Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-34141

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions for speeding on trunk roads led to a (a) conviction and (b) acquittal in each year since 2018, broken down by (i) trunk road and (ii) court location.

(a)The latest available information on convictions is for the financial year 2022-23.

Number of people convicted for speeding offences on trunk roads, where main crime, in Scottish Courts, by court location (LA), 2018-19 to 2022-23.

	2018-19	2022-23
	West Lothian	East Ayrshire	Highland	Perth & Kinross	West Lothian
TRUNK ROADS (S) TEMP RESTRICT TRAFFIC & OVERTAKING 30,40,50MPH (S) ORDER 1992	-	-	1	-	-
TRUNK ROADS (S) TEMP RESTRICT TRAFFIC & OVERTAKING 30,40,50MPH (S) ORDER 1994	1	-	-	-	1
TRUNK ROADS IN SCOT (TEMP PROHIBITIONS & TEMP SPEED RESTRICTIONS) ORDER 1996	-	1	-	1	-

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database.

Some speeding offences that occurred on trunk roads may have been prosecuted under more general speeding offence charges.

Please note: data for 2021-22 and 2022-23 are affected by the pandemic, subsequent court closures, reduced court capacity due to physical distancing measures and delays to cases where key participants were forced to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19, and may not be considered indicative of long term trends.

(b) There were no cases resulting in acquittal not guilty or acquittal not proven verdict under the legislation related to speeding on trunk roads (where main crime), between 2018-19 and 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-34136

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many penalties were issued for drink or drug driving offences on each trunk road, in each year since 2018.

Question reference: S6W-33616

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to roll-out mobile clinical units in rural and remote areas, including Aberdeenshire.

Question reference: S6W-34230

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps Food Standards Scotland is taking to improve the nutritional quality of ready meals.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advocate the UK wide reformulation programme, managed by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities, which has voluntary targets for industry to reduce levels of sugar, salt and calories in commonly consumed foods. They regularly report on progress, with the most recent publication in 2024.

In Scotland, Scottish Government funds the Reformulation for Health Programme which is managed by Food and Drink Federation Scotland. Since 2019, the programme has support SMEs operating in Scotland to take steps to improve the nutritional content of their food, including reductions in fat, sugar and salt. Examples of the success of the programme can be found via this link. Food Standards Scotland supports the Reformulation for Health Programme, including as a Reformul8 Partner, and through provision of grant funding to support businesses to undertake reformulation.

Question reference: S6W-34268

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland supports local authorities in enforcing food safety regulations.

In addition to the training provided, FSS attends and provides the Secretariat function to the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Group. The details of this Committee can be found here: Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee (SFELC) | Food Standards Scotland. FSS attends the Local Authority Food Liaison Groups meetings and establishes working groups to discuss in greater depth areas of food law that require focus and direction. FSS supports and works in partnership with the Professional bodies representing Environmental Health and Food Safety Officers.

Question reference: S6W-34150

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what disciplinary actions have been taken in response to incidents of accessing or attempting to access pornography on Scottish Government devices or computers in each year since 2018, broken down by the outcome.

As outlined in the Scottish Government’s IT Code of Conduct attempts to access, active accessing, downloading, displaying, storing and the distribution of pornographic, racist or other offensive material, or material relating to illegal activities is considered a disciplinary matter.

Under the Scottish Government’s discipline policy, line managers are expected to deal with concerns about inappropriate behaviour at an early stage and where appropriate, on an informal basis. Informal action could include addressing concerns through discussion, feedback, training and coaching. There is no requirement to report informal action to HR. However, where an allegation of misconduct is more serious, formal disciplinary procedures would apply.

Since 2018, there have been two formal disciplinary cases taken in response to incidents of accessing or attempting to access pornography on Scottish Government devices or computers. One outcome was a 6-month formal written warning, and the other outcome was a one-year written warning.

Question reference: S6W-34163

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many prosecutions related to assaults on doctors have resulted in (a) convictions and (b) other outcomes, in each year since 2018, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-34164

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what penalties have been imposed following convictions for assaults on doctors in each year since 2018, broken down by the (a) type of penalty and (b) NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-34142

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what penalties have been imposed as a result of successful speeding prosecutions in each year since 2018, broken down by (a) trunk road and (b) penalty type.

(a) The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of penalties issued for speeding offences by specific trunk road location or road number. This level of detail is not recorded in the Criminal Proceedings database.

(b) The latest available information on convictions is for the financial year 2022-23.

Number of people convicted for speeding offences (regardless of location), where main crime, by result, 2018-19 to 2022-23.

	Custody	Community sentence	Monetary	Other	Total convicted
2018-19	-	17	9,002	54	9,073
2019-20	1	10	9,083	82	9,176
2020-21	-	1	2,190	11	2,202
2021-22	-	3	4,426	42	4,471
2022-23	-	3	4,303	65	4,371

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database.

Please note: data for 2021-22 and 2022-23 are affected by the pandemic, subsequent court closures, reduced court capacity due to physical distancing measures and delays to cases where key participants were forced to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19, and may not be considered indicative of long term trends.

Question reference: S6W-34157

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what penalties have been imposed following convictions for assaults on nurses in each year since 2018, broken down by the (a) type of penalty and (b) NHS board.

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