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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-02377

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Scottish Prison Service’s plan to deliver smoke-free indoor prison facilities.

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

The National Tobacco Strategy Work stream has recommended that all Scottish prisons should be smoke-free within a timescale of up to five years.

The smoke-free policy will be comprehensive i.e. smoking will not be permitted indoors or outdoors in Scottish prisons.

SPS will be working closely with NHS Health boards and Scottish Government as well as other partner agencies to develop comprehensive plans in preparation for the change.

Smoking cessation services in prisons are delivered by NHS Health boards. NHS boards do not currently have plans in place for implementation of smoke-free prisons. They will be key stakeholders in the partnership approach with Scottish Government and SPS. Health boards will need sufficient time to model demands on cessation services and required resources (e.g. skilled smoking cessation staff and pharmacotherapy), agree budgets, and put funding in place to expand the service to meet demand.

Implementation of smoke-free prisons will be supported and monitored by a large scale study, which will play a vital role in helping SPS and NHS boards prepare to make changes.

A decision has still to be made on whether e-cigarettes will be allowed. This is being considered by a working group, which includes NHS specialists and leading academics from Scottish universities, to support an informed decision on e-cigarettes.

Question reference: S5W-02318

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will complete the review of data relating to satellite-tagged golden eagles, hen harriers and red kites.

The Scottish Government review of data relating to satellite-tagged birds of prey is expected in Spring 2017.

This will involve a substantial amount of statistical analysis which will examine information from over 200 tagged golden and white-tailed eagles, hen harriers, red kites and ospreys. Once completed, the results of the analysis will provide us with a far greater insight into where these birds are going missing, and that will help to inform future action.

Question reference: S5W-02317

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response to the chair by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform on 24 February 2016, what action it is taking to implement the recommendations of the Wildlife Crime Penalties Review Group.

The Programme for government announced on 6 September 2016 confirmed that the Scottish Government will take forward the implementation of the recommendations of the Wildlife Crime Penalties Review Group as set out in the Scottish Government response: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00494565.pdf

Some of these recommendations will require primary legislation and we are in the process of identifying a legislative vehicle. Relevant discussions are also taking place with other parties.

Question reference: S5W-02182

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the special team set up by Police Scotland to examine the the implications of the EU Referendum vote (a) will report to Parliament and (b) will provide a timeline of its meetings and reports, and if so, when.

Question reference: S5W-02294

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when operational deployment of conductive energy devices to British Transport Police officers at major rail stations in Scotland will commence.

Question reference: S5W-02296

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to inform and engage the public regarding the use of conductive energy devices by British Transport Police officers at major rail stations in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-02293

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many British Transport Police officers will be equipped with conductive energy devices at major rail stations in Scotland, broken down by policing division.

Question reference: S5W-02292

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what training and guidance will be provided to British Transport Police officers equipped with conductive energy devices at major rail stations in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-02300

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Lord Advocate has developed guidelines in relation to suspect interviews, in line with recommendations in the Post-corroboration Safeguards Review.

Question reference: S5W-02302

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of suspects of crime have been offered the Solicitor Access Recording Form in each year since 2013-14.

Police Scotland do not currently hold this information centrally. However the Solicitor Access Recording Form is provided to every individual detained under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, or is arrested but not charged with an offence, and being detained in custody (i.e. held in custody, not detained under section 14) at a police station for the purposes of being questioned in connection with an offence.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02299 on 14 September 2016 for more detail about the national custody system. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx