Nicola Sturgeon

15 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training obligations are undertaken by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd as part of its contract to escort prisoners; how these obligations are monitored, and what sanctions exist for breach of these obligations.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Prisoner Custody Officers (PCOs)undergo a six-week training programme. The structure and topics of the trainingand the content of the…

15 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what quality monitoring provisions exist in the contract awarded to Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd; how performance is monitored, and what sanctions exist for breach of these provisions.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The contract provides for a systemof monitoring by the Scottish Prison Service and a performance payments system.The contract has been publ…

15 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial value is of the contract awarded to Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd for escorting prisoners.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of The Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The financial value over thelifetime of the contract is £126 million.</p>

15 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the contract for escorting prisoners was awarded to Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd and on what grounds its bid was judged to be superior to other bids received.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of The Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The contract was awarded to Reliancefollowing a procurement exercise conducted under government guidelines. Reliancecomplied with the opera…

15 Apr 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many other service providers bid for the contract awarded to Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd, stating the names of such companies.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The other service providers wereGroup 4 Falk and Securicor Justice Services.</p>

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of (i) dropping litter and (ii) fly tipping in 2002 and 2003, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The available information is given in the table. Data for 2003 are not expected to be available until the autumn of 2004.</p><p>Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts Where The Main Offence Was a Litter or Fly-Tipping Offence, by Local Authority Area 20…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many notices under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 have been served on railway authorities as occupiers of premises since May 1999 and, of these, how many have been complied with, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Allan Wilson: This information is not heldcentrally. This is a matter for the local authorities concerned.</p>

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the #3 million allocated in 2003 to litter reduction schemes from the Quality of Life Initiative has been spent and whether any of this money has been used to educate children in schools on the effect of littering, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: In 2003-04, £3.2 million of the total allocation of £50 million for “Quality of Life” funding, wasallocated by 19 local authorities under the policy theme of “Litter, DogFouling and Abandoned Cars”. Councils submitted their proposals at thebeginning of the ye…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to initiatives with regard to (a) reducing the amount of discarded fast food containers in the street and (b) imposing a levy on (i) plastic bag and (ii) fast food container use.

Answer · Allan Wilson: A consultation paper for aCode of Practice on litter and waste for the Fast Food Industry in Scotland iscurrently being prepared. In the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland)Bill the Executive is proposing to extend the power to issue fixed penaltynotices for l…

26 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10761 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 November 2000, what financial allocation was made to local authorities in total and to each individual local authority in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 for (i) probation, (ii) community service, (iii) social e…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have arranged for theinformation on the allocations to be placed in the Parliament’s ReferenceCentre (Bib. numbers 31368, 31369 and 31370). The information for financialyears 2000-01 and 2001-02 is based on audited financial statements. The data inrespect o…

26 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10760 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 November 2000, what the service out-turns were for each local authority for (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 for (i) probation, (ii) community service, (iii) social enquiry reports, (iv) throughcare (v) home circ…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information on the serviceout-turns by local authority is published in statistical bulletins, CriminalJustice Social Work Statistics, 2000-01 (Bib. number 17695), 2001-02 (Bib. number27370) and 2002-03 (Bib. number 30274). Information in relation to Statutory…

26 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners who had served sentences of six months or less requested a social work service within 12 months of their release, as referred to in the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

26 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many social enquiry reports were submitted to the courts in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area, and how many such reports were submitted on time, expressed also as a percentage.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information on the number ofsocial enquiry reports (SERs) by local authority is published in Table 4 ofstatistical bulletin, Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics, 2002-03, a copyof which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30274)…

26 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the increase in demand for (a) social enquiry reports, (b) probation orders and (c) community service orders, as referred to in the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Scottish Executive policy is to promote the use of community disposalsand to continue to improve the range and quality of community sentencesavailable to the courts, so as to encourage the punishment of offenders in thecommunity rather than in custody whereve…

22 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the &#147;limitations in terms of our resources and negotiating flexibility&#148;, referred to in its European strategy, are.

Answer · Andy Kerr: As with all administrations,the Executive’s resources are not limitless. We will therefore focus ourattention on the key EU issues for Scotland, rather than try and deal with every EU initiative thatcould have an impact on Scotland.</p><p>In a European Union …

22 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the judgement of the Court of Appeal in the case of Angela Cannings and what implications it will have for similar cases in Scotland.

Answer · Colin Boyd: Crown Counsel haveconsidered the decision of the Court of Appeal in England and Wales in R <i>v</i>Angela Cannings in the context of criminal proceedings in Scotland.Steps are being taken by the Crown Office to identify and examine all pendingcases involving …

14 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2480 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 September 2003, when the statistics on offences of careless driving involving a road accident fatality will be available.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Final data on court proceedings concluded in 2002 are now expected to be available at the end ofFebruary.</p>

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government in respect of each provision of the draft constitution for Europe and what position it took in each such representation.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Negotiations in the intergovernmentalconference (IGC) were a matter for the UK Government. The Scottish Executive, however, worked closely with the UK Government from the outset of theConvention on the Future of Europe and throughout the IGC to ensure thatSco…

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use its forthcoming bill on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to set a target of 'ero for fire deaths.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Any death from fire is atragedy and the Executive is fully aware of Scotland’s appalling record offire fatalities. However, we take some comfort that there has been anunderlying downward trend in fire fatalities in Scotland over the past decadeand we want thi…

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, women who are currently using the support services at the Time Out centre in Glasgow have a substance abuse problem.

Answer · Hugh Henry: To date only the non-residentialaspects of the Time Out Centre have been in operation. Five hundred and twentyone women have so far been assessed for these services. Of these, 163, or 31%,were on methadone; 143, or 27%, had a heroin problem; and 80, or 15%, h…

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next discuss with the Home Office the development of the EU framework decision on combating trafficking in human beings.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Discussions on this frameworkdecision are on-going and officials are in regular contact with Home Office onthis matter.</p>

4 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for trafficking in human beings in each year for which records are held.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There is no generalstatutory or common law offence of trafficking in humans. It was an offenceunder section 25 of the Immigration Act 1971 to assist unlawful immigration. Dataare currently available for 1989 to 2002; the information for 2002 isprovisional. In…

1 Dec 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any officials from the Scottish Prison Service attended the International Corrections and Prisons Association conference in Miami, Florida, in October 2003; if so, what the cost of attendance was and whether any contribution to such costs was made by commercial prison companies.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>I and Ed Wozniak, Head of businessand analytical services, represented SPS at the International Corrections and PrisonsAssociation, o…

21 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much it expects the number of drug addicts to increase or decrease in the next (a) five and (b) 10 years and how it arrives at such forecasts.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive doesnot make forecasts of this type. However, it has undertaken to carry outnational prevalence work on a regular basis to inform policy and practice andto monitor trends over time.</p><p>The first nationalprevalence study was undertake…

21 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the New Opportunities Fund to announce the spending of the remaining #4.5 million in its &#147;better off&#148; programme.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This is a matter for the NewOpportunities Fund, which can be contacted at 33 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 6NL.</p>

21 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what evidence or research the Information and Statistics Division bases the statistics that it provides to drug action teams to inform their service provision planning.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The sources of the nationaland local drug misuse statistics which are provided annually to Drug ActionTeams by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency(ISD Scotland) to inform service planning are available at:</p><p><ahref="http:…

5 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Time Out centre being piloted in Glasgow as an alternative to prison for women was opened; how many (a) residential and (b) day places are available in the centre; how much funding the Executive has allocated to Glasgow City Council to establish this service, and how long the ser…

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Time Out residentialcentre will open for clients early in December but non-residential elements of the scheme have been running since August. Once fully operational, theresidential unit will have 14 beds and the support programme unit will havecapacity to…

30 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners were detained in HM Prison Cornton Vale on 29 October 2003 (a) in total and (b) serving (i) custodial sentences for non-payment of fines and (ii) sentences of (1) between seven days and three months, (2) between three and six months, (3) between six months and two years…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>(a) 230</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>(b) (i) 4</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>(i…

23 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33702 by Colin Boyd QC on 17 February 2003, what the (a) costs, (b) benefits and (c) implications of changing practices were found to be for staff, criminal justice partners and individuals affected.

Answer · Colin Boyd: An examination of the costs,benefits and implications of changing working practices is still on-going andno final decisions have been taken. This is part of the Crown Office andProcurator Fiscal Service’s commitment to review what it does, search forbetter wa…

22 Oct 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6241 by Mr Jim Wallace on 19 April 2000, whether the terms of the commencement order and regulations laid before the Parliament on 19 April 2000 in respect of the devolved aspects of the treatment of pensions on divorce provided for in the Welfare Re…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The scheme for calculatingand verifying the value of pension benefits for the purposes of matrimonialproperty on divorce is set down in the Divorce etc (Pensions) (Scotland)Regulations 2000. These regulations do not restrict sheriffs to consider onlythose act…