Wednesday 7 September 2016

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT

Communities

Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of home reports on the property market.

(S5W-02060)

Kevin Stewart: A full five-year policy review of the home report was launched on 5 December 2013 and consisted of a public consultation (the findings from which were published on 7 May 2014) and a research study (published on 7 January 2015).

Overall, the Review found that the home report is supported and valued. A clear majority of the respondents to the consultation felt that the home report was continuing to meet its original objectives and that these remained appropriate.

The review found that while the home report had an impact on buyers and sellers, the impact on the wider housing market was more limited.

Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the continued requirement of a house seller to acquire and pay for a home report.

(S5W-02061)

Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government carried out a full policy review after five years of operation of the home report. The findings of a public consultation were published on the Scottish Government website on 7 May 2014, and of a research study on 7 January 2015.

We have no plans to undertake a further policy review at this stage.

Enterprise and Environment

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the Department for International Trade's recently published figures on inward investment in Scotland.

(S5O-00108)

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies continually analyse inward investment data, including data from the Department of International Trade. We also engage with existing and potential investors to understand and respond to their needs and priorities.

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with SSE regarding the possibility of fibre being laid as part of planned work to upgrade sub-sea cabling in Orkney.

(S5O-00109)

Paul Wheelhouse: I recognise and welcome Mr McArthur’s sustained interest in this issue. Scottish Government officials have had preliminary discussions with SSE on this subject, with further talks planned in the coming weeks. I have asked to be kept updated on progress, and I hope that a positive conclusion can be reached and that any such opportunities are taken forward where possible.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how the pay of a (a) cook, (b) chief steward and (c) worker on the 1B pay scale by Cal Mac compares with the equivalent by Marine Scotland.

(S5W-01874)

Roseanna Cunningham: Marine Scotland and Caledonian MacBrayne perform different functions, and operate under different terms and conditions. This means that rates of pay are not directly

comparable. Different arrangements for pensions, levels of leave and National Insurance also make direct comparisons difficult.

The pay rates and scales for Marine Scotland and Caledonian MacBrayne seafarers are show in the following tables. These do not show any allowances that might also be paid.

CALEDONIAN MACBRAYNE

Job Title Annual Salary (£)

Chief Steward 37675

Cook 29782

Seaman 1B 32998

MARINE SCOTLAND

Grade Salary Scale* (£)

Chief Steward 28465 to 29579

Cook 26937 to 28287

Seaman 1B 24318 to 25543

* From 1 August 2016, only two increments for each grade

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Green Party): To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages local authorities to adopt good practice on waste minimisation and reuse.

(S5W-02058)

Roseanna Cunningham: Waste minimisation and reuse are core to delivering a more circular economy, and the Scottish Government has set out its priorities for a circular economy in its strategy ‘Making Things Last’, published in February 2016. Local authorities and other bodies have a statutory duty to apply the waste hierarchy, prioritising waste prevention and reuse. The Scottish Government, through Zero Waste Scotland, is supporting local authorities to improve reuse collection, storage, retail and communications. This includes activity at Household Waste Recycling Centres and through bulky waste services; and through the National Reuse Phone line, making it easier to donate items.

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Green Party): To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place for community projects funded by the Climate Challenge Fund whose funding ends in March 2017.

(S5W-02068)

Roseanna Cunningham: A key element of the Climate Challenge Fund is the delivery of the Community Action Support Programme, which develops the capacity of community groups (not just those with Climate Challenge Fund funding) wishing to tackle climate change by providing workshops, peer-to-peer networking opportunities and other resources. In a recent review of the Climate Challenge Fund (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/11/4383), support provided by the Climate Challenge Fund was widely acknowledged as a strength of the scheme.

The Climate Challenge Fund also makes available development grants (up to £1,500) to help community-led organisations develop an application for future climate action funding or to support peer-to-peer learning activities that build their capacity to tackle climate change.

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Green Party): To ask the Scottish Government whether the Climate Challenge Fund will be continued beyond the current round of funding, which ends in March 2017.

(S5W-02069)

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Ministers will make an announcement on the future of the Climate Challenge Fund later this year as part of the draft budget 2017-18 process.

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Green Party): To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to review the work of the Climate Challenge Fund since its inception, and what scope there is to extend its remit to include community-led climate change mitigation projects.

(S5W-02070)

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has commissioned two external reviews of the Climate Challenge Fund, in 2011 and 2015. Both independent reviews highlighted that the Climate Challenge Fund has been a success on many levels.

2011 Review: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2011/06/28142552/0 2015 Review: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/11/4383

In addition, since its inception in 2008, the Climate Challenge Fund has supported community-led climate change mitigation projects.

Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government for what reason current and former councillors are excluded from applying for roles in the Scottish Land Commission.

(S5W-02078)

Roseanna Cunningham: Section 12 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 sets out those groups of people who are disqualified from being appointed as a member of the Scottish Land Commission. The list comprises those who are, or have been in the previous 12 months, elected representatives at local, national, UK and European level and Scottish Government officials. Local authority councillors are included at 12(1)(3).The Scottish Land Commission is being established to provide an independent source of advice on any matter relating to land in Scotland and the exclusions will help to demonstrate the independence of the commission.

Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many acres of woodland are required to help prevent flooding and assist in water basin management, and what is the estimated cost of this planting.

(S5W-02125)

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has identified priority catchments where woodland should be planted to help prevent flooding and assist in water basin management. This information is available on the following website at: http://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/flooding/flood-maps/. This however does not specify the area of woodland needed to meet these objectives. In 2016-17 the Scottish Government has allocated a budget of £30 million towards the costs of woodland planting including a bespoke ‘Woodlands for Water’ grant that provides an increased level of grant in priority catchments equivalent to 90% of standard costs.

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Scottish Conservatives and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02020 by Humza Yousaf on 15 September 2016, how much it has provided to each local authority to retrofit their vehicles.

(S5W-02224)

Roseanna Cunningham: The funding provided is shown in the following table. Funding is provided at 30% of the total cost and is only available for retrofitting equipment that has been independently tested and conforms to specified air pollutant emissions standards. Although funding remains available for this purpose, local authorities have prioritised other actions for improving local air quality in recent years, thus there have been no recent requests for funding.

2009-10 £

Aberdeen 70,278

Aberdeenshire 35,139

Dumfries and Galloway 37,240

2009-10 £

Dundee 44,024

Edinburgh 4,350

2010-11 £

Dundee 42,372

Edinburgh 177,198

Perth and Kinross 47,500

Finance

Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution last met MG Alba to discuss funding for Gaelic broadcasting.

(S5O-00098)

Derek Mackay: I met Neil Graham, Director of Finance and Operations at MG ALBA on 10 August 2016. We discussed a wide range of matters about MG Albas operations and this included the matter of funding. I am also aware MG Alba has met other Cabinet Secretaries.

Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on Scottish tax revenues of leaving the EU.

(S5O-00099)

Derek Mackay: On 23 August 2016 the Scottish Government published analysis showing that if Scotland is taken out of the EU there is a significant risk to Scottish tax revenues.

Figures based on a range of UK level studies suggest that Scottish tax revenues could be between £1.7 billion and £3.7 billion lower a year by 2030 than if Brexit did not occur. That is equivalent to cutting the budget overseen by the Scottish Parliament by between 6% and 13%.

James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government what impact withdrawal from the EU single market could have on Scotland's public finances.

(S5O-00100)

Derek Mackay: The Member will be familiar with the paper published last month by the Scottish Government’s Office of the Chief Economic Adviser, which summarised the potential impact that leaving the EU could have on Scotland’s GDP and public spending based on recent studies. For example, Treasury analysis suggests that by 2030 funding for public services could be between £20 billion and £43 billion a year lower under Brexit compared to circumstances where the UK remained in EU.

Looking at direct funding flows, EU funding benefits Scotland significantly, supporting jobs, delivering infrastructure and providing valuable support for the farming and fishing industries. This should have benefited Scotland to the tune of over £5 billion over the life of the current EU budget round (2014-2020) but this is now at significant risk due to the UK Government’s unwillingness to guarantee continuity for all funds.

Whilst the arrangements announced by the Chancellor on 13 August 2016 are to be welcomed, this still leaves around £750 million of funding that remains at risk. It puts at risk significant investment and jobs, revealing the reality of Brexit and demonstrates that the best way to guarantee the jobs, investment, services and projects all over the country which depend on this funding beyond 2020 is by maintaining Scotland's relationship with the EU.

Health and Social Care

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the consultation announced on 8 February 2016 on plans to increase organ donation.

Holding answer issued: 30 June 2016 (S5W-00814)

Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government will be launching a consultation this year on increasing organ and tissue donation. The consultation will include proposals for a potential soft opt-out system for Scotland.

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether its plans to increase organ donation announced on 8 February 2016 include the introduction of an opt-out system.

Holding answer issued: 30 June 2016 (S5W-00815)

Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government's forthcoming consultation will include proposals for a soft opt-out system for organ and tissue donation. Subject to the views expressed in the responses to that consultation, the government will then move to take forward any necessary legislation.

Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how much the National Chronic Pain Steering Group spent each year on (a) functions, (b) conferences, (c) salaries and expenses, broken down by grade, (d) travel and (e) other items.

(S5W-01879)

Aileen Campbell: Prior to April 2014, the National Chronic Pain Steering Group (NCPSG) was operated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS). The information requested for that period is not held centrally. The NCPSG also ended in November 2014, when it was renamed the National Chronic Pain Improvement Group (NCPIG).

During the period it was directly supported by the Scottish Government, the NCPSG held a total of two meetings. However, the costs for these meetings (venue hire, catering, videoconference facilities, etc.) were covered by NHS Dumfries & Galloway (NHS D&G) from an annual allocation granted by the Scottish Government to cover several items and work associated with the group. This included protected time for the NCPSG Chair (an NHS D&G employee), protected staff time for admin support and covering meeting costs. The allocation for the 2014-15 financial year was £13,073, but only a percentage of this is applicable to the NCPSG as the group was renamed. The rest of this allocation applies to the NCPIG, and I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01880 on 7 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx. A specific breakdown of the £13,073 between the NCPSG and NCPIG, as well as individual meeting costs, is not available centrally.

It is important to note that the NCPSG did not have its own budget during the period it was directly supported by the Scottish Government. The NCPSG did not have any salaried employees, with policy support being provided by Scottish Government officials as part of their duties and other posts being held by NHS D&G staff, as outlined above.

Finally, travel expenses for the NCPSG during this period were only offered to patient members, and I understand that no claims were made. Any such expenses incurred by group members from the NHS, the third sector, the Scottish Government or the national officers (National Lead Clinician for Chronic Pain and National Chronic Pain Co-ordinator) would be covered by their own organisations as part of their wider operational costs.

Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how much the (a) National Chronic Pain Improvement Group and (b) Ministerial Steering Group on Chronic Pain has spent each year on (i) functions, (ii) conferences, (iii) salaries and expenses, broken down by grade, (iv) travel and (v) other items.

(S5W-01880)

Aileen Campbell: The National Chronic Pain Improvement Group (NCPIG), a renamed version of the National Chronic Pain Steering Group (NCPSG), operated from December 2014 until March 2016. During this period, it held five meetings and one development day. The total cost for these events was £7,836.25 (this figure includes venue hire, catering, videoconference facilities, etc.).

The Ministerial Steering Group on Chronic Pain (MSG) has so far held four meetings since its inaugural conference in March 2015. The total cost of these meetings has been £111.66 (catering being the only expense incurred). It is important to note that neither the NCPIG nor the MSG had or has their own budget, with all costs being paid for by the Scottish Government. Neither group had or has salaried employees, with admin and policy support being provided by Scottish Government officials as part of their duties.

In addition, an annual allocation was provided to NHS Dumfries and Galloway to cover several items and work associated with the group. This allocation of £13,073 was initially provided for the financial year 2014-15, but spanned the existence of both the NCPSG and the NCPIG. This allocation was to cover protected time for the NCPSG and NCPIG Chairs (an NHS D and G employee), and initially admin support for the NCPSG. When the group became the NCPIG, admin duties were passed to Scottish Government officials, with the corresponding allocation amount instead being used to support work on the national chronic pain website: (http://chronicpainscotland.org/).

A second, reduced allocation of £5,285 was given to NHS D and G for the 2015-16 financial year. Specific breakdowns of these allocations are not available centrally.

Finally, travel expenses for both groups were and are offered only to patient members, and the total reimbursement claimed so far is £10.80 (for the NCPIG). Any such expenses incurred by group members from the NHS, the third sector, the Scottish Government or the national officers (National Lead Clinician for Chronic Pain and National Chronic Pain Co-ordinator) would be covered by their own organisations as part of their wider operational costs.

Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 28 April 2014, New national chronic pain centre, how much of the additional £1.3 million investment has been allocated, and to where.

(S5W-01881)

Aileen Campbell: The £1.3 million investment referred to in the 28 April 2014 news release was pump-prime funding provided to NHS boards in order to support Service Improvement Groups/Managed Clinical Networks for chronic pain. The allocations were based on an assessed proposal submitted by each board, and funding was provided as follows:

NHS Board Total

NHS Ayrshire and Arran £100,000

NHS Borders £100,000

NHS Dumfries and Galloway £100,000

NHS Fife £100,000

NHS Forth Valley £99,300

NHS Grampian £100,000

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde £100,000

NHS Highland £100,000

NHS Lanarkshire £100,000

NHS Lothian £100,000

NHS Orkney £70,000

NHS Shetland £70,000

NHS Tayside £100,000

NHS Western Isles £70,000

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what penalties can be applied to a residential care service provider when an older person is injured because of a lack of adequate protection, and under what legislation.

(S5W-01908)

Aileen Campbell: All care home residents are entitled to receive high-quality care, support and protection from harm in a safe and secure setting. The penalties which can be placed on a care service provider who fails to provide adequate protection for people in their care include the Care Inspectorate issuing an improvement notice or taking action to cancel registration under Part five of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. Section 315 of the Mental Health (Care and

Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 includes an offence which applies where a person with a mental health disorder (including dementia) is ill-treated or wilfully neglected in the course of provision of their care. The current maximum penalty for this offence on indictment is two years' imprisonment.

This is being extended to five years under the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016. Part three of this Act will further protect vulnerable people across our communities through the establishment of offences relating to the ill-treatment or wilful neglect of adults receiving health care or social care. There are two main offences which come into force in April 2017: an offence that applies to care workers, and an offence that applies to care providers. The Act provides penalties which are at an appropriate level proportionate with the breach of trust in such crimes.

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS patients have been treated in private hospitals in each year since 2011, broken down by NHS board.

(S5W-01915)

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29600 on 21 March 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionits Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01550 by Shona Robison on 9 August 2016, whether it would intervene in decisions that would change the centre's capacity for inpatient care and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

(S5W-01916)

Shona Robison: It is right that all NHS boards keep services under review to ensure they remain safe, sustainable and of the highest quality. The planning and provision of local healthcare services are for NHS boards and their planning partners, in line with national policies, guidelines and frameworks.

The legal basis used to underpin the current authorisation regime and guidance on service change is founded in NHS boards’ statutory duties of participation, i.e. the public involvement duties given to them in the NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004. The Scottish Health Council (part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland) was established in statute to support and advise NHS boards’ practice and to quality assure the public involvement process.

Within this context, NHS boards adhere to national guidance (CEL (2010) 4) which can be accessed at: http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2010_04.pdf. This guidance details expectations around appropriate public engagement in potential service change. Such potential changes are designated either major or non-major. Cases designated as major must be informed by formal public consultation (usually no less than three months) and are ultimately subject to ministerial approval.

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS whistleblowers have had disciplinary action taken against them or have experienced detriment to their career since the Whistleblower Champions scheme was introduced.

(S5W-01925)

Shona Robison: Disciplinary action against any member of staff is a contractual issue between an employee and their employer and we do not hold information centrally.

The Management of Employee Conduct and Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHS Scotland PIN policies set out the rights and responsibilities of boards, managers, employees and trade unions/professional organisations in respect of both employees who are subject to any disciplinary action and the procedures and legal protections covering staff who wish to raise concerns.

The whistleblowing policy makes clear that if a member of staff raises a genuine concern, they will not be at risk of losing their job or suffering any detriment.

We have also worked closely with the UK Government to ensure that NHS Scotland employers are included within new legislation to protect whistleblowers applying for jobs within NHS Scotland from discrimination from prospective employers.

Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost per (a) local authority and (b) integrated joint board of paying the living wage to care workers.

(S5W-01931)

Aileen Campbell: We have made national estimates on the cost of increasing wages to the Living Wage level. This analysis has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib number 57809). Health and Social Care Partnerships will work closely with providers to assess the cost of implementation in their area.

Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve awareness and prevention of stroke.

(S5W-01934)

Aileen Campbell: We are committed to ensuring that people who have had a stroke have access to the best possible care as quickly as possible. Our Stroke Improvement Plan published in 2014; http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/08/9114 continues to support the FAST (Face, Arm, Speech, Time) test in Scotland. The FAST test aims to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke to encourage people to dial 999 if they think someone is having a stroke. Further details can be found at; http://www.thinkfast.org.uk/.

The Stroke Improvement Plan, published in 2014 also reaffirms our commitment to improve stroke treatment and care in Scotland. The plan is underpinned by a commitment to improving data collection and the Scottish Government continues to fund the Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA), carried out annually by Information Services Division. The Scottish Government provided funding for the SSCA of £167,000 in 2015-16 and is a key focus for raising awareness of stroke as well as driving improvements in stroke care, prevention, skills and knowledge across the whole of Scotland; http://www.strokeaudit.scot.nhs.uk/Publications/Main.html.

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Scottish Conservatives and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that there is suitable aftercare available for patients with alcoholic liver disease following acute hospital treatment, and what its response is to the reported concerns that this is not being made readily available.

(S5W-01936)

Aileen Campbell: It is the role of the Scottish Government to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS boards to support them in delivering services that meet the assessed needs of their resident populations. The provision of healthcare services is the responsibility of local NHS boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment. Within this context, Scottish Government expects all NHS boards to ensure there is suitable aftercare available for people with alcoholic liver disease following acute hospital treatment.

If appropriate services and/or standards of care is not being provided to patients, this should be raised with individual NHS boards in the first instance. Scottish Government expects boards to listen, and act on, feedback in relation to the provision of services and/or standards of care.

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Scottish Conservatives and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to remove the barriers that prevent patients from Scotland being able to access addiction Tier 4 facilities in the (a) rest of the UK and (b) European Economic Area.

(S5W-01937)

Aileen Campbell: Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and health boards allocate their budgets according to local service needs. Decisions regarding access to Tier four services (both within and

outwith Scotland) and the levels of resource and funding allocated to these services are therefore made locally across Scotland.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up a national commission to look at the changes required to establish a system of social care that lives up to Scotland’s social justice and human rights ambitions.

(S5W-01946)

Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is working with COSLA, providers and other partners to deliver a major programme of reform to adult social care. This will consider the commissioning of residential care and the role of new models of care and support in home care. This will enable progress towards our aim to end ‘time and task’ based care and shift to care that focuses on outcomes.

We are currently refreshing the national care standards to help everyone understand what they have a right to expect when they access health and social care services, and are continuing to empower individuals to have choice and control in deciding how their support is delivered, and take ownership of their own health and wellbeing through self-directed support.

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Scottish Conservatives and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will announce its decision regarding the future of the Edinburgh cleft lip and palate surgical service.

(S5W-02017)

Aileen Campbell: I am currently considering all of the information put before me regarding the recommendation on cleft surgery and will announce my decision soon.

Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it provides to veterans seeking (a) accommodation and (b) employment.

(S5W-02056)

Keith Brown: Through its affordable housing supply programme, the Scottish Government provides grant funding to build homes to support ex-Service personnel. The Scottish Government awarded £2.59 million to Scottish Veterans Residences’ to provide affordable rental homes exclusively available for former Armed Forces members and their families, as well as temporary accommodation for veterans in need of dedicated support. The Scottish Government has also awarded grant funding of £1.3 million to the Scottish Veterans Garden City Association to build 38 new homes across six local authority areas to support impaired ex-Service personnel. Twenty homes have now been completed.

Priority access is provided to veterans who are looking to buy a home with assistance from the Scottish Government’s Low Cost Initiative for First Time buyers schemes. For 2016-17, the Scottish Government allocated £80 million to the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme to help up to 2,000 first time buyers. Priority access to these schemes is provided to serving members of the Armed Forces, those who have left within the past two years and to widows, widowers and other partners of personnel for up to two years after their partner has lost their life whilst serving.

The Scottish Government has legislated to allow ex-Service personnel to establish a local connection to the area in which they served, enabling them to be treated fairly in homelessness assessments by local authorities. The Scottish Government has produced a tailored housing guide for veterans and for support organisations that provide advice and support to veterans to help them to understand their housing options. Housing options guidance, published earlier this year, also highlights the importance of taking into account the particular needs of people leaving the Armed Forces in the delivery of local authorities’ housing options services.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00253 on 6 June 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Ex-Service personnel have full access to training and placement schemes that are available to those seeking employability support in Scotland, subject to eligibility.

In September 2015 the Scottish Government provided an additional £1.3 million to the Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) pilot scheme to help more people with barriers to employment into jobs. The funding was to develop and deliver 100 additional CJS places this included up to 50 early service leavers from the Armed Forces. Following the changes made to the CJS programme in light of the Scottish Veteran Commissioner’s recommendations, up to £6.1m was committed for Phase six in 2016-17 to support 700 CJS jobs lasting up to 12 months for vulnerable 16-29 year olds; including ex service personnel and the partners of veterans.

This year veterans will also be helped to transition to civilian life through a range of projects delivering employability and health and wellbeing services following the award of £120,000 of grant funding through the Scottish Veterans Fund.

The Scottish Government is currently working with Business in the Community Scotland and Salute My Job to promote veterans recruitment by private sector employers. In addition to a dedicated online recruitment fair, an employers summit has been arranged for later this year.

Learning and Justice

Adam Tomkins (Glasgow) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government when the strategic market labour group will be established.

(S5O-00110)

Jamie Hepburn: The establishment of the new Strategic Labour Market Group was announced as part of the Labour Market Strategy, published on 26 August 206. This Group will be established as soon as possible.

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01347 by Annabelle Ewing on 2 August 2016, what guidance it gives to stakeholders regarding referring people convicted under the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act (Scotland) Act 2012 to the programmes.

(S5W-01861)

Annabelle Ewing: As a condition of funding from the Scottish Government, we require Sacro to promote and provide guidance to potential referrers to ensure that awareness of these programmes is high.

The scheme is designed for individuals accused of offensive behaviour at football, and referrals can come from a range of sources including Criminal Justice Social Work teams; Early and Effective Intervention teams; and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. We look to these partners to decide, based on the facts and circumstances of individual cases, whether to make use of these programmes or if appropriate to prosecute individuals in court.

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01347 by Annabelle Ewing on 2 August 2016, what its position is on the number of people participating in the programmes, and what action it is taking to increase this.

(S5W-01862)

Annabelle Ewing: The ability to refer those who have or who are likely to commit offences related to the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act nationwide is still new and these schemes inevitably take time to prove their worth. The initial number of referrals to the Sacro Anti-Sectarian Service diversion from prosecution programme does not undermine the validity of the scheme.

In recognition of the important role that education plays in tackling offensive and abusive behaviour, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has given a commitment to considering diversion schemes for individuals accused of offensive behaviour at football whenever possible, particularly those under 18 years of age. The Crown Office considers each case and decides based on the facts

and circumstances of the offence and the accused whether to prosecute or refer to Sacro. I will meet shortly with the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe QC, to discuss how more suitable young people can be referred to this valuable scheme as a diversion from prosecution.

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01347 by Annabelle Ewing on 2 August 2016, how much it allocated to the programmes and how this was spent.

(S5W-01863)

Annabelle Ewing: Between 2013 to 2015 the Scottish Government provided £195,500 to Sacro. This funding was used to research and develop the Sacro Anti-Sectarian Service (SASS), a six module cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme to tackle sectarianism and to pilot a six module CBT programme to target racial attitudes and behaviours. Staff were recruited and appointed to facilitate the programmes, they held open days and met with relevant stakeholders such as Social Work, Police Scotland, British Transport Police and the Crown Office to raise awareness and promote the programmes.

In 2015-16, a further £143,333 was provided to continue to run the SASS programmes and develop a national four module CBT programme for individuals accused of offensive behaviour at football, particularly those under 18 years of age. Staff were trained in all Sacro offices to ensure national coverage across Scotland. A sectarianism awareness raising programme for prison professionals was also developed and ran in HM Prison Cornton Vale and HM Prison and Young Offenders Institute Polmont. Sacro also continued to promote and liaise with relevant agencies and stakeholders.

In 2015-16, £85,000 has been provided to SACRO to continue to promote, raise awareness, and facilitate the programmes, providing coverage across the country for those suitable for referral.

Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in each year since 2007 for the sale of tobacco products to under-18-year-olds.

(S5W-01913)

Michael Matheson: The number of people prosecuted and convicted in Scottish Courts for offences under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 18(1) and Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 Section 4(1) is given in the following table.

People prosecuted for sale of tobacco products to people under 18¹, 2006-07

to 2014-15

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

Children And Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 18(1)

- 2 13 27 17 14 - - -

Children And Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 18(1)(A)

7 9 2 5 - - - - -

Tobacco And Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 Section 4(1)

- - - - - 1 - 3 2

All 7 11 15 32 17 15 - 3 2

1. Where the main offence Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings Database

People convicted for sale of tobacco products to people under 18¹, 2006-07

to 2014-15

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

Children And Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 18(1)

- 2 10 20 12 8 - - -

Children And Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 Section 18(1)(A)

5 7 2 5 - - - - -

Tobacco And Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 Section 4(1)

- - - - - 1 - 3 1

All 5 9 12 25 12 9 - 3 1

1. Where the main offence Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings Database

Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in each year since 2011 for the purchase of tobacco products by under-18-year-olds.

(S5W-01914)

Michael Matheson: There were no prosecutions for the purchase of tobacco products by under 18-year-olds since 2011-12.

Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how many speeding offences within 20 mph zones surrounding school facilities in Lothian have been recorded in each of the last 10 years.

(S5W-01988)

Annabelle Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government publishes annual statistics on speeding offences recorded by the police, however we do not hold this data for specific speed limits or for geographies other than local authority level.

As the Chief Constable of Police Scotland is responsible for the policing of Scotland, it would be best to contact Police Scotland directly at PO Box 21184, Alloa, FK10 9DE.

Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party To ask the Scottish Government how many speeding offences within 30 mph zones in Lothian have been recorded in each of the last 10 years.

(S5W-01989)

Annabelle Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government publishes annual statistics on speeding offences recorded by the police, however we do not hold this data for specific speed limits or for geographies other than local authority level.

As the Chief Constable of Police Scotland is responsible for the policing of Scotland, it would be best to contact Police Scotland directly.

Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many veterans live in each local authority area, also broken down by how many are (a) in employment and (b) homeless.

(S5W-02050)

Keith Brown: The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work (Keith Brown): On 19 May 2016, the Ministry of Defence published the most recent analysis of the Annual Population Survey produced by the Office of National Statistics in 2014, which contains information on the number of veterans living in Scotland. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-population-survey-uk-armed-forces-veterans-residing-in-great-britain-2014

Based on this analysis of the Annual Population Survey, in 2014 there were 231,000 veterans residing in Scotland, an estimated 5.2% of the population in Scotland. The Annual Population Survey was only asked of those residing in households and therefore excluded individuals who were homeless or living in communal establishments such as care homes or prisons. Information is not broken down by local authority area.

Statistics on those who have applied to Local Authorities and are assessed as being homeless or threatened with homelessness, including those who have identified themselves as veterans, are published online at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/RefTables/RefTables. Numbers of homelessness applications overall have fallen steadily over the past five years, including from those declared as a former member of the Armed Forces.

Applicants are entitled to temporary accommodation whilst waiting for settled accommodation to be found and to assistance to help them secure alternative accommodation. A number of Charities and organisations offer assistance specifically to veterans who are threatened with homelessness, with support from the Scottish Government and local authorities. Organisations include the Scottish Veterans Housing Association which provides high quality, supported accommodation for veterans.

Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what training and placement schemes it has in place for people who have left the Armed Forces.

(S5W-02053)

Keith Brown: Ex-Service personnel have full access to training and placement schemes that are available to those seeking employability support in Scotland, subject to eligibility.

In September 2015 the Scottish Government provided an additional £1.3 million to the Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) pilot scheme to help more people with barriers to employment into jobs. The funding was to develop and deliver 100 additional CJS places this included up to 50 early service leavers from the Armed Forces. Following the changes made to the CJS programme in light of the Scottish Veteran Commissioner’s recommendations, up to £6.1m was committed for Phase six in 2016-17 to support 700 CJS jobs lasting up to 12 months for vulnerable 16-29 year olds; including ex service personnel and the partners of veterans.

This year veterans will also be helped transition to civilian life through a range of projects delivering employability and health and wellbeing services following the award of £120,000 of grant funding through the Scottish Veterans Fund.

The Scottish Government is currently working with Business in the Community Scotland and Salute My Job to promote veterans recruitment by private sector employers. In addition to a dedicated online recruitment fair, an employers summit has been arranged for later this year.

Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government which of the recommendations made by Scottish Veteran Commissioner in the document (a) Report on the Provision of Information on Housing for Service Leavers and Veterans in Scotland and (b) Transition in Scotland it has implemented.

(S5W-02054)

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government continues to work with stakeholders to ensure that the Commissioner’s findings and recommendations are central to our current and future work programme.

We have taken forward a number of recommendations made by the Scottish Veteran Commissioner in his reports and an outline of our programme and priorities in support of Scotland’s Armed Forces and veterans community is set out in the publication Renewing Our Commitments; available at: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/02/1650. I also refer you to the answer to question S5W 02056 on 7 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address the level of problem online gambling.

(S5W-02091)

Michael Matheson: Betting, gaming and lotteries are reserved matters and their regulation is therefore primarily the responsibility of the UK Government. The Gambling Commission was set up by the UK Government under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling. Further information about online gambling legislation can be found on the commission’s website:

http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Gambling-sectors/Online/Remote.aspx

In the context of the Smith Commission, the Scottish Government argued for the full devolution of gambling policy to Scotland on the grounds that this would enable problem gambling in Scotland to be tackled more effectively. However, the subsequent Scotland Act 2016 included only a limited power in respect of the number of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in new betting shops.

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01618 by Annabelle Ewing on 18 August 2016, whether it will respond to the specific issue raised in relation to children living with one parent, rather than looked-after children.

(S5W-02092)

Annabelle Ewing: The relevant legislation makes it clear that the child must be at the centre of these cases. Section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, on court orders relating to parental responsibilities etc, provides that in considering whether or not to make an order and what order to make, the court shall regard the welfare of the child concerned as its paramount consideration. Section 11 also provides that the court shall not make any such order unless it considers that it would be better for the child that the order be made than that none should be made at all. Section 11 also makes provision on hearing the voice of the child in these cases. In relation to practicalities, the Relationships Scotland network provides contact centres. The Relationships Scotland website contains information on supported contact, where the contact centre is a venue, and supervised contact, where a trained member of staff observes and supervises the contact between the child and the non-resident parent to ensure the safety of those involved.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of people in young offender institutions in each of the last 12 months was (a) on remand and (b) awaiting sentencing.

(S5W-02109)

Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: As a proportion of the average total young offender population over the last 12 months this equates to (a) 25% being remand and (b) 10% being convicted awaiting sentence.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many people leaving each young offender institution in each of the last five years moved on to positive destinations, broken down by the nature of the positive destination.

(S5W-02110)

Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Comprehensive records of positive destinations of young people leaving young offenders’ institutions are not held by Scottish Prison Service (SPS) or other agencies.

SPS is giving high priority to improving the life chances of young people in its care. Working with partner organisations, SPS is implementing its Vision for Young People in Custody, which aims ‘to use the time a young person spends in custody to enable them to prepare for a positive future’ and so achieve a positive destination.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many young people convicted of an offence in each of the last five years stated that (a) alcohol and (b) substance misuse was as a cause of their offending behaviour.

(S5W-02112)

Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

There is no data held by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) which can categorically attribute alcohol or substance misuse as a cause of offending behaviour in young people 21 years of age or under held in custody. SPS does collect general data on alcohol and substance misuse among young people (16 to 21) held in custodial care, gathered every second year through self-report in the Prisoner Survey Series. Through self-report, young people do admit that they have been either drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time they committed the offence. SPS does not hold any information on the use of alcohol or drugs by young people 21 years of age or under who have been given community disposals by the Scottish courts.

Information over the last five years indicates that alcohol use at the time of the commissioning of the offence has been declining from 78% in 2011 to 68% in 2013 to 60% in 2015. The overall comparator for the rest of the SPS estate (adults over 21) has also declined from 50% in 2011 to 45% in 2013 to 41% in 2015.

Substance misuse at the time of the commissioning of the offence has, by and large, remained static at 54% in 2011 to 49% in 2013 to 55% in 2015. The overall comparator for the rest of the SPS estate (adults over 21) has also remained static at 44% in 2011 to 39% in 2013 to 40% in 2015.

Table 1 “I was drunk at the time of my offence”

2015 2013 2011

Young people (21 or under in custody)

60 68 78

Overall comparator (adults over 21) 41 45 50

Table 2 “I was under the influence of drugs at time of my offence”

2015

2013 2011

Young people (21 or under in custody)

55 49 54

Overall comparator (adults over 21) 40 39 44

Source: SPS Prisoner Surveys 2015; 2013; 2011

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many people in young offender Institutions have children.

(S5W-02113)

Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) does not currently hold this information.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many people are serving at least 12 months in custody in young offender institutions, broken down by (a) offence and (b) age.

(S5W-02117)

Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: There are currently 203 young offenders in custody within the SPS estate who are serving at least 12 months. (a) The following table shows the breakdown of young offenders by offence.

It should be noted that a number of young offenders will have been convicted for more than one offence so the totals for the offence table will be greater than the number of individual young offenders.

Offence No. of Young Offenders convicted of Offence

Abduction 1

Abduction and Assault to Injury 1

Offence No. of Young Offenders convicted of Offence

Abduction, Assault to Injury and Robbery 1

Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004,S9(1) 1

Assault 42

Assault plus Abduction 1

Assault plus Attempted Robbery 8

Assault by Threats and Robbery 1

Assault plus Robbery 13

Assault Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement, Danger of Life, Attempted Murder and Robbery

1

Assault to Injury 51

Assault to injury and danger of life and did rob 2

Assault to Injury and Permanent Disfigurement 4

Assault To Injury and Robbery 6

Assault to Severe Injury 12

Assault to Severe Injury plus Attempted Robbery 1

Assault to Severe Injury plus Danger of Life 4

Assault To Severe Injury, Disfigurement, Permanent Impairment and Danger To Life

1

Assault To Severe Injury, Per Disfigurement, Per Impairment, Danger To Life and Attempted Murder

3

Assault to Severe Injury plus Permanent Disfigurement 2

Assault to Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement 11

Assault To Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement plus Danger Of Life 3

Assault to Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement, Danger of Life and Attempted Murder

3

Assault to Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement and Danger to Life 3

Assault to Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement and Impairment, Attempt to Rob, Attempted Murder

1

Assault to Severe Injury, Permanent Disfigurement and Permanent Impairment

3

Assault to Severe Injury and Permanent Impairment 2

Assault to Severe Injury, Permanent Impairment, Permanent Disfigurement and Danger of Life

2

Assault to Severe Injury plus Robbery 2

Assault with Intent to Rob 6

Attempted Housebreaking with intent to Steal 2

Attempted Housebreaking with intent to Steal 2

Attempted Open Lock fast Place with intent 1

Attempted Robbery 2

Attempted Theft 1

Attempted Theft of motor vehicle 2

Attempt to Defeat the Ends of Justice 1

Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice 5

Breach Of Order 1

Breach of the Peace 8

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982,S51A(1) 1

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982,S52(1)(a) 2

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982,S52(1)(b) 2

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982,S52(1)(c) 1

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982,S52A(1) 2

Communications Act 2003,S127(1)(a) 4

Communications Act 2003,S127(1)(B) 1

Communications Act 2003,S127(2)(a) 1

Communications Act 2003,S127(2)(c) 1

Con Road Traffic Act 1988 Sec 1 3

Conspiracy 1

Offence No. of Young Offenders convicted of Offence

Contempt of Court 3

Criminal Justice And Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 S 38(1) 66

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S47(1) 18

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S49(1) 27

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S49A(1) 2

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S49A(2) 1

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S49C(1)(B) 1

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S50A(1)(b)and(5) 10

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995,S52(1)and(3) 17

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995,S102A(1)(a) 4

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995,S27(1)(a) 4

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995,S27(1)(b) 55

Culpable Homicide 4

Culpable and Reckless Conduct 5

Culpable plus Reckless Discharge of Firearm 1

Culpable plus Reckless Fireraising 1

Display obscene material 1

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 S1(1) 1

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005,S1(1) 2

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005,S5(1) 2

Firearms Act 1968,S5(1A)(a) 1

Hamesucken and Assault to Severe Injury 1

Hamesucken, Assault to Injury, Robbery and Malicious Damage 1

Hamesucken, assault to severe injury, abduction, robbery, perm disfigurement, perm impairment and murder

1

Hamesucken, Assault to Severe Injury and Permanent Disfigurement 1

Hamesucken and Robbery 2

Housebreaking 1

Housebreaking with Intent to Steal 4

Intended theft - curtilage 2

Intended theft - in/on a building 1

Lewd, Indecent and Libidinous Practices and Behaviour 2

Malicious Damage 4

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,S4(3)(b) 3

Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 S4(3)(B) 2

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,S5(2) 5

Murder 6

Murder and Robbery 1

Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012,S90(1)(a) 23

Police And Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 S90(2)(A) 17

Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989,S41(1)(a)and(9A)b 1

Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005,S1

1

Rape 1

Reckless driving 13

Reset 8

Road Traffic Act 1988,S103(1)(b) 9

Road Traffic Act 1988,S143(1)and(2) 5

Road Traffic Act 1988,S170(3)and(4) 1

Road Traffic Act 1988,S178(1)(a) 2

Road Traffic Act 1988,S178(1)(b) 1

Road Traffic Act 1988,S2 1

Road Traffic Act 1988,S5(1)(a) 1

Road Traffic Act 1988 S87(1) 2

Road Traffic Act 1988,S87(1) 2

Robbery 4

Offence No. of Young Offenders convicted of Offence

Sexual Offences Act 2003,S113(1)(a)/(b) 1

Sexual Offences Act 2003,S84(1)andS91(1)(a) 2

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S1 4

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S1, 2 and 3 2

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S18 2

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S18 and 20 2

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S18, 20 and 21 1

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S20and21 1

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S25 1

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S28 1

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S28 and 30 2

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S3 4

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S30, 34(1) and 35 1

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S31 1

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009,S3and7(1) 1

Sosa 2009 S6 Coerce into looking sexual image 1

Sosa S24(1) Communicate indecently young child 1

Sosa S28 Intercourse with older child 1

Sosa S30 Sexual Activity with older child 1

Sosa S34(1) Communicate indecently older child 1

Sports ground - possession of alcohol 1

Theft 11

Theft by Housebreaking 29

Theft by Opening Lockfast motor vehicle 4

Theft by Opening Lockfast Place 3

Theft by Opening Lockfast Place - ATM 1

Theft by shoplifting 15

Theft from motor vehicle 3

Theft of motor vehicle 9

Wilful Fireraising 4

(b) The following table shows the breakdown of young offenders by age

Prisoner Age No. of Young Offenders

16 5

17 26

18 35

19 62

20 75

Total 203

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the appointment of an independent review panel for the i6 programme.

(S5W-02280)

Michael Matheson: The information requested is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority. I have alerted the Chief Executive to your question and I have asked him to write to you.

Transport Scotland

Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Scottish Green Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24253 by Derek Mackay on 30 January 2015, what the on-board cycle storage space is on the West Highland Line; what its position is on whether this is sufficient; what

analysis it has carried out regarding whether this meets passenger demand, and whether it plans to increase the capacity.

(S5W-01875)

Humza Yousaf: The specification in the ScotRail Franchise agreement is for a minimum of two bookable spaces per train. There are currently six bookable spaces on the West Highland Line.

Transport Scotland and ScotRail are aware that bookable cycle spaces will reduce on the West Highland Line services, and are working to understand the changes to on-train cycle capacity on the West Highland Line planned from December 2018, and how to deliver solutions which will balance the needs of all passengers who wish to travel on the route in conjunction with Sustrans and other relevant stakeholder groups.

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many of its civil servants deal with cycling policy.

(S5W-01900)

Humza Yousaf: There are 49 staff members of the Transport Policy Directorate in Transport Scotland working on various policy areas including cycling policy. In addition, a number of staff within other Transport Scotland Directorates deal with cycling issues in relation to public transport and trunk road policy to ensure cycling is considered across all transport areas.

Furthermore, in the wider Scottish Government, a number of civil servants in Health, Education, Planning, and Environment Directorates deal with aspects of cycling and active travel.

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances local bus services could be transferred to community control under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

(S5W-02071)

Humza Yousaf: The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 provides new rights for community bodies to participate in the design and delivery of public services and to request the transfer of public sector land and buildings. It does not provide a mechanism to transfer local bus services to community control.

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the market for bus services is fair to small operators.

(S5W-02073)

Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government maintains on-going contact with smaller operators and has just recently completed a series of meetings with both local authorities and smaller operators to discuss the operation of the bus sector.

The Scotland Act 2016 now enables the government to refer in certain circumstances a market for investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how many bus companies are currently operating and, of these, how many it considers to be SMEs.

(S5W-02074)

Humza Yousaf: In 2015-16 Transport Scotland received Bus Service Operators Grant claims relating to 165 individual commercial transport operator licences, 142 of which relate to bus companies which are considered to be SMEs.

Michael Russell (Argyll and Bute) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01335 by Humza Yousaf on 5 August 2016, whether it will ask

Cal Mac Ferries to release the information requested on the basis of a non-disclosure agreement with named individuals in communities served by these routes in order to allow research into, and informed development of, policy on present and future ferry needs.

(S5W-02076)

Humza Yousaf: The public service contract for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services was signed on 22 August 2016 and Cal Mac, as the successful bidder, is subject to the terms and conditions of that contract. The contract will be made available in due course, on the Transport Scotland website. Commercially sensitive data will be redacted from the published contract. The Scottish Government has no plans at present to ask Cal Mac to release the commercially sensitive information requested in S5W-01335, or to ask Cal Mac Ferries to provide more detail regarding the precise commercial risks that are anticipated, if the requested information was made available to communities. The Scottish Government will continue to engage with Cal Mac on those issues in pursuance of the delivery of the contract and the formulation of ferries policy. As part of that process, the Scottish Government notes Cal Mac’s intention to improve levels of engagement with the communities served by the company.

Michael Russell (Argyll and Bute) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01335 by Humza Yousaf on 5 August 2016, whether it will ask Cal Mac Ferries to provide more detail regarding the precise commercial risks that are anticipated if the requested information was made available to communities given that there is a publicly subsidised contract in place for these routes and no competitor on them.

(S5W-02077)

Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02076 on 7 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with representatives of (a) Highland and Universal Land Limited, (b) Highland Global Transport Limited and (c) Gloag Investment Properties Limited; who was in attendance, and what was discussed, in each of the last two years.

(S5W-02081)

Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has had no meetings with representatives of these companies in the last two years

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland and, if so, when this will be carried out.

(S5W-02119)

Humza Yousaf: The Cycling Action Plan for Scotland is currently being reviewed by Transport Scotland following receipt of Cycling Scotland's progress report on the 2013 Cycling Action Plan. An updated plan will be published by the end of 2016.

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether the electrification of the rail service between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk will be completed on time and on budget.

(S5W-02120)

Humza Yousaf: On 5 July 2016 I announced that Network Rail had informed Transport Scotland that the Edinburgh Glasgow via Falkirk High line will not be ready for the introduction of electric services until July 2017, seven months later than scheduled but still in advance of new electric trains arriving from September 2017. Network Rail have further advised that project cost will increase beyond the previous £742 million estimate.

At my instruction, Transport Scotland are undertaking an intensive review of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme. This work is expected to conclude in September 2016. I have also already made clear my intention to bring the review findings and senior Network Rail officials before the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee to answer any questions and to set out clearly when Network Rail will deliver the promised improvements and how much they will cost.