Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-22034

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of prosecution reports have been submitted by the police to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service within 28 days of the accused being cautioned and charged in each year since 2007-08.

The available information is provided in the following table:

Financial Year	% of cases received by COPFS within 28 days	Financial Year	% of cases received by COPFS within 28 days
2007-08	84.3%	2013-14	82.6%
2008-09	81.8%	2014-15	83.3%
2009-10	87.8%	2015-16	82.1%
2010-11	88.4%	2016-17	82.6%
2011-12	86.5%	2017-18	83.0%
2012-13	88.3%	2018 to Jan 2019	81.4%

Source: Criminal Justice Board Management Information System

Note - this information is available in calendar years (from 2014) here: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/CrimJustSystemMonitorData

Question reference: S5F-03222

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2019

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will make it mandatory for local authorities to adopt care and risk management practices, in light of reports that some councils are not monitoring children and young people who display harmful behaviour.

Question reference: S5W-22031

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to collect and report management information on the time taken from first diet to verdict in sheriff and jury cases.

Question reference: S5W-22030

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 18 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government in what percentage of cases did the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (a) reach and (b) act on a decision within 28 days of receiving a prosecution report in each year since 2007-08.

COPFS has a published national target to take a decision on the appropriate course of action and implement that decision in at least 75% of cases within 4 weeks of the date on which the report is received from the reporting agency. This target applies to all cases except cases which are likely to be dealt with under solemn procedure i.e. the more serious cases where the case is likely to be dealt with in the High Court or in the Sheriff Court before a Jury. COPFS performance against this target is detailed on the following table:

2007-08 78%
2008-09 82%
2009-10 85%
2010-11 86%
2011-12 83%
2012-13 82%
2013-14 84%
2014-15 81%
2015-16 77%
2016-17 76%
2017-18 77%
2018-Jan 79%

Question reference: S5W-21695

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many Police Scotland staff will have a reduction in their salary from April 2019 as a consequence of the current pay offer.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Police Scotland and the SPA confirm that the pay and reward modernisation package recently agreed with trade unions will directly benefit the majority of police staff. More than 70% of police staff will benefit, a number of staff will face no change and a minority may experience a detrimental effect. However for those facing a reduction, SPRM provides pay protection for two years in the form of a lump sum or monthly payments. The exact figures will be determined by changes to posts and shift patterns in the lead up to implementation.

Question reference: S5W-21694

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Police Scotland staff pay negotiations, and whether it expects a deal to be agreed prior to the beginning of the financial year.

Trade Union members have recently voted in favour of a pay and reward harmonisation package for police staff, which will be implemented from 1 April. This will benefit more than 70% of police staff.

We expect unions will now work towards making a pay claim for the coming year, with negotiations with the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland likely to take place beyond the start of the new financial year.

Question reference: S5O-02999

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authority providers in the north east provide 1,140 hours of funded childcare.

Question reference: S5W-21696

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers are working in administrative roles, and whether it will provide an update on Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland's (HMICS) independent oversight of the removal of officers from corporate support functions.

The requested data on police officers working in administrative roles is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. HMICS continues to work with the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to provide independent assurance on the measurement and delivery of increased operational policing capacity.

It is a matter for the Chief Constable, with oversight from the Scottish Police Authority, to consider the size and shape of the policing workforce, taking into account the needs of our communities and in light of changing demands.

Question reference: S5W-21585

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when Police Scotland will publish its research into the amount of time that police officers spend at A&E departments.

Question reference: S5W-21586

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it will bring forward measures to improve the input that victims and their families have into the temporary release process.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the information and support available to victims and families when prisoners are released. We recognise that the release process can be unfamiliar and distressing for family members.

That is why we have established a Victims Taskforce to identify ways to improve support, advice and information available for victims of crime and their families as they interact with the Scottish criminal justice system. This programme of work will be informed directly by victims themselves. The Taskforce will have an oversight role to the suite of Programme for Government commitments related to victims, which includes ensuring that victims and their families have better information and greater support ahead of prison release arrangements.

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