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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: S5W-03129

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the finding in the report, HMICS Crime Audit 2016, that some crime is being displaced and is now taking place online, and how it is working with Police Scotland to improve capabilities to identify, record, and investigate cybercrime.

The increasing use of the internet offers greater opportunities for criminals to conduct their activity at a distance from their intended victims. Police Scotland is investing significant funds in developing its cybercrime infrastructure through the development of a network of state of the art hubs to ensure that knowledge and skills are maintained to a high level.

It is essential that Police Scotland has all available resources at its disposal to support its efforts to combat the ever increasing threat of cybercrime. It is therefore critical that Police Scotland continues to be able to access the support and expertise available from the European Cybercrime Centre at Europol.

Question reference: S5W-03140

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential impact of the proposed universal service obligation on its plans to roll out superfast broadband to 100% of premises.

The potential impact of the UK Government’s Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband cannot be fully assessed until there is greater clarity on how it will be delivered across the UK. Ofcom is expected to publish its initial findings by December 2016. We have proposed to the UK Government and Ofcom that, in advance of this, they establish a Working Group involving the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations, to explore these issues and ensure alignment.

If designed effectively, the USO could help ensure that every part of the UK has an underlying fibre infrastructure that supports a range of technologies capable of delivering a 10Mbps service initially; but one that is dynamic and future-proofed, keeping pace as technology and service capabilities grow. As such, if designed in this way the USO could usefully support our plans to extend superfast access to 100% of premises.

Question reference: S5W-03141

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding (a) the services that could be requested under, (b) the timetable for the delivery of, and (c) other matters in relation to the proposed universal service obligation.

The Scottish Government has responded to both the UK Government and Ofcom consultations regarding the introduction of a proposed broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO). In addition letters have been written to the UK Government and Ofcom, urging them to establish a Working Group involving the Devolved Administration to oversee the design of the proposed USO for broadband. I also recently met with Sharon White, Chief Executive of Ofcom, at which the broadband USO was discussed.

Question reference: S5W-03143

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the First Minister on 25 May 2016 (Official Report, c. 9), regarding broadband access that “by 2021, we intend to reach 100 per cent of premises across the country”; what minimum speed of broadband will be available by 2021, and what plans it has to increase speeds beyond then.

The Scottish Government is committed to extending superfast broadband access to 100 per cent of premises across Scotland by 2021.

Beyond this, we are working with Scottish Futures Trust to develop our World Class Digital Infrastructure programme. This is looking beyond immediate coverage priorities and taking a longer term view, with the aim of ensuring that Scotland has the underlying infrastructure that can support the future evolution of digital technologies – whether from superfast to ultrafast networks, or from 4G to 5G. This work is identifying key infrastructure requirements, assessing commercial models and determining how the public sector most effectively stimulate commercial investment and activity in these areas.

Question reference: S5W-03130

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of online child sexual abuse there have been in each year since 2013.

The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government publishes annual National Statistics on both sexual crimes recorded by the police and convictions in court, however the data we receive is based on a simple count of all crimes and convictions and we cannot distinguish whether these cases both involve children and have an online element. Furthermore one case or incident can involve multiple recorded crimes or convictions or vice-versa.

Question reference: S5W-03127

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what strategy it has developed in cooperation with Police Scotland to counter cybercrime.

Question reference: S5W-03128

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the findings of the report, HMICS Crime Audit 2016, and what action it will take to implement its recommendations.

The Scottish Government welcomes the HMICS 2016 Crime Audit and its overall finding that the quality of most incident and crime recording decisions by Police Scotland is good. This gives the public confidence in Scotland’s statistics on recorded crime. Responsibility for implementing the recommendations linked to the Audit are predominantly a matter for Police Scotland with appropriate oversight by the Scottish Police Authority. In our capacity as a member of the Scottish Crime Recording Board, the Scottish Government will work with partners to consider the recommendation which relates to crime recording practices for cyber-enabled sexual crime and associated victimisation.

Question reference: S5W-03154

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) police inspectors and (b) chief inspectors have (i) retired, (ii) resigned or (iii) left their post for other reasons at Police Scotland each year.

Question reference: S5W-03152

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) police inspectors and (b) chief inspectors there have been in Police Scotland each year.

Question reference: S5W-03153

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many new (a) police inspectors and (b) chief inspectors have been recruited by Police Scotland each year since.