Monday 12 December 2011

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE Crown Office

Drew Smith () (Scottish Labour): To ask The Scottish Executive how many (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term (i) fiscals and (ii) depute fiscals there have been in each year since 2007. (S4W-04260) Lesley Thomson: Full-time equivalent staff figures shown in permanent and fixed-term at a particular point in time: Permanent Fixed Term Legal Staff acting as Procurators Date Trainee Procurators Fiscal or Fiscal Overall Total 1 Solicitors Procurator Fiscal Deputes Deputes July 2007 404.4 1 41 446.4 July 2008 411.9 1.4 50 463.3 June 2009 442.8 8.8 54 505.6 June 2010 462.7 22 51 535.7 June 2011 443.2 21.7 48.6 513.5 Note: 1. The term Procurator Fiscal denotes a person who holds a commission to act in that capacity which has been granted by the . There are 49 Sheriff Court Districts across . Each of these has at least one person who holds the Lord Advocate’s commission as Procurator Fiscal for that Sheriff Court District. In some instances one individual may hold more than one commission. In addition, in all instances the relevant Area Procurator Fiscal shares a joint commission to act as District Procurator Fiscal with the other commission holder. To avoid double counting the above table indicates how many permanent legal staff were employed by COPFS in each year all of whom hold a commission as a Procurator Fiscal or Procurator Fiscal Depute.

Health and Social Care Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that the governing body for swimming in Scotland is fully representative and consults all stakeholders with an interest in matters related to swimming policy development. (S4W-04407) Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to monitor the stakeholder engagement activities of the governing body for swimming in Scotland and how regularly it will review this activity. (S4W-04408) Shona Robison: The Sport Governing body of Scottish Swimming are the guardians and custodians of their sport, an essential element of Scottish sport and one that this government recognises and values. Funding for Scottish swimming is routed via sportscotland however there is no automatic entitlement to investment and Scottish swimming must demonstrate they are able to deliver a plan for their sport which contributes to sportscotland’s corporate plan priorities and the National Strategy for Sport. The monitoring and review of sport governing bodies is a matter for sportscotland and I have asked the Chief Executive Stewart Harris to write to you detailing their governance of Scottish Swimming.

Transport Scotland Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to take up the offer from the UK Government of capital investment for sleeper rail services and, if so whether it will match the investment. (S4W-04316) Keith Brown: The is committed to a continuing and improving sleeper service. We are determined to respond positively to this offer and are discussing its terms with the UK Government.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to matching the £50 million investment in the Caledonian Sleeper service announced by the UK Government and, if so, when it will make this money available. (S4W-04331) Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is committed to continuing and improving sleeper service. We are determined to respond positively to this offer and are discussing its terms with the UK Government.

The following questions received holding answers: S4W-04257 S4W-04264 S4W-04265