Chamber and committees

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-17395

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the figures in the report, Criminal Proceeding in Scotland, 2016-17, which record a 96.2% reduction in the number of police formal adult warnings since 2009-10.

The Formal Adult Warnings system was replaced with the Recorded Police Warnings scheme in January 2016. Recorded Police Warnings provide a proportionate, formal way of dealing with low level offences which commonly do not result in court action and will still appear on records for two years.

The types of crime covered by the scheme are a matter for the Lord Advocate as part of his independent role as head of the system of prosecution.

Question reference: S5W-15143

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) has been and (b) will be paid to the outgoing finance director of NHS Tayside as a result of the termination of his employment, broken down by (i) pension, (ii) ex gratia, (iii) notice, (iv) holiday and (v) any other payments.

Question reference: S5W-15139

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether any form of settlement agreement, confidentiality agreement or similar post-employment contract has been put in place for the outgoing finance director of NHS Tayside.

Question reference: S5W-17393

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the figures in the report, Criminal Proceeding in Scotland, 2016-17, which record an 87.9% reduction in the number of police restorative justice warnings since 2009-10.

Police Scotland have a number of disposals available to them for dealing with young people involved in offending behaviour. The use of restorative justice warnings are just one of those available. Other disposals include early and effective intervention, formal warnings, recorded police warnings and referral to the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration. The decision on which disposal to use is a matter for police officials.

The use of restorative justice warnings has decreased since 2009-10, however, the use of other disposals has increased during this time. The Youth Justice Strategy Preventing Offending: Getting it right for Children and Young People published by the Scottish Government in 2015 continues to promote a preventative agenda of keeping young people out of formal systems and using early and effective interventions where possible.

Question reference: S5W-17304

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what its projected opening date is for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).

In March 2018, Keith Brown, the then Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work advised Parliament that we are committed to opening sections of the road in advance wherever possible but it may be prudent to anticipate a late autumn 2018 date for the overall project opening. I am pleased to advise that the 7km section, between Parkhill (Goval) and Blackdog, opened to traffic on 27 June 2018 and I anticipate further sections of the new road to be available in the coming weeks.

Transport Scotland will continue to work with the contractor to ensure the project is delivered at the earliest opportunity.

I look forward to the considerable benefits being delivered when the remaining sections of the AWPR open in the coming months.

Question reference: S5W-16954

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the merger of the British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland, what assessment it has made of the financial, operational and public safety impacts of this on railway policing in England and Wales.

The Scottish Government has made clear that the integration of British Transport Police in Scotland into Police Scotland is a major programme which must be achieved in an effective, efficient and inclusive manner to safeguard the interests of rail users, the rail industry, the general public, rail staff, and police officers and staff. The Joint Programme Board overseeing the integration, which comprises all partners, seeks to ensure as far as possible that there is no detriment to railway policing in Scotland or the rest of Great Britain.

The re-planning exercise that is currently underway has been complemented by a refresh and strengthening of Programme governance arrangements. These arrangements will include robust assessments of risks and costs throughout the delivery of the integration Programme.

Question reference: S5W-16957

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the upgrade of the Police Scotland IT system requires to be completed prior to the merger of British Transport Police in Scotland (BTP) with Police Scotland; whether public safety would be compromised in relation to railway policing if the system is not in place by then; whether its completion would be delayed in the absence of a reported £200 million required in additional funding, and whether the required upgrade cost includes the cost of new/upgrades ICT for BTP.

Question reference: S5W-16958

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) current and (b) projected cost is of the merger of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland; from whom it commissioned estimates, and from which budget the costs will be met.

Question reference: S5W-16956

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the merger of the British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland, what progress has been made on the development of railway policing agreements, and when a final draft will be presented.

Question reference: S5W-16959

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the new transition date will be for the merger of British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland and, if this is not yet set, when it will be, and on what basis it reached that conclusion.