Parliamentary questions

Linda Fabiani

2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

11 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it was advised of any further proposed extension of Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The operation and managementof Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre is a matter for the Home Office. The Scottish Executive has not been advised of any plans to expand Dungavel, further to the 43bed unit which was announced by the Home Office in March 2004.

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the commitment in Making it work together - A programme for government, published in September 1999, to seek to improve the house-buying process by supporting measures that avoid additional costs for house buyers resulting from multiple surveys and valuation…

Answer · Margaret Curran: Every aspect of the Single Survey Pilot is now in place, with the exception of professional indemnity insurance for participating surveyors. Training has been delivered to surveyors, estate agents and solicitors who wish to participate in the pilot, all other…

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the commitment in Making it work together - A programme for government, published in September 1999, to ensure that all schools have a sports co-ordinator by 2003.

Answer · Frank McAveety: At the end of December 2003, 334 secondary schools across Scotland had a school sports co-ordinator in post. This represents coverage of some 86% of secondary schools.As part of the Executive’s Physical Activity Strategy, the school sports co-ordinator…

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the commitment in Making it work together - A programme for government, published in September 1999, to establish a Scottish football academy and a network of local academies by 2002 as part of the wider programme of support for sport.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive made available funding to support the setting up of football academies across Scotland. Unfortunately due to the financial crisis in Scottish football, few clubs in the Scottish Football League or the Scottish Premier League were in a position t…

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children lived in poverty in each year for which figures are available since 1999.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The table presents the main estimates of children living in low income households, from 1999-2000 to the latest available year.Proportion and Number of Children in Low-Income Households, below 60% of GB Median Income, Scotland<table class=MsoNormal…

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships have been created in each year since 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The detailed information on the exact number of people who begin a modern apprenticeship each year is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is not held centrally.

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5835 by Peter Peacock on 10 February 2004, whether the statement in Making it work together - A programme for government, published in September 1999, that we will ensure that there are at least four modern computers for each class by 2003&#148…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive set targets for the National Grid for Learning to achieve on average pupil to modern computer ratios of 5:1 in secondary schools and 7.5:1 in primary schools. These were expressed more succinctly in the 1999 Programme for Government as …

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a common definition of a place of worship.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive has no comprehensive definition of what constitutes a place of worship. However, there is a definition used for grant giving on listed buildings.

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions in each of the last five years Bute House has been used for events which raised funds for a political party.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There have been no events held in Bute House in the last five years to raise funds for a political party.

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8341 by Mr Andy Kerr on 2 June 2004, what research it is undertaking, or has commissioned, into value for money issues surrounding the general principles of PFI and PPP.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive has been involved in dialogue with Treasury over the new Green Book, and over an improved approach to the appraisal of public private partnerships. Treasury issued Draft Value for Money Appraisal Guidance in February which sets out new proposals…

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8341 by Mr Andy Kerr on 2 June 2004, what research and monitoring it carries out to ensure that procuring bodies have the necessary expertise to monitor properly value for money issues in approved PPP projects.

Answer · Andy Kerr: It is for public sector procuring bodies to ensure that they have the necessary expertise to undertake a public private partnership project, including the monitoring of value for money issues. As PPP projects usually involve large investments over a long peri…

3 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8341 by Mr Andy Kerr on 2 June 2004, how it monitors value for money in those projects for which it is the procuring body.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The monitoring of value for money applies to all publicly procured projects, and the Treasury’s Green Book provides guidance on appraisal and evaluation of projects for Government. Guidance specifically on the value for money of public private partnership pro…

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether HM Prison Kilmarnock uses methods for controlling incidents which differ from those used in the Scottish Prison Service and, if so, whether it will detail such differences.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to Schedule D of the contract with Premier Prison Services, which is available at <a href="http://www.sps.gov.uk/">www.s…

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how any HM Treasury guidelines on commercial confidentiality have been applied to Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The Scottish Prison Service does not receive any such guidelines from HM Treasury.

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any performance revenue deductions have been applied to payments for services at HM Prison Kilmarnock in each quarter in which the baseline totals were exceeded.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-7756 on 7 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parli…

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1869 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 September 2003, why the baseline total for the calculation of payment for services at HM Prison Kilmarnock has been increased.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:In accordance with the contract, the baseline figures are increased proportionately to reflect the Additional Prisoner Places provided.

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7832 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 May 2004, how the penalty sum will be imposed if the recording of these points results in the quarterly baseline total being exceeded.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:As the performance related deductionfor the performance quarter concerned has already been capped, no further deductionwill be made.

1 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7832 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 May 2004, when it expects these points to be recorded and against which quarter.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:We expect these to be recorded at the next quarterly meeting against quarter 2 of 2004.

27 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in each quarter for available prisoner places at HM Prison Kilmarnock since the opening of the prison.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information is not readily available in the form requested. Annual expenditure figures are:<table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cel…

27 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7810 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May 2004, how many police officers have been redeployed to date as a result of the first phase of the contracting out of prisoner escort and court custody services.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Strathclyde Police expects toredeploy up to 105 police officers as a consequence of Phase 1.

26 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it and the Scottish Prison Service took in preparing for the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for the provision of prisoner escort and court custody services and in preparing the contract documentation and, in particular, what other organisations were consulted…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony CameronChief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the memorandumsubmitted by SPS to the Justice 2 Committee in advance of the Committee meetingon 8 June. Paragraph…

25 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what HM Treasury guidance or guidelines it, or any of its agencies, has received in connection with commercial confidentiality; when the latest edition of such guidance or guidelines was received, and whether it will publish such guidance or guidelines.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive has not receivedguidance from HM Treasury in connection with commercial confidentiality. The Executive’scurrent policy on handling commercially sensitive information is contained withinthe Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executi…