByStander theory was provided to the event organiser for inclusion in Steward’s briefings, in lieu of being able to facilitate a full ByStander awareness session. Feedback from this approach was very positive and Police Scotland rolled this out nationally for Event Policing Leads in advance of a number of events scheduled over the summer 2022 period.
We have also worked with members of the roundtable to bring together the range of initiatives and key messaging on safer.scot to reassure the public that there is a coordinated response to the dangers of spiking, in whatever form it might take.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential benefits of increasing funding for anti-spiking policing or campaigns.
Answer
The Scottish Government has taken a proactive approach to understand the prevalence, raise awareness and address concerns about the incidence of reported spiking in Scotland.
Several roundtable meetings have taken place to help steer the joint Scottish Government and public sector response to the act of spiking. These meetings have been designed to discuss the range of initiatives and information available on spiking. Significant work was undertaken to raise awareness and heighten vigilance in the run up to the return to college and university campuses. Information has also been made available on the safer.scot website, to inform and support the public around the subject of spiking. This has been promoted through the roundtable membership and by the representative organisations and sectors.
Furthermore, Police Scotland has prioritised its response to incidents of spiking. A comprehensive Investigative Strategy has been developed and circulated to provide guidance and direction to staff responding to and investigating incidents of spiking. A Detective Superintendent has national investigative oversight and Senior Investigating Officers have been appointed within each policing division to lead on all spiking related investigations locally.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential benefits of providing spiking test kits and associated training to licensed premises, including nightclubs and bars.
Answer
Several roundtable meetings have taken place to help steer the joint Scottish Government and public sector response to the act of spiking. These meetings have been designed to discuss the range of initiatives and information available on spiking.
Roundtable discussions have and will continue to include the consideration of spiking test kits. It was discussed that strips vary widely in terms of what they can test for and are not a reliable diagnostic tool.
Key outcomes from roundtable discussions focussed on messaging, training and prevention, with the Violence Reduction Unit supporting Police Scotland and businesses within the night-time economy sector to continue roll out of the bystander training to raise awareness for staff to help keep people safe.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help improve training for staff working in licenced premises to tackle suspected cases of spiking.
Answer
The Scottish Government held several roundtable meetings to bring together partners including representatives from the night-time industry and licensed premises sector to discuss the prevalence of spiking and a range of initiatives and information available on spiking.
Key outcomes from roundtable discussions focussed on messaging, training and prevention, with the Violence Reduction Unit supporting Police Scotland and businesses within the night-time economy sector to continue roll out of the bystander training to raise awareness for staff to help keep people safe.
Businesses within the night-time economy sector invest in training for staff and support a number of initiatives to keep people safe. The Scottish Government has long supported the industry-led Best Bar None Scotland initiative, a unique national accreditation and award scheme, which has been supported by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre – with input from Police Scotland – for a number of years. It is aimed at raising standards and rewarding licensed premises who undertake positive management practices in support of a safe night out. There was an acknowledged impact on the scheme as a result of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis and the Scottish Government will be working with partners to identify options for improving delivery of its core objectives.
