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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

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Question reference: S1W-00517

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 July 1999
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 4 August 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the names and locations of registered residential drug rehabilitation centres and day-care rehabilitation centres in Scotland together with details of the number of clients referred to such centres and by whom they were funded for each of the past five years.

Following is the information available in respect of services registered with local authorities. Comparable information for earlier years is not readily available. There is in addition a wide range of drug treatment and support services provided by local authorities, health boards and private and voluntary organisations which are not so registered or which have not indicated drug treatment as their main function in their returns to the department.

The need for more reliable information on drug misuse services and spend is acknowledged in Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership and key facts and figures will be collected in a consistent basis across all Drug Action Team areas in order to monitor progress and as part of the new Drug Action Team Planning cycle process.

Registered Residential Drug Rehabilitation Centres as at 31 March 1998 ^{1 and 2}
Name	Location
Aberlour Child Care Trust ³	Edinburgh
Bethany Christian Trust	Edinburgh
Glasgow Drug Crisis Centre	Glasgow
Links Project	Edinburgh
Phoenix House	Glasgow
Rainbow House	Glasgow
Red Tower ⁴	Helensburgh
Scarrell Road Project	Glasgow

During the year ending 31 March 1998 there were a total of 215 long term admissions and 554 respite care admissions to the above establishments.Notes: 1. It is not possible from the information available to provide details of client funding.2. Other centres may have people attending for drug rehabilitation services but not recorded as such.3. Includes day care facilities.4. Red Tower is described as a drug detoxification unit.

Day Care Drug Rehabilitation Centres as at 31 March 1998 ^{1 and 2}
Name	Location
Whitehill House	Peterhead
Wishart Centre	Dundee

During the week ending 31 March 1998 there were a total of 146 clients attending the above centres.Notes: 1. It is not possible from the information available to provide details of client funding.2. Other centres may have people attending for drug rehabilitation services but not recorded as such.

Question reference: S1W-00515

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 July 1999
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 26 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any regular analysis of crime figures in Scotland in order to identify trends in drug related crime and, if so, whether it will provide details of such analysis.

Quarterly returns of information relating to the number of all crimes and offences recorded and cleared up are made by police forces to the Scottish Executive Justice Department. A summary of the data collected is published annually in the statistical bulletin 'Recorded Crime In Scotland'. The most recent bulletin in this series, published in March 1999, provided figures for years up to 1998. Table F in the bulletin, which is reproduced here, provides a breakdown of those crimes recorded which are specifically drugs related. Information on other types of crime where drugs were a factor, for example housebreaking or theft to finance a drug habit, is not identifiable in the recorded crime statistics collected centrally.
Drugs related crimes recorded by the police, Scotland, 1989-1998

Number & Percentage


	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	*% change*
											*97-98*

Illegal importation of drugs	17	9	3	5	4	13	13	35	27	30	11
Illegal cultivation of drugs	74	47	40	177	286	280	301	284	238	170	-29
Possession of drugs with intent to supply	2,037	2,741	3,301	3,914	4,943	5,625	7,660	6,638	7,915	8,290	5
Possession of drugs	4,654	6,513	8,412	9,226	12,430	13,146	16,527	16,739	20,929	22,588	8
Drugs, money laundering related offences¹	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-
Drugs, other offences	242	254	225	246	323	217	271	296	277	382	38

Total	7,024	9,564	11,981	13,568	17,986	19,281	24,773	23,992	29,386	31,460	7

1. Introduced with effect from 1 January 1995.A pilot research study is being carried out by Glasgow University in conjunction with Strathclyde police and Fife Constabulary to establish if there is objective evidence of a link between drugs misuse and crime. It is expected that this research will be completed by the end of the year.

Question reference: S1W-00513

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 July 1999
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 23 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the amount of public spending on tackling drug addiction in Scotland for each of the past ten financial years.

The information is not available centrally. In addition to formal drugs programmes, there is spend to tackle drug misuse within a wide range of health, social work, police and criminal justice services.The following statistics are, however, available:-Health Board provision for drug treatment services

Financial Year	£000s
1994-95	2,535
1995-96	8,182
1996-97	9,182
1997-98	9,946
1998-99	9,862
1999-00	11,862

Total gross revenue expenditure by local authorities on substance misuse

Financial Year (1)	£000s
1987-88	542
1988-89	587
1989-90²	2,915
1990-91	3,161
1991-92	3,372
1992-93	4,530
1993-94	5,812
1994-95³	11,287
1995-96	12,413
1996-97⁴	11,219

^{Notes
Source: Data as reported by local authorities on Local Financial Returns (LFR3 Social Work), for relevant financial year
1. For each year the expenditure figures contain an estimate for loan charges, revenue contribution to capital and support service costs.
2. Prior to 1989/90 the figure contained "Day Centres" and "Residential Accommodation" only. From 1989/90 expenditure figures included "Day centres", "Residential Accommodation" and "Other Services for Addicts", (Substance Misuse). 3. Prior to this year the category " Substance Misuse" was known as Addicts"4. Prior to this year Regional Councils reported data. From 1996-97 data as reported by unitary councils.}

Question reference: S1W-00516

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 July 1999
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 23 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the drug support services in Scotland which are funded with public money, including their primary functions, locations, staff numbers and annual budgets.

Question reference: S1W-00168

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 21 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the relevant Minister will be willing, if requested, to visit Tillydrone to discuss with the local community their bid for assistance for local housing improvements.

New Housing Partnership resources totalling almost £2 million have been earmarked to enable Aberdeen City Council to progress City-wide proposals. Calum MacDonald met the Tillydrone tenants and the Council in March this year. The Council is now considering the future options for its housing and I await the outcome of this consideration. It may, however, be possible to meet the Tillydrone local community during a visit to Aberdeen that I have agreed with Lewis MacDonald, MSP or Aberdeen Central.

Question reference: S1W-00172

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to establish a forum for dialogue with the film and television industry.

Question reference: S1W-00173

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the role in the economy of Scotland's film and television industry.

Question reference: S1W-00167

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 6 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide information on the status of New Housing Partnership bids rejected under the last round of awards.

Question reference: S1W-00169

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 6 July 1999

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, after 1 July, it will provide information regarding the process for consideration of the bid lodged by Aberdeen City Council on behalf of the Tillydrone community for cash aid towards housing improvements under the New Housing Partnership initiative.

Question reference: S1W-00265

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 June 1999
Current Status: Answered by David Steel on 2 July 1999

To ask the Presiding Officer whether he will arrange for waste paper recycling facilities to be provided within the current Parliamentary complex.