- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many facial recognition cameras are currently being used by Police Scotland.
Answer
The decision to use any technology with facial recognition capability is an operational matter for Police Scotland, whilst having regard to the relevant laws.
The Scottish Government understands from Police Scotland that they are not and have no plans to use live facial recognition technology/cameras at this time.
In line with the Scottish Government's commitment to the legal, ethical and proportionate use of technologies in policing, an Independent Advisory Group on Emerging Technologies, whose membership includes policing, human rights and data protection stakeholders, is currently developing recommendations and is due to report to Ministers later this year.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards the establishment of a Peace Institute by the end of 2022, as set out in the Programme for Government 2021-22.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to Scotland being an active and responsible global citizen and we are actively considering the options received in the report commissioned earlier to advise on a Scottish Peace Institute. Our priority is to ensure our offer is appropriate, responsible and complimentary to existing activity both in Scotland and internationally. I look forward to updating Parliament with our plans in due course.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry will conclude.
Answer
The terms of reference determine the scope, direction and ultimately, the duration of an Inquiry. As the Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry is independent of Ministers, it is for the Chair to direct how the Inquiry carries out its duties and when it will conclude.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much it will spend to continue the roll-out of free mobile phones for prisoners, in light of reports that the project is set to continue.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: A decision on the future of prisoner phone services including pricing mechanisms is currently under active consideration.
SPS estimate that to continue with the current scheme, it will cost approximately £60,000 per month.
- Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether the licensing of grouse moor management, as recommended in the Werritty review, will include a proactive monitoring regime to ensure that licences are revoked should breaches occur.
Answer
NatureScot, as the licensing body, will be responsible for the issuing and monitoring of licences. They will work closely with Police Scotland and other key stakeholders to address any suspected breach of licensing conditions.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to bring forward legislation to continue the Nursery Rates Relief Scheme beyond 30 June 2023.
Answer
On 6 October 2022, the Scottish Government committed to extending the Nursery Rates Relief Scheme. Subordinate legislation to deliver that commitment is expected to be laid in early 2023 and come into effect on 1 April.
- Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when the recommendations in the Werritty review will be implemented, particularly the licensing of grouse moor management.
Answer
As we set out in our 2022 Programme for Government we will introduce a Wildlife Management (Grouse) Bill which will: ‘ implement the recommendations of the “Werritty Review” and introduce licensing for grouse moor management to ensure that the management of driven grouse moors and related activities is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable manner. The Bill will also include provisions to ban glue traps.’
We have been working with NatureScot to develop proposals for a licensing scheme for grouse moor businesses and launched a public consultation on those proposals on 26 October 2022. The consultation will run until 14 December 2022 and can be found here: Wildlife management: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to allow the removal of any freeze on apprenticeship places and budgets at Skills Development Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11670 on 9 November 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10934 by Mairi McAllan on 26 September 2022, whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its formal response to the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee's December 2020 report on regional marine planning.
Answer
We continue to carefully consider the report and recommendations made by the previous Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee as regards regional marine planning in the context of the emergency budget review and the recently announced development of a new Scottish National Marine Plan. We are working to finalise our formal response, which will be published early next year.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of any threat to former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland from the Chinese police service, which is reportedly operating from Glasgow.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12089 on 21 November 2022 which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers