- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank Mulholland on 8 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when considering plea bargains, what emphasis is placed on the sentence, particularly in domestic abuse cases, in order to give comfort to victims who are also witnesses so that they know society and the legal system will not tolerate domestic abuse.
Answer
The possible sentence is one of many factors the Procurator Fiscal considers in deciding whether to accept any plea which the accused is prepared to offer. A plea will only be accepted when it is considered to be in the public interest to do so.
There is a joint protocol between the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). The protocol stresses the seriousness of domestic abuse and includes the presumption in favour of prosecuting all cases of domestic abuse which involve violence against the victim where there is sufficient evidence in law to prosecute.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank Mulholland on 8 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that when an individual is prosecuted for domestic abuse they do not inadvertently become a victim of abuse.
Answer
In dealing with domestic abuse cases, the police and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are committed to identifying best practice and obtaining consistency of approach in the investigation reporting and prosecution of these cases, with a view to improving the service that is provided to the public.
The Procurator Fiscal will consider all the circumstances of the case before deciding whether it is in the public interest to prosecute or, in exceptional cases, to take other action.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available for ill and older people who are required to wait in excess of (a) two, (b) three, (c) four, (d) five, (e) six, (f) seven and (g) eight hours for public transport to attend and return home from hospital appointments.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23342 on 7 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the King Air 200c fixed-wing aircraft operating from (a) Aberdeen and (b) Glasgow has been called out in each of the last three years.
Answer
The information requested is set out in the following table:
| | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| Aberdeen | 1,015 | 992 | 951 |
| Glasgow | 656 | 697 | 779 |
Note: *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Eurocopter EC135 helicopter operating from (a) Glasgow and (b) Inverness has been called out in each of the last three years.
Answer
The information requested is set out in the following table:
| | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| Glasgow | 696 | 786 | 1,121 |
| Inverness | 643 | 674 | 766 |
Note: *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the occasions when the Eurocopter EC135 helicopters operating from Glasgow and Inverness and the King Air 200c fixed-wing aircraft operating from Aberdeen and Glasgow have been used to access island locations and what each response time was.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Ambulance Service can be contacted at:
Scottish Ambulance Service
National Headquarters
Tipperlinn Road
Edinburgh
EH10 5UU.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients with no access to public transport who are unable to drive are eligible for patient transport services.
Answer
We would encourage patients in this situation, who do not meet the medical criteria for Scottish Ambulance Service Patient Transport, to discuss their requirements with their local NHS board.
In addition, under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2004, Regional Transport Partnerships have a legal requirement to develop Access to Healthcare Strategies for their areas. Regional transport partnerships continue to work with local authorities and health boards to mainstream travel plans and work with local partners to promote more active and sustainable travel. With the introduction of Single Outcome Agreements and the concordat with COSLA, the Scottish Government has given funding straight to the local authorities who are responsible for the Regional Transport Partnerships in taking forward these strategies.
The Scottish Government encourages NHS boards to work with their Regional Transport Partnership in developing Access to Healthcare Strategies to address the needs of local communities.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it in keeping with patient confidentiality that patients accessing patient transport services are required to discuss their conditions with staff administering such schemes.
Answer
Yes. As decisions about access to the Scottish Ambulance Service Patient Transport Service are made on the basis of medical eligibility, it is necessary for staff to seek the information required to establish this.
All NHS Employees, including those within the Scottish Ambulance Service, are bound by the NHS Scotland Code of Practice on Protecting Patient Confidentiality.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what patient transport is available for people who are unable to use their own transport on medical grounds and do not have access to public transport.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19699 on 21 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be a reasonable length of time for people attending hospital to wait for public transport and whether this varies with age and fitness level.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23342 on 7 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .
