Christine Grahame

30 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many medical staff there have been at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to date broken down by category of staff.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20320 on 18 December 2001. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available …

30 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 2.1 of the Annual Report 2001-02 of the Over 21's Visiting Committee of HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale, what the most recent available data is with regard to prisoners suffering from clinical levels of (a) depression and (b) anxiety.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The Cornton Vale results of the Fifth Prison Survey are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 23893).

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much will need to be spent to make each of Lochmaddy, Tain, Dingwall and Portree sheriff courts compliant with disability discrimination legislation.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not yet available. The Scottish Court Service is currently undertaking a review of all court buildings to determine current compliance with disability discrimination legislation. The full extent of work needed and costings have ye…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26175 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 June 2002, why the report on the refurbishment of Peebles Sheriff Court has not been published, given that refurbishment is not one of the options subject to consultation by the Scottish Court Service.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The feasibility report on the refurbishment of Peebles Sheriff Court, which was prepared by consultants for the Scottish Court Service, will be made available to interested parties together with the consultation document once the consultation process commence…

28 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to reduce the number of people held on remand.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Only the courts and the Lord Advocate have the direct power to reduce the number of accused held on remand, by means of the grant of bail to individual accused.<P>The Executive has, however, provided funding and guidance to all local authorities to allow bail…

28 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 requires amendment and what interim measures it is taking following the earlier suspension of the powers to impose additional days added or loss of remission, in the light of the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights on 15 July 2002 in th…

Answer · Jim Wallace: On 11 June 2001, Scottish Ministers decided to suspend the use of additional days and loss of remission in Scottish prisons. The European Court held on 15 July 2002 in the case of <I>Ezeh &amp; Connors</I> v <I>United Kingdom</I> that there were Article 6 dif…

28 Aug 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns that local authorities are not interpreting its guidance on the application of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 uniformly.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive and local authorities worked together to develop the guidance to ensure there was fair and consistent implementation across Scotland. Monitoring arrangements have been established to ensure this is achieved.

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to upgrade or rebuild the police station at Peebles; whether consideration has been given to building a combined police station and courthouse; whether such a combined police station and courthouse has been built elsewhere, and, if so, how much it cost.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Provision of a police station at Peebles is a matter for Lothian and Borders Police. I am not aware of any proposals for upgrading or refurbishing the police station at Peebles nor of any plans for building a combined police station and courthouse at Peebles.…

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27460 by Mr Jim Wallace on 6 August 2002, whether, in calculating the additional cost of implementing the transfer of sheriff court business from Peebles to either Edinburgh or Selkirk, an informed assessment of any additional costs associated with t…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Yes. The Scottish Court Service will be consulting with Lothian and Borders Police on the options for future provision of court services in Peebles.

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to paragraph 2.4 of the Annual Report 2001-02 by the Over 21's Visiting Committee at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale, whether delay in releasing women in shared cells to use toilet facilities, with particular regard to women with serious medical conditio…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>We do not consider that there is a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. Access to toilet facilities during the day is generally u…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Annual Report 2001-02 by the Over 21's Visiting Committee at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale, whether sufficient resources are being provided to tackle drug addiction in the prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Yes. Cornton Vale makes available and is further developing a range of interventions/drugs programmes including health care and addictions asse…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on section 2.5 of the Annual Report 2001-02 of the Over 21's Visiting Committee of HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale, with particular regard to the committee's concerns about the (a) level of success of action on drugs programmes in the prison and …

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Cornton Vale makes available and is further developing a range of interventions/drugs programmes including health care and addictions ass…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the staffing levels have been at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale in each quarter in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to date, expressed as a percentage of the full staff complement.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The readily available information is shown in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=274><TR><TD WIDTH="45%" VALIG…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on reduced efficacy of the induction process at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institution Cornton Vale owing to increased numbers and staff shortages, referred to in the Annual Report 2001-02 of the prison's Over 21's Visiting Committee.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The standard induction process of three days for convicted prisoners has continued to operate as normal. Additional nursing resource has …

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments made in the Annual Report 2001-02 by the Over 21's Visiting Committee at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale that women with serious medical conditions do not have reasonably timely access to toilet facilities.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The increased pressures on Cornton Vale have been caused by numbers rising markedly above the available capacity of the establishment.<P>…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale are currently accommodated in shared cells.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Currently about 50%.

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners at HM Prison Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale have been (a) on remand and (b) in custody awaiting sentence in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02 and (iv) 2002-03 to date.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The information is not available in the requested format. Figures are available for average daily population and are listed below.<P>Average Da…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Annual Report 2001-02 by the Over 21's Visiting Committee at HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institute Cornton Vale, what steps it is taking in respect of care provision for mentally disordered female offenders in the prison, given that the committee is "extremely conce…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Well defined support systems are in existence within the prison to identify and support those with mental health needs. This includes the asses…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated #2 million cost for a new-build courthouse at Peebles was calculated and whether the estimate includes the cost of any land purchase.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I have been asked by the minister to respond. The estimated new build cost of £2 million is based on current construction industry yardstick costs…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for issuing guidance to Children's Panels.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive Education Department is responsible for issuing guidance to members of Children's Panels. The intention of such guidance is to provide members with generic advice which will assist them in reaching decisions at Children's Hearings.

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what directions or guidance is given to Children's Panels on the information panels may forward to the Youth Crime Diversion Programme when making a referral to the programme.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Rule 21 of the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Rules 1996 sets out what information, and to whom, the Reporter should communicate following the decision of a Children's Hearing. <P>However, that is only one aspect of the network of communication involved in th…

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided for bail schemes in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding to local authorities for bail information and supervision schemes in the years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 amounted to £313,322; £426,553, and £945,536 respectively.

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when guidelines on the setting of bail conditions were last issued.

Answer · Jim Wallace: In granting bail, the courts are required by law to impose on the accused a set of standard conditions. They may also impose any such further conditions as they consider necessary to secure that the standard conditions are observed and that the accused makes …

12 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on patients in the Scottish Borders who require dialysis treatment being unable to receive such treatment in their local area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am aware that there is a need for increased dialysis clinics, and provision of increased support services in the Borders.<P>I am pleased to learn that the capacity to treat such patients in the Borders will increase from early October, and that a full Revie…

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27254 by Mr Jim Wallace on 29 July 2002, how many and what percentage of remand prisoners were held in prisons (a) in total and (b) broken down by prison on (i) 31 January, (ii) 31 March and (iii) 30 June 2002.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The information is given in the table:<P>Number of Remand Prisoners in Penal Establishments, by Establishment (Provisional Figures)<TABLE BORDE…

5 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12399 by Jackie Baillie on 25 January 2001, whether the Central Heating Working Group has published its report.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The conclusions reached by the Central Heating Working Group were set out in the enclosure to a letter of 23 February 2001, from the then Minister for Social Justice to the Convenor of the Social Justice Committee. It was copied to all MSPs and copies were pl…

5 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21782 by Iain Gray on 19 February 2002, how many applications have now been received and approved for free central heating installation in the Scottish Borders area under its central heating installation programme.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The answer to question S1W-21782 gave information on the total number of applications received as at 31 December. Between 1 January and 2 August 2002, Eaga received a further 113 applications for the central heating programme from households in the Scottish B…

5 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21782 by Iain Gray on 19 February 2002, how many of those 23 applicants have now had a central heating system installed.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The 23 applicants concerned contacted Eaga by telephone and the information they gave led Eaga to believe that they were eligible for the central heating programme. However, applicants must sign a declaration attesting that they meet all the conditions for fr…

1 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) where the sheriff court service accounts can be accessed and (b) whether such accounts form part of the justice budget.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The administration of the sheriff courts is the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service whose accounts are published and laid before the Scottish Parliament annually. The service's Annual Report and Accounts for 2000-01 is available from the Parliament's…

1 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in its consideration of the permanent closure of court facilities in Peebles, it is taking into account usage made by the Peebles District Court.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Yes.