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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: S2W-09807

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of fire-raising as the main charge in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by police force area.

The available information is given in the following table.

Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Fire-Raising¹, 1998-2002

Police Force Area	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002²
Total number proceeded against:
Central	10	8	6	11	14
Dumfries and Galloway	8	7	3	9	5
Fife	13	10	18	14	18
Grampian	9	13	10	18	16
Lothian and Borders	20	18	19	16	24
Northern	14	8	5	8	11
Strathclyde	56	56	60	63	52
Tayside	20	19	13	13	17
Scotland	150	139	134	152	157
Number with charge proved:
Central	10	5	4	9	12
Dumfries and Galloway	6	7	2	6	4
Fife	10	8	13	14	15
Grampian	6	13	9	12	10
Lothian and Borders	19	15	15	16	22
Northern	14	7	5	8	8
Strathclyde	41	44	44	45	48
Tayside	16	9	11	9	16
Scotland	122	108	103	119	135

Notes:

1. Where main offence.

2. Recording delays mean that persons proceeded against where the charge was not proved may be under-stated in the totals for persons proceeded against.

Question reference: S2W-09744

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 16 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-patients were waiting for (a) less than 9 weeks, (b) less than 13 weeks, (c) less than 26 weeks, (d) more than 26 weeks and (e) more than 52 weeks for an NHS appointment, broken down by individual speciality and NHS board, in the most recent quarter for which figures are available.

Question reference: S2W-09752

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 13 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25143 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 May 2002, how many (a) individuals and (b) companies have been convicted of offences relating to the pollution of rivers and other waterways in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002, (iii) 2003 and (iv) 2004, listing the rivers and waterways concerned and the range of penalties imposed upon such offenders.

The available information on numbers convicted and fines imposed in respect of offences under Part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is given in the table. Under the 1974 act, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regulates discharges to Controlled Waters. In addition to rivers and other watercourses, Controlled Waters include other waters such as groundwater, coastal waters and ponds. Separate records are not kept in respect of rivers and watercourses only.

Persons and Companies Convicted of Pollution of Controlled Waterways¹, 2001-04

	2001	2002	2003	2004²
Persons:
Number convicted	8	3	4	1
Lowest fine (£)	100	500	450	400
Average fine (£)	744	1,500	550	400
Highest fine(£)	1,000	3,500	1,000	400
Companies¹:
Number convicted	17	19	20	10
Lowest fine (£)	500	400	1,000	500
Average fine (£)	2,824	5,455	4,825	5,000
Highest fine(£)	5,000	20,000	15,000	10,000

Source: Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Notes:

1. Includes limited companies, partnerships and public bodies.

2. To 3 August.

Rivers and other watercourses that were the subject of discharges leading to convictions for pollution offences are listed as follows. The list is not definitive as systematic records of the names of rivers etc involved are not kept.

Rivers and waterways that have been the subject of discharges giving rise to convictions for pollution offences, 2001 to 3 August 2004:

Finglen Burn

Gogar Burn

Peffer Burn West

Downie Burn

Blairvault Burn

Coachford Burn

Burn of Shenwell

Sole Burn

Lettermay Burn

Longniddry Burn

An unnamed tributary of the Garf Water

River Almond

Gadie Burn

River Ugie

The Kittoch Water

Fairlie Burn

Black Lynn Burn, Oban

River Lochy

Burn of Couster, Shetland

Bogend Burn

Barry Burn

Kames Burn

West Carmuirs Burn

Board Burn

Howgill Burn

Tanavie Burn

Ballagan Burn

Achahuish Burn

River Ugie

Gadie Burn

River Ugie

Loch Kinshorn

Ebrie Burn

Clyde Estuary

Park Burn

River Nith

Torry Burn

Crookston Burn

Glen River, Stornoway

Mid Laird Burn, Daviot

Cove Burn, Gourock

Monikie Burn

Bothlin Burn

River Rannoch

Tobermory River

Avon Water

Red Burn

Boyndie Burn

Torry Burn.

Question reference: S2W-09739

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases under sections 51, 52 and 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 have (a) been received, (b) had court proceedings taken and (c) had a charge proved in each of the last five years.

The available information is given in the tables. Statistics dealing with cases reported to the Procurator Fiscal and court proceedings are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than charge involving more than one report, while a report may be received in one year and proceedings taken in a subsequent year. Charges reported to the Fiscal may also be altered as a result of the judicial process.

Cases reported to the Procurator Fiscal with One or More Charge(s) UnderSections 51, 52 and 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, 2002-03 and2003-04¹

	Financial year of receipt
2002-03	2003-04
Number of reports	145	190
Number of accused	150	194
Number of charges	339	405

Note: Only incomplete information available for previous years.

Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Offences Under Sections 51, 52 and 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982¹, 1998-2002

	Calendar Year of Outcome
1998	1999	2000	2001	2002²
Total	20	13	23	24	29
Number with a charge proved	15	11	17	18	28

Notes:

1. Where main offence.

2. Recording delays mean that cases where the charges were not proved may be under-stated in the totals for persons proceeded against.

Question reference: S2W-09738

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were appointed to public bodies in each of the last five years and, of these, how many had been involved in political activity in the five years preceding their appointment.

I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-20118 (answered on 26 March 2002), S1W-24411 (answered on 17 April 2002) and S1W-25468 (answered on 30 April 2002) which explain why annual data for part of the period in question is not available.

Information from 1 April 2001 is as follows:

Period	Appointments (Including Reappointments)	No of Appointees Declaring a Political Activity
1 April 2001 – 31 March 2002	273	65
1 April 2002 – 31 March 2003	253	61
1 April 2003 – 31 March 2004	220	32

Question reference: S2W-09736

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive in how many police operations in each of the last five years firearms were issued to officers, broken down by police force area.

The deployment of firearms is an operational matter for chief constables. Firearms may be issued to officers for a range of reasons including for operations against persons known or suspected to be armed, for protection duties and for putting down animals. The table gives information provided by forces for the number of operations against persons known or believed to be armed.

Number of Operations Where Firearms were Issued Against Persons Known or Believed to be Armed

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Central Scotland	10	8	1	6	3
Dumfries and Galloway	6	3	15	11	6
Fife	5	5	6	8	13
Grampian	17	11	11	6	6
Lothian and Borders	66	94	96	165	197
Northern	7	10	5	0	1
Strathclyde	17	14	24	103	131
Tayside	13	5	5	1	1

Source: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Question reference: S2W-09741

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were convicted of shoplifting in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.

The available information is given in the table.

Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Shoplifting¹, 1998–2002

Police Force Area	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Central	257	391	477	641	595
Dumfries and Galloway	109	135	195	176	212
Fife	384	451	480	518	446
Grampian	1,133	803	814	894	969
Lothian and Borders	1,258	1,166	1,194	1,172	1,335
Northern	213	216	163	208	254
Strathclyde	3,586	3,777	3,412	3,728	4,311
Tayside	671	710	684	786	809
Scotland	7,611	7,649	7,419	8,123	8,931

Note: Where main offence.

Question reference: S2W-09745

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation on the review of local government funding finance will commence.

Question reference: S2W-09737

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal trials called (a) were adjourned to another day, (b) had a guilty plea tendered at any stage and (c) went ahead in each of the last five years.

The information requested is shown in the following tables. Adjournment of trials can be for a variety of reasons, and usually on the motion of the Crown or Defence.

Cases where evidence has been led and a guilty plea is tendered during the course of a trial are counted in the total for guilty plea tendered.

Sheriff Court Summary Criminal Cases

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Called for trial	40,207	40,800	47,071	52,140	49,011
Adjourned	7,336	7,720	8,640	9,553	8,756
Guilty Plea	9,708	10,032	11,955	14,174	13,344
Evidence Led	7,890	7,427	7,420	7,523	7,091

Sheriff Court Solemn Criminal Cases

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Called for trial	1,924	2,301	2,280	2,456	2,750
Adjourned	362	484	498	521	625
Guilty Plea	657	744	727	843	953
Evidence Led	797	882	802	754	852

Sheriff Court - All Criminal Cases

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Called for trial	42,131	43,101	49,351	54,596	51,761
Adjourned	7,698	8,204	9,138	10,074	9,381
Guilty Plea	10,365	10,776	12,682	15,017	14,297
Evidence Led	8,687	8,309	8,222	8,277	7,943

Question reference: S2W-09742

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Hugh Henry on 12 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were convicted of theft by housebreaking in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.

The available information is given in the table.

Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Housebreaking¹, 1998-2002

Police Force Area	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Central	102	139	109	160	154
Dumfries and Galloway	118	105	109	104	97
Fife	297	330	292	334	268
Grampian	469	470	429	415	352
Lothian and Borders	369	331	388	347	416
Northern	106	104	71	102	76
Strathclyde	1,293	1,358	1,096	1,075	1,122
Tayside	223	184	192	174	251
Scotland	2,977	3,021	2,686	2,711	2,736

Note: Where main offence.