Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-08547

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in (a) South Ayrshire and (b) East Ayrshire who have been charged with the offence of fire-raising since 2010 were not given a prison sentence.

COPFS collates data based on reports to each Procurator Fiscal (PF) office, not by local authority area and so, based on geographic proximities, for (a) South Ayrshire the relevant PF office is Ayr and (b) East Ayrshire, the data is based on reports received at PF office Kilmarnock.

COPFS can provide the number of charges reported to COPFS and of those, the number that were convicted. A further breakdown of charges convicted excluding any with a disposal of prison sentence has also been provided.

Although most charges were prosecuted with the majority convicted, others resulted in no conviction or no further action and a number are still live and ongoing.

Other charges received an alternative to prosecution such as diversion to social work department or referral to children’s reporter or were marked “no action” for example, in cases where there was insufficient admissible evidence.

The information requested is provided in the following table: -

Fire-raising charges reported to COPFS
Procurator Fiscal Office - Ayr

Financial Year Reported	Total Charges Reported	Total Charges Convicted	Charges Convicted (excluding any with prison sentence)
2010-11	11	3	3
2011-12	24	9	5
2012-13	18	3	0
2013-14	17	6	5
2014-15	12	1	0
2015-16	17	3	2
2016-17	15	2	0
2017-18	30	18	14
2018-19	8	4	2
2019-20	16	3	2
2020-21	22	2	0
2021-22	11	1	1


Fire-raising charges reported to COPFS
Procurator Fiscal Office - Kilmarnock

Financial Year Reported	Total Charges Reported	Total Charges Convicted	Charges Convicted (excluding any with prison sentence)
2010-11	26	3	1
2011-12	34	10	7
2012-13	21	6	5
2013-14	13	3	3
2014-15	10	5	1
2015-16	46	16	6
2016-17	19	7	4
2017-18	11	3	2
2018-19	13	4	2
2019-20	24	10	5
2020-21	27	6	1
2021-22	26	2	0

Other sentences include: - Admonished, Children's Hearing, Community Payback Order,
Community Service Order, No Order, Probation Order, Restriction of Liberty Order

Question reference: S6W-08546

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in (a) South Ayrshire and (b) East Ayrshire who have been (i) charged with and (ii) found guilty of possessing child pornography since 2010 were not given a prison sentence.

COPFS collates data based on reports to each Procurator Fiscal (PF) office, not by local authority area and so, based on geographic proximities, for (a) South Ayrshire the relevant PF office is Ayr and (b) East Ayrshire, the data is based on reports received at PF office Kilmarnock.

COPFS can provide the number of charges reported to COPFS and of those, the number that were convicted. A further breakdown of charges convicted excluding any with a prison sentence has also been provided.

Although most charges were prosecuted with the majority convicted, others resulted in no conviction or no further action and a number are still live and ongoing.

Other charges received an alternative to prosecution such as diversion to social work department or referral to children’s reporter or were marked “no action” for example, in cases where there was insufficient admissible evidence.

The information requested is provided in the following table: -

Possession of Child Pornography charges reported to COPFS
Procurator Fiscal Office - Ayr

Financial Year Reported	Total Charges Reported	Total Charges Convicted	Charges Convicted (excluding any with prison sentence)
2010-11	8	4	2
2011-12	10	4	3
2012-13	15	1	0
2013-14	13	4	4
2014-15	7	0	0
2015-16	13	2	1
2016-17	9	5	3
2017-18	6	3	3
2018-19	18	7	5
2019-20	10	7	6
2020-21	14	9	7
2021-22	9	0	0


Possession of Child Pornography charges reported to COPFS
Procurator Fiscal Office - Kilmarnock

Financial Year Reported	Total Charges Reported	Total Charges Convicted	Charges Convicted (excluding any with prison sentence)
2010-11	11	7	6
2011-12	10	5	1
2012-13	26	7	5
2013-14	32	11	8
2014-15	14	5	5
2015-16	17	5	3
2016-17	14	13	9
2017-18	16	13	11
2018-19	20	11	8
2019-20	12	8	2
2020-21	22	14	12
2021-22	20	0	0


Other sentences include: - Admonished, Community Payback Order, No Order, Probation Order,
Restriction of Liberty Order, Sex Offenders Register, Sexual Offences Prevention Order

Question reference: S6W-08561

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the publication, RentBetter: Research on the impact of changes to the private rented sector tenancy regime in Scotland: Wave 2 Final Report.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of Wave 2 of the ‘RentBetter’ research programme. This research provides a valuable insight into the experiences of households living in, and landlords providing, rental properties in Scotland.

We will consider the findings as part of the evidence to inform policy development for the Year 2 Housing Bill and in finalising the Rented Sector Strategy.

Question reference: S6T-00732

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of an outbreak of the monkeypox virus in the UK, including cases in Scotland, what action it is taking to monitor transmission of the virus in Scotland and support people affected.

Question reference: S6T-00730

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the sports and events sectors regarding alternative transport arrangements in light of the revised ScotRail train timetable.

Question reference: S6F-01149

Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is, regarding the impact on Scotland, to comments by Ian Wright of the Food and Drink Sector Council regarding the UK’s preparedness for increasing food prices and shortages.

Question reference: S6F-01144

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to comments by Citizens Advice Scotland that one in five people are running out of money before payday.

Question reference: S6F-01137

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether burning waste is good for the environment.

Question reference: S6F-01128

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01132

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is celebrating Scottish Bus Week.

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