Parliamentary questions

Linda Fabiani

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

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2298 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 September 2003, what conclusions the Scottish Prison Service has reached in considering how best to prepare and publish more disaggregated performance information for individual prisons.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The SPS has now introduced arevised performance framework from 1 April 2004 whichwill provide more disaggregated output performance i…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33583 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 February 2003, what the total delegated budget has been for each prison and young offenders' institution in each of the last three financial years and the present financial year to date and what the expenditure out-turn …

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The following table gives the information for 2002-03 and 2003-04.For 2000-01 and 2001-02, I refer the member to the answer given to…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is carried out on prisoners at HM Prison Kilmarnock who spend long periods of time in their cells.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Normally prisoners who spendlong periods in their cells are prisoners under cellular confinement to maintaingood order and discipline, pris…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3488 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 November 2003, how many police have been redeployed as a result of the contracting out of prisoner escort and court custody services.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: My earlier answer to S2W-3488referred to the expected position following full implementation. Implementationof the contract was always planned over a number of phases.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's webs…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3912 by Cathy Jamieson on 18 November 2003, what information it has in respect of the evaluation of the impact of accredited offending behaviour programmes, including the cognitive skills programme, at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Kilmarnock Prison delivers “angermanagement” and “problem solving skills” programmes. Both of these areindependently accredited. Evalu…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4525 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 December 2003, what equivalent training there is for staff at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:SPS holds no information onthese matters which are the responsibility of Premier Prison Services Ltd.

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, what the cost was of, and how many cells are in, the new houseblocks at (a) HM Prison Edinburgh and (b) HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0> <thead> <tr> <td> Establishment </td> <td> <p…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much the economy has grown since 1999 and how this compares with other European economies.

Answer · Jim Wallace: GDP growth in Scotland between1999 and 2003 was 7.2%. The comparable figure for the UK (at basicprices) was 9.0%. The UK growth figure for GDP at market prices is 10.1%. GDP for Scotland is measuredin basic prices whilst GDP figures for other countries…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support the Children's Commissioner in seeking to ensure that all children have their rights protected and, in particular, whether it would support the commissioner in reporting serious breaches of the rights of children to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child shou…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive is committed toand supports the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Wewill continue to contribute to UK reports submitted to the UN Committee on the Rightsof the Child, which monitor implementation of the Convention. The …

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-356 by Susan Deacon on 27 August 1999, whether it monitored these properties to determine whether the public purse received value for money for their disposal.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Responsibility for ensuring thatthe public purse receives value for money from property transactions rests withNHSScotland bodiesFor every property transactiona NHSScotland Body must have a property adviser and in major or potentially complexdisposal c…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish analyses of full business cases in relation to out-turn costs for each public sector capital project involving private finance since 1999 and indicate whether each project would have cost more or less under traditional public procurement.

Answer · Andy Kerr: SinceMay 1998, the NHS in Scotland has had a policy of publishing full business cases forsigned projects. The Scottish Executive introduced a similar policy for all its PPP projectsin June 1999, and all public sector bodies are expected to follow suit. One of…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the full business case for each public sector capital project involving private finance and whether it will make a commitment to do so for each new project under consideration.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Since May 1998 the NHS in Scotland hashad a policy of publishing full business cases for signed projects. The Scottish Executive introduced a similar policy for all its PPP projects in June 1999, and allpublic sector bodies are expected to follow suit. One of…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether PFI or PPP projects cost more or less to the public purse over their lifetime than projects funded in the traditional manner.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The public privatepartnership procurement route must show value for money against a conventional procurementroute before being selected. This involves consideration of whole life costs andbenefits, for example risk transfer, for the length of the contract. So…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what central analysis is made of the overall impact of PFI or PPP contracts on its budget.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7194 on 20 April 2004. All answers to written PQs are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, in total, has been provided in capital resources through all PFI and PPP projects and what the average rate of interest paid to all lenders has been for the provision of that capital.

Answer · Andy Kerr: An estimate of the capital spendingprovided by the private sector in all public private partnership signed projectsin Scotland in total to date is £2.3 billion. The rate of interestpaid to lenders by PPP consortia for the provision of this capital is not coll…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether no worker has faced less favourable terms and conditions as a result of a transfer of undertakings from the public sector to a PPP following the protocol agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress in 2002.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive/STUC staffing protocolhas been implemented as part of the PPP process. I am not aware that any employeehas transferred since the introduction of the protocol.

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the PPP protocol that it agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) in 2002 has had and how it has monitored implementation of the protocol.

Answer · Andy Kerr: TheExecutive/STUC staffing protocol covers several areas relating to staffing issuesin PPP projects. In general, consultation and communication with trades unions ismore prominent and is started earlier on in the PPP process than previously. Thereare more pub…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what public sector capital projects involving private finance have been completed since 1997, detailing their start and completion dates; what the total capital investment was in these projects, and what the public expenditure required to service these projects (a) has been since 1997 to …

Answer · Andy Kerr: Irefer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7193 on 20 April 2004. Allanswers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

26 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what costs have been incurred by each local authority on external consultants and advisers for PFI and PPP projects in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This is a matter for local authorities.The information requested is not held centrally.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5824 by Cathy Jamieson on 10 February 2004, what the data held on prison visitors is used for and to which organisations outside the Scottish Prison Service data held on prison visitors is sent.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Data held on prison visitorsis not sent to any organisations outside the Scottish Prison Service. Individualvisitor information may be used…

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) available and (b) additional prison places there are at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:(a) 500(b) 96.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-33537 and S1W-34414 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 February and 31 March 2003 respectively, what information it has regarding the number of reports to the Procurator Fiscal in respect of offences of violence or other similar categories of offences arising…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:None.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-33537 and S1W-34414 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 February and 31 March 2003 respectively, whether the Crown Office can provide a record of convictions in relation to offences of violence or other similar category of offences at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:As the Crown Office and ProcuratorFiscal Service does not record cases by the locus of the offence, the informationrequested is not availab…

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34415 by Mr Jim Wallace on 31 March 2003, what system exists to ensure that the Scottish Prison Service is made aware of convictions in court that might incur performance points.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:None.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-284 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 June 2003 what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

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 answergiven to question S2W-7761 on 7 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on t…

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-283 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 June 2003, what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Because the act referred to does not fall within the definition of Prison Legislation as defined at Clause 1.1.97 of the Minute of Agree…

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-27403 and S2W-286 by Mr Jim Wallace and Cathy Jamieson on 2 August 2002 and 4 June 2003 respectively, whether it has received any further notices under paragraph 6.8 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarn…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Yes. The notice was dated 29 January 2004.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of each default notice received under paragraph 46 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock, including the date on…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:There have been no such notices.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1868 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 September 2003, whether the maximum limit of 5% of contract price for performance revenue deduction, as referred to in the second paragraph of Schedule F to the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotla…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:No.

23 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what performance-related revenue deductions have been incurred under the contract to operate HM Prison Kilmarnock by the prison's operator in each quarter since the start of the prison's operation.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<table border=1 cellspacing=2 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <h4>Quarter 1</h4> </td> <td> Quarter 2 </td> …