- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by James Wolffe QC on 17 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21307 by the Lord Advocate on 11 February 2019, what (a) internal and (b) external evaluation it used to support the assertion that "the system works well".
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21307 on 11 February 2019 to which she refers. As previously advised the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit of COPFS and the Death Certification Review Service (DCRS) are in frequent contact regarding relevant deaths. This is often as a result of discussions between the offices of the Head of SFIU and the Senior Medical Reviewer at DCRS. There has been no internal or external evaluation of this relationship; the experience of the Crown is that it works well.
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 .
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how much local authorities have spent on culture in each of the last two years for which information is available, also broken down by council.
Answer
The details are shown in the following table. Culture and Related Services includes Culture and Heritage, Tourism, Recreation and Sport and Library Services.
Table 1: Net Revenue Expenditure on Culture and Related Services, 2016-17 and 2017-18 by Local Authority
| | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | |
| | £000 | £000 | % change |
Scotland | 576,677 | 560,790 | -2.75 |
Aberdeen City | 26,537 | 26,825 | 1.08 |
Aberdeenshire | 21,566 | 20,900 | -3.08 |
Angus | 9,053 | 8,390 | -7.32 |
Argyll & Bute | 7,818 | 7,346 | -6.04 |
Clackmannanshire | 5,049 | 4,341 | -14.02 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 14,858 | 14,619 | -1.61 |
Dundee City | 18,722 | 17,456 | -6.76 |
East Ayrshire | 8,515 | 8,547 | 0.37 |
East Dunbartonshire | 8,835 | 9,523 | 7.78 |
East Lothian | 16,600 | 16,112 | -2.94 |
East Renfrewshire | 8,424 | 8,973 | 6.52 |
Edinburgh, City of | 36,898 | 31,415 | -14.86 |
Eilean Siar | 3,697 | 3,516 | -4.89 |
Falkirk | 14,234 | 14,774 | 3.79 |
Fife | 41,342 | 41,167 | -0.42 |
Glasgow City | 102,581 | 100,726 | -1.80 |
Highland | 19,731 | 19,967 | 1.19 |
Inverclyde | 8,498 | 8,159 | -3.99 |
Midlothian | 8,117 | 8,263 | 1.79 |
Moray | 7,330 | 7,100 | -3.14 |
North Ayrshire | 18,015 | 15,912 | -11.67 |
North Lanarkshire | 34,893 | 33,241 | -4.73 |
Orkney Islands | 4,396 | 4,358 | -0.86 |
Perth & Kinross | 16,623 | 17,961 | 8.05 |
Renfrewshire | 19,464 | 19,793 | 1.69 |
Scottish Borders | 12,654 | 11,790 | -6.83 |
Shetland Islands | 4,621 | 4,290 | -7.16 |
South Ayrshire | 10,894 | 11,158 | 2.42 |
South Lanarkshire | 28,902 | 28,104 | -2.76 |
Stirling | 9,112 | 10,180 | 11.72 |
West Dunbartonshire | 12,121 | 12,587 | 3.84 |
West Lothian | 16,577 | 13,297 | -19.79 |
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by James Wolffe QC on 4 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21302 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, once a body is repatriated, under what circumstances a fiscal will instruct a local enquiry to be carried out to clarify how a person died.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21307 which I answered on 11 February 2019, which states:
When the remains of a person resident in Scotland who has died abroad are repatriated to Scotland the repatriation requires to be reported to the Death Certification Review Service (DCRS). Medical examiners within DCRS are responsible for ensuring that no burial or cremation of such remains occurs where there is no acceptable form of death certification. DCRS has a budget for post-mortem examinations in such circumstances. Where it appears that the death has occurred in suspicious circumstances (information about which may come from paperwork accompanying the body or from nearest relatives or funeral directors instructed by them) DCRS will intimate the circumstances to the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. SFIU/COPFS may then take control of the remains and instruct a post-mortem examination. In deciding whether or not a post mortem should be instructed, the Procurator Fiscal will consult with the pathologist instructed by the Crown.
“SFIU and DCRS are in frequent contact regarding deaths, and the system works well. It is not considered that there is any need for these arrangements to be re-examined.
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 .
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by James Wolffe QC on 4 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21304 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, how many times the Lord Advocate has used his discretionary powers each year under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016, also broken down by how many times this was in relation to a death abroad in suspicious circumstances.
Answer
The Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 (the 2016 Act), (the 2016 Act), was brought into force by parliament on 15 June 2017.
In terms of section 4 of the 2016 Act, the Lord Advocate may instruct a Fatal Accident Inquiry (an FAI) into a person’s death if it is considered that the death was sudden, suspicious or unexplained, or occurred in circumstances giving rise to serious public concern, and that it is in the public interest for an inquiry to be held into the circumstances of the death. Assessing whether it is in the public interest to hold a discretionary fatal accident inquiry in relation to a death will depend very much on the particular facts and circumstances surrounding the death.
Since the 15 June 2017, the Procurator Fiscal has given notice to the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) on two occasions that a fatal accident inquiry is to be held in terms of section 4 of the 2016 Act. In both of the inquiries referred to the death occurred in Scotland.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21305 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, how devolved services could be improved across the public and voluntary sector to provide better support for these families.
Answer
The Scottish Government are committed to doing everything it can to help families who suffer the death of a loved one abroad but as I know you are aware it is the role of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to provide consular support. However, as I had previously indicated I do not believe that the current system is wholly satisfactory, and await with interest the report from the All-party UK Parliamentary Group on Deaths Abroad and Consular Services and Assistance and I am keen to explore this issue further.
More generally, the Scottish Government is committed to improving the help we provide to victims of crime. As indicated previously, I am aware that there are a range of issues which Scottish families face when dealing with the death of a loved one abroad in suspicious circumstances, which are often also faced by victims of crime in Scotland. The Victims Taskforce will consider how these common issues can be tackled, informed by the experiences of victims themselves.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-21305 and S5W-21308 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, although it has no power to provide consular assistance, what (a) financial and (b) other support it can offer to help the families (i) emotionally and practically and (ii) in meeting repatriation, translation, transport and other costs.
Answer
The Scottish Government will, when appropriate, raise concerns with the Foreign Office on behalf of Scots affected by deaths abroad and signpost them to agencies in Scotland to help them access the support they require. Following repatriation of the deceased, several organisations within Scotland can provide support for the bereaved families including ‘Victim Support Scotland’.
In addition, there are a range of issues which Scottish families face when dealing with the death of a loved one abroad in suspicious circumstances, which are often also faced by victims of crime in Scotland. The Victims Taskforce will consider how these common issues can be tackled, informed by the experiences of victims themselves.
However, as I had previously indicated I do not believe that the current system is wholly satisfactory, and await with interest the report from the All-party UK Parliamentary Group on Deaths Abroad and Consular Services and Assistance and I am keen to explore this issue further.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 April 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-21302 and S5W-21303 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, what its position is on expanding the role of the family liaison officers beyond the duty to communicate with family and relatives when a Police Scotland investigation is required, including by (a) providing assistance with liaison with foreign jurisdictions and (b) offering other ongoing support.
Answer
How and when Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) are deployed is a matter for Police Scotland.
The primary roles of a Police Scotland Family Liaison Officer are to provide information to and signpost support for the family in a sensitive and compassionate manner in accordance with the needs of the investigation; to gather evidence and information from the family in a manner which contributes to the investigation and preserves its integrity; and to secure the confidence and trust of the family thereby enhancing their contribution to the investigation.
The role of an FLO can only include communication on behalf of a foreign police service when Police Scotland have been asked to do so by that service as they may not be the holders of key information related to the investigation.
However, I am keen to explore this issue further and await the report from the All-party UK Parliamentary Group on Deaths Abroad and any views they may take.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting housing, regeneration and community empowerment in the Almond Valley constituency.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2019
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 March 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how much Scottish Enterprise has invested in video games companies in each year since 2008.
Answer
Over the past six years (2011-12 to 2017-18), Scottish Enterprise has invested over £13 million (£13.4 million) in games companies. Just under half of this investment (£6.5 million) was through the Scottish Investment Bank and the remainder split between Innovation Grants and Regional Selective Assistance.
- Asked by: Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports third sector organisations that support the families of resident Scots who have died abroad in suspicious circumstances.
Answer
The Scottish Government is providing £13.8 million to Victim Support Scotland over the period 2018-19 – 2020-21 to help victims of crime.
Victim Support Scotland has an agreement with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to provide emotional and practical support to families of Scots who have died abroad as a result of murder or manslaughter; helping them to deal with the added trauma, complications and cost that a death abroad can cause.
