- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will meet NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to discuss the NHS board¿s decision to press ahead with plans to abolish the community maternity units in Inverclyde Royal Hospital and the Vale of Leven Hospital despite one of the recommendations by the Independent Scrutiny Panel.
Answer
No decisions have been made.Any proposals the board makes to discontinue deliveries at the community maternityunits at the IRH and the Vale must still be subject to comprehensive public consultationand, ultimately, my decision.
I have been clear that I expectthe board to take full account of the Independent Scrutiny Panel’s report in agreeingits service options for consultation.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in Inverclyde will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.
Answer
Based on the latest informationwe hold, 1,672 business properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or less in Inverclydemay be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme. The number ofeligible businesses will depend on a number of factors, including whether the combinedrateable value of an individual business’s properties exceeds £15,000.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 19 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Crown cases have fallen due to the failure of witnesses to appear in court in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court in the (a) West of Scotland and (b) Central Scotland parliamentary region.
Answer
The information requestedis not available as it is not held on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service(COPFS) database.
A number of measureshave already been or are being introduced in 2008 as part of the Summary JusticeReform programme to ensure that summary trials are not disrupted because of witnessesfailing to appear.
Firstly, in relationto obstructive witnesses, the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 will introduce new provisions to allow warrantsto be granted for obstructive witnesses, to release witnesses on bail until theygive evidence and to create a new offence of failing to appear as a witness whenon bail.
Secondly, in relationto witnesses who might feel intimidated, the 2007 act also provides a new standardbail condition that an accused on bail does not behave in a manner which causes,or is likely to cause, alarm or distress to witnesses. In considering whether ornot to oppose bail, the Procurator Fiscal will take into account and present tothe court any relevant information which suggests a risk of intimidation.
Any criminal behaviourinvolving intimidation of witnesses will be taken very seriously by COPFS.
Finally, to improvethe way in which witnesses are cited, COPFS launched the postal service of witnesscitations in October 2004. Postal citation is more convenient for a witness thanhaving a police officer attend at their door to deliver a witness citation by hand.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Elish Angiolini on 19 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many witnesses, claiming intimidation, have refused to give evidence on behalf of the Crown in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court in the (a) West of Scotland and (b) Central Scotland parliamentary region.
Answer
The information requestedis not held by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is committed tomodernising the justice system to fully support victims and witnesses, to increasesupport and improve standards of treatment for vulnerable witnesses to help themparticipate in legal proceedings and give their best evidence.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is responsiveto the needs of intimidated witnesses and works closely with other agencies includingthe Witness Service and the Scottish Court Service to ensure that, where appropriate,special arrangements are in place for such witnesses including making particulararrangements for the witness to enter and leave from court via a staff door or waitingin area that is separate from the witness waiting room.
Following implementationof the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004, the Crown can apply for specialmeasures for adult vulnerable witnesses whose quality of evidence will be diminishedby fear or distress in connection with giving evidence at court to make it easierfor them to give their evidence.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many witnesses have reported physical harassment to the police in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court in the (a) West of Scotland and (b) Central Scotland parliamentary region, and what actions have been taken as a result.
Answer
The information requestedis not held centrally.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 December 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has had with the Home Secretary regarding the provision of more powers to the Scottish Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentis in regular contact with the Home Office at ministerial and official levels ona wide range of issues. Those where the specific possibility of widening the Scottish Parliament’s powers has been raised are firearms control and drink driving. Thesewere among the issues discussed when I met the Home Secretary on 19 July 2007, and those discussions are continuing.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 29 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to legislate to reverse the House of Lords judgment of 17 October 2007 on pleural plaques.
Answer
Yes. Following carefulconsideration of the 17 October 2007 House of Lords Judgment on pleural plaquesand having listened to the views of representatives of asbestos campaign groupsand of the insurance industry, the Scottish Government has decided to introducea bill to reverse the Judgment so that those negligently exposed to asbestos whohave been diagnosed with pleural plaques will continue to be able to raise and pursueactions for damages in Scotland. We will prepare a bill which would take effectfrom the date of the Judgment.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation has taken place on the introduction of a young offenders institution at HM Prison Gateside in Greenock and with whom and when such consultation took place.
Answer
I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response isas follows:
Designation of DarrochHall at HM Prison Greenock to accommodate young offenders is an operationaldecision for the Scottish Prison Service. As Chief Executive I have a duty to ensurebest use of accommodation taking account of varying population pressures.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated (a) set-up and (b) annual running costs are of a young offenders institution at HM Prison Gateside in Greenock.
Answer
I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response isas follows:
(a) There are no setup costs involved, and (b) the annual running costs of operating one accommodationhall for young adults in HM Prison Greenock will be managedwithin the establishment’s existing overall operating budget for 2007-08 of £7.6million.
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 November 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will introduce to improve recycling in the west of Scotland.
Answer
It is for local authoritiesto decide how best to improve recycling services in their area. We will help localauthorities by supporting work in a variety of areas including developing marketsfor recycled materials; public awareness of recycling facilities; community recycling;waste prevention and advice on the best way of improving recycling services.
