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The table shows the number ofaccused who were convicted of a charge under The Prevention of Terrorism (TemporaryProvisions) Act 1989, The Terrorism Act 2000 or the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and SecurityAct 2001 in the financial years 2002-03 and 2003-04 and the police force which reportedthe case to the Procurator Fiscal.

This information is held in theCrown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service database in relation to case resultsand is obtained from the Scottish Court Service which holds the official records of court results.The Scottish Criminal Record Office holds the official criminal records of individualaccused.

Financial Year	Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary	Strathclyde Police	Tayside Police	Total for Financial Year
2002-03	8	2	4	14
2003-04	5	3	-	8

 

The majority of offences, particularly,those reported by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary to the Procurator Fiscal, relateto failures to provide personal information to police officers at ports in contraventionof section 53 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Information is not availablefrom the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service database before 2002. It isalso not possible to tell from the database whether common law charges such as assaultare terrorism related and this answer is therefore restricted to statutory offencesunder The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989, now repealedby The Terrorism Act 2000 which replaced it when it came into force on 19 February2001, and the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

It is not possible to tell fromthe available data whether an individual who was convicted of one of the statutoryoffences was connected to a terrorist organisation – many of the offences (e.g.refusing to provide personal details when required to do so) can be committed byan accused who has no known or provable connection to a terrorist organisation.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

As at 24 February 2005, theinformation is as follows:

Gender Breakdown
Female Employees	909
Male Employees	3,349
Total	4,258

 

Ethnicity Breakdown
Asian and White	1
Black African	4
Chinese	2
Indian	3
No Record	28
Other	1
Pakistani	3
White	4,216
Total	4,258

 

Disability Breakdown
Disabled	103
Disabled not Registered	25
No Record	394
Not Disabled	3,736
Total	4,258

 

Grade Breakdown
A	34
B	213
C	1,249
D	1,941
E	482
F	218
G	74
H	30
I	12
Senior Civil Service	5
Total	4,258

Details about modern apprentices in a specific geographical area is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information requested is not held centrally.

In line with established practice, it would not be appropriate to comment on operational matters relating to the Security and Intelligence Service.

Each of the eight police forces in Scotland operates a Special Branch, the primary role of which is the collection and interpretation of intelligence for national security purposes, including counter-terrorism.

The Security Service meets regularly with the Scottish Executive in carrying out its function of providing advice on national security matters.

National security including counter terrorism is a reserved matter. As is shown on the Security Service’s website all the indications are that although there are no specific threats to Scotland, there is a serious and sustained threat to the UK from terrorist activities. As part of their responsibilities for civil contingencies, Scottish ministers continue to consider and develop nationalpolicies to ensure local responders are prepared for major emergencies. These include:

- A Ministerial Group on Civil Contingencies which keeps under review the Executive’s policy for managing the consequences of major terrorist or other disruptive incidents.

- The Scottish Emergencies Co-ordinating Committee, chaired by the Executive includes chief officer representatives of all the main responder organisations. It monitors and provides strategic direction for emergency planning in Scotland.

- The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 gives Scottish ministers powers to make Regulations that provide a statutory framework setting out clear roles and responsibilities for front line local responders. Consultation on draft regulations under this act and a supporting package of guidance closes on 25 April 2005.

- Appointment of a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear co-ordinator to review strategic requirements in Scotland and co-ordinate work at a UK level. In the answer to question S2W-13773, on 26 January 2005, I announced our intention to set up a Government Decontamination Service. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the searchfacility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

National security including counter terrorism is a reserved matter. In line with normal practice, it would not be appropriate to comment on the frequency of briefings. Threat advice is available to local authorities through the Security Service’s website. The service provides appropriate advice to Scottish ministers as part of their responsibilities for emergency planning. This advice informs the guidance issued to local authorities and other relevant organisations on civil contingencies preparations.

The power to authorise interception for the purpose of preventing or detecting serious crime was devolved to the Scottish ministers on 13 December 2000.

Details of the number of interception warrants authorised by the Scottish ministers since then are contained in the annual reports of the Interception of Communication Commissioner, which are laid before the Scottish and UKParliaments. The most recent annual report, for 2003, was laid before this Parliament on 22 July 2004 and copies were placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33330).

In line with established practice, it would not be appropriate to comment on operational matters relating to the Security and Intelligence Service.  The work of the service is directed towards increasing the safety of people throughout the UK.