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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-00395

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reported comment by the Deputy Chief Constable Designate, Neil Richardson, in The Herald on 1 June 2016 that "we have submitted papers setting out our thinking about strategy and development to the last two Private Meetings' Meetings, however, both of these have been removed from the agenda," (a) for what reasons items were removed from the agenda, (b) whether the papers were ever discussed and (c) what further opportunities there will be to discuss strategy development.

Question reference: S5W-00391

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reported comment by the Deputy Chief Constable Designate, Neil Richardson, in The Herald on 1 June 2016 that the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland "will not bring forward any new strategies before the election in May 2016", for what reason new strategies were not proposed in March 2016 despite the former three year plan coming to an end.

Question reference: S5W-00416

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reform the law with regard to defamation.

The Scottish Law Commission is currently reviewing defamation law and will make recommendations to the Scottish Government on the need for reform and the content of any proposed legislation. The Scottish Government awaits the outcome of the Scottish Law Commission’s review and will consider fully the terms of any report produced on this issue.

The Scottish Law Commission’s consultation on defamation law is open until the 17 June 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00394

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the reported comment by the Deputy Chief Constable Designate, Neil Richardson, in The Herald on 1 June 2016 that "the SPA would be developing the next corporate strategy, a development which has not been communicated to, nor agreed by Police Scotland", what impact the Scottish Police Authority's development of the next corporate strategy will have on financial resources in the current financial year.

The financial resources available to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) from the Scottish Government for the current year, 2016, are set out in the Budget Act 2016-17. The budget provides real terms protection for the police resource budget and provides an additional £55 million of reform funding in 2016-17. The SPA’s allocation of resources to Police Scotland and its interim corporate strategy were considered at its board meetings in February and March 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00413

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its (a) ministers and (b) officials have had with (i) Police Scotland and (ii) the Scottish Police Authority regarding the recommendations in the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland report, Audit and Assurance Review of the use of the Facial Search functionality within the UK Police National Database (PND) by Police Scotland, and on what dates.

Question reference: S5W-00327

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the evidence given by Fiona Hyslop to the Education and Culture Committee on 20 May 2014 (Official Report, c. 4152) that, by April 2015, Historic Environment Scotland would provide a cost for the outstanding repair and maintenance backlog for properties, whether this information has been provided and, if so, what the cost of the repairs and maintenance is.

The assessment of the cost for the outstanding repair and maintenance backlog in respect of the properties in the care of Scottish Ministers (PiCs) remains the subject of internal discussion at this stage. A significant amount of work had already been undertaken before April 2015 and since the Historic Environment Scotland (HES) board took on their full powers in October 2015, and to whom responsibility for the PiCs is delegated, for which I am grateful. The work being produced is now more complex than originally planned but I anticipate that HES will be able to advise of the final outcome in due course.

Question reference: S5W-00415

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29576 by Michael Matheson on 10 February 2016, on what date the guidance will be published.

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing guidance relating to restorative justice as soon as possible. However, it is essential that such guidance is developed in collaboration with restorative justice experts and those with expertise in dealing with victims’ issues, to ensure that the interests of all those participating in the restorative justice process are reflected.

The Scottish Government has taken a collaborative approach to developing this guidance and a revised draft was circulated to the Scottish Restorative Justice Forum (whose membership includes Sacro, Rape Crisis Scotland, VSS and Scottish Women’s Aid) in March 2016. The latest comments from stakeholders are currently being considered.

Question reference: S5W-00418

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government in light of the findings in the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland report, Audit and Assurance Review of the use of the Facial Search functionality within the UK Police National Database (PND) by Police Scotland, whether it will (a) introduce legislation regarding the retention and use of photographic images by the police, (b) establish an independent commissioner to oversee biometric databases and records and (c) develop a statutory code of practice to govern the use of biometric data.

Question reference: S5W-00417

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on adopting a similar approach to data as that of Estonia, which considers that it belongs to the citizen and that people have the right to know who has accessed their information.

The Scottish Government's identity management and privacy principles demonstrates the Scottish Government's commitment to individuals' right to a private and family life. There is a new EU General Data Protection Regulation which will come into force in May 2018. The new regulations will strengthen individuals rights and extend the scope of previous legislation to include organisations that process the personal data of EU citizens outside Europe, which we believe is a very positive step.

Question reference: S5W-00414

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-25353, S4W-26131, S4W-27521, S4W-28458 and S4W-29913 by John Swinney on 7 May 2015, 7 July 2015, 29 September 2015, 2 December 2015 and 8 March 2016 respectively, what the reason is for the delay in providing this information, and on what date it will set out (a) an analysis of responses to the consultation on proposed amendments to the NHS Central Register (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and (b) details of how it plans to proceed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29921 on 8 March 2016. I will provide to Parliament our analysis of the consultation in due course. Any delay has been caused by our wish to give full and proper consideration to the responses received, options moving forward and our commitment to developing a system that protects user privacy.

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