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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-02633

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement the recommendation of the Post-corroboration Safeguards Review to undertake research into jury reasoning and decision-making.

On 8 September 2015, during the passage of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced that the Scottish Government would take forward the recommendations made in Lord Bonomy's Post Corroboration Safeguards Review in relation to jury research.

As outlined in the Programme for Government, by spring 2017, the Scottish Government will commission independent jury research to consider the dynamics of decision-making by juries, including the current jury majority and three verdict system, helping to inform future proposals for the reform of the criminal justice system.

Question reference: S5W-02636

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish the code of conduct for stop and search.

The Scottish Government will lay the Code of Practice before Parliament no later than 12 January 2017, as required by Part 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

A public consultation seeking views on a draft Code of Practice closed on 15 July 2016 and responses to the consultation were published on 15 September 2016. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the independent Stop and Search Advisory Group to revise the Code of Practice in light of consultation responses.

Question reference: S5W-02404

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local police commanders since 2013 regarding policing priorities.

Question reference: S5W-02405

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has had with each local police commander since 2013.

Question reference: S5W-02403

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support and guidance it provides to local authorities prior to them setting their local policing priorities.

Question reference: S5W-02402

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the policing priorities have been in each year since 2013, broken down by division.

Question reference: S5W-02697

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided in each of the last five years to women’s aid services that support victims of domestic abuse.

The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding to tackle all forms of violence against women and girls and to ensure that victims receive the support which they need. This includes funding for Scottish Women’s Aid and the Women’s Aid network who provide vital services for women, girls and children who have experienced or who are experiencing domestic abuse. Over the last 5 years, the total funding allocation from the Equality Budget to these organisations is as follows:

2012-13: £5,124,150

2013-14: £5,516,740

2014-15: £5,577,567

2015-16: £5,433,956

2016-17: £6,039,116

Question reference: S5W-02406

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when the next update to the report, Equality and Diversity in Police Scotland 2013 will be published.

Equality and diversity within Police Scotland is a matter for the Chief Constable. We understand, that in line with the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012, Police Scotland will publish their next report into Equality and Diversity in 2017. This report follows the publication of their Equality and Diversity Update in 2014 and their Equality and Diversity Mainstreaming Progress Report in 2015. Police Scotland's equality and diversity publications can be found at the following link: http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/equality-and-diversity.

Question reference: S5W-02226

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of correspondence each (a) minister and (b) cabinet secretary received (i) since May 2016 and (ii) from January to April 2016 (A) has not been answered, (B) received a holding response only and (C) received an initial holding response before being responded to in full.

Cabinet Secretary/ Minister

Correspondence Received between 1 May and 31 August 2016

Total added to MACCS

Reply not yet issued (%)

Interim Reply – no final reply issued (%)

Interim Reply – Final reply issued (%)

First Minister	2439	23.0	0.4	1.0
DFM and Education and Skills	674	26.7	3.3	1.2
Finance and Constitution	129	45.7	1.5	1.5
Economy, Jobs and Fair Work	266	29.7	0.4	1.9
Rural Economy and Connectivity	351	39.6	1.1	2.3
Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform	326	28.5	0.3	1.5
Health and Sport	879	23.0	0.1	1.9
Justice	298	34.6	0.3	2.3
Culture, Tourism and External Affairs	264	31.4	0.4	0.7
Communities, Social Security and Equalities	294	20.7	0.3	0.3
Childcare and Early Years	99	31.0	2.0	1.0
Further and Higher Education and Science	81	27.1	0.0	2.5
Parliamentary Business	61	8.2	0.0	1.6
Business Innovation and Energy	196	47.4	0.5	1.5
Employability and Training	89	28.4	0.0	1.1
Transport and Islands	611	19.9	0.0	0.8
Mental Health	121	28.1	0.0	0.8
Public Health and Sport	179	35.8	0.0	2.5
Community Safety and Legal Affairs	33	39.4	3.0	0.0
International Development and Europe	90	20.0	0.0	0.0
Local Government and Housing	272	29.0	0.0	1.1
Social Security	34	64.7	0.0	2.9
Scottish Ministers (general)	1723	12.5	0.3	0.6
All	9509	24.2	0.6	1.1

Question reference: S5W-02273

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the call on 30 August 2016 from the Existing Homes Alliance for it to publish a delayed consultation on the regulation of energy efficiency in private sector.

We recognise that action is needed to stimulate demand for energy efficiency improvements, and the programme for government sets out our intention to consult this winter on the regulation of private rented sector housing to increase energy efficiency standards as part of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency programme. We will also, in due course, consult on phased regulation of other existing buildings to improve their energy efficiency to support the aims of the programme as well as looking at what financial incentives may be appropriate. Further detail on Scotland’s Energy Efficiency programme will be set out in the draft energy strategy in winter 2016.