Questions · Michael Matheson

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33812 by Mr Jim Wallace on 18 February 2003, whether any performance points will accrue directly or indirectly to the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock in respect of the fire at the prison reported in the Sunday Mail on 19 January 2003 and what the r…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:No. Investigations have not identified any breach of discipline or of procedures which would justify application of performance points, as defi…

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33802 by Mr Jim Wallace on 18 February 2003, how many performance points have been accrued by the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock under the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for t…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Forty.

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-31088, S1W-31487, S1W-32018, S1W-33898 and S1W-34139 by Mr Jim Wallace on 8 November, 22 November and 10 December 2002 and 18 February and 28 February 2003 respectively, what performance points were accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilm…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information requested is given in the following table.Performance Points - January to March 2003<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=…

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the Scottish Prison Service has no target cost per prisoner similar to that of HM Prison Service.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Prison Service has a cost per prisoner place target rather than a cost per prisoner target. The former has been in place since 1993-94. No need is seen for the latter.

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what factors underlie the difference between the target for HM Prison Service for 2001-02 of #36,323 per uncrowded prisoner place and the target for the Scottish Prison Service for 2001-02 of #32,600 per prisoner place.

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 have no information of the details of the first figure quoted in the question.

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost per uncrowded prisoner place is for (a) the Scottish Prison Service as a whole and (b) each prison and young offenders institution.

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 calculates the cost per prisoner place whether uncrowded or not, the figures for which are set out in the SPS Annual Reports w…

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34453 by Mr Jim Wallace on 13 March 2003, what the quarterly baseline total, as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule F of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Constru…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Six hundred and sixty-one.

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33575 by Mr Jim Wallace on 24 March 2003, what information it receives regarding the performance of HM Prison Kilmarnock against the targets introduced by the Health and Safety Commission in Revitalising Health and Safety.

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

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34683 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 March 2003, what changes the director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has concluded need to be made to improve procedures for suicide prevention at the prison.

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 question S2W-47 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament…

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34684 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 March 2003, what conclusions the director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has reached with regard to the procedures for suicide prevention at 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 Director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has told us that, following a comprehensive review of their suicide prevention strategy, apart from minor …

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34411 by Mr Jim Wallace on 13 March 2003, how the Scottish Prison Service tracks a case of violence in HM Prison Kilmarnock for the purposes of imposing performance points on the operators of the prison once the case has been reported to the police i…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Not all incidents of violence reported to the police can attract performance points. Those which are reported and could attract performance poi…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, how many cases from April to December 2002 have been marked "no proceedings" because there has been a non-court disposal, broken down by warnings, conditional offers, fiscal fines and diversions from pro…

Answer · Elish Angiolini: Cases in which there has been a non-court disposal are not marked "no proceedings" and do not form part of the no proceedings data provided in the answer given to question S1W-33923. The number of cases in which there were non-court disposals in the…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, what the resources problems have been that have led to the increase in cases being marked "no proceedings" due to delay in the Strathclyde area.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The force has emphasised that the various factors referred to in the earlier answer are inter-related, that the increase in detection rates is a further factor, and that a review is under way involving procurators fisc…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, what the technology problems are that have led to the increase in cases being marked "no proceedings" due to delay in the Strathclyde area.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The force has emphasised that the various factors referred to in the earlier answer are inter-related, that the increase in detection rates is a further factor, and that a review is under way involving procurators fisc…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, what the reporting policies are that have led to the increase in cases being marked "no proceedings" due to delays in the Strathclyde area.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The force has emphasised that the various factors referred to in the earlier answer are inter-related, that the increase in detection rates is a further factor, and that a review is under way involving procurators fisc…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases were marked "no proceedings" due to delay in reporting to the procurators fiscal in April to December 2002, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The information is not available by police force area. Information by procurator fiscal office is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 WIDTH=368><TR><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="MIDDLE">PF Office</TD><TD WIDTH="76%" VALIGN="MIDDLE">Number of Cases Marked "…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for the fall since 1997 in the number of prosecutions of incidents of drink driving when compared with the number of recorded offences.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The policy of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is to prosecute all such cases where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to do so. This policy has not changed since 1997.Information from the Crown Office information s…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the policy of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on the prosecution of incidents of drink driving has changed since 1997.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The policy of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is to prosecute all such cases where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to do so. This policy has not changed since 1997.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what policy the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service has on the prosecution of incidents of drink driving.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: The policy of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is to prosecute all such cases where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to do so. This policy has not changed since 1997.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33813 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 March 2003, whether the investigation by the director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has concluded that there were any shortcomings in the procedures for suicide prevention at the prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The director has indicated that some further work is being undertaken which will not be completed until the end of March. It is therefore too e…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33813 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 March 2003, what changes the investigation by the director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has concluded need to be made to improve procedures for suicide prevention at the prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The director has indicated that some further work is being undertaken which will not be completed until the end of March, at which point he wil…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the possible withdrawal of housing benefit for anti-social behaviour and the impact of such a policy on its social justice policy.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is interested in exploring any proposals which might help to tackle anti-social behaviour and will continue to liaise with the UK Government on the details and implications of any specific measures relating to housing benefit.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted on any proposal by the Home Secretary to withdraw from individual tenants the automatic right to be granted housing benefit and the impact of such a policy on its social justice policy.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive will continue to liaise with UK Government on any proposals to make changes to the housing benefit and to advise on the implications for its devolved responsibilities.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what ministerial announcements are planned for April 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: No ministerial announcements on policy or spending issues are planned for April, but there may be a need for ministers to respond to external events or issues of immediate importance, for example relating to any EU business which might take place during the m…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings between Scottish and UK ministers have been held in each month since July 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive ministers have held a wide range of meetings, both formal and informal, with UK ministers since July 1999. It is not our practice to disclose details of such meetings, which are numerous and not all recorded in detail, and which may often b…

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings ministers plan to hold with UK ministers in April 2003; how many such meetings will take place in Scotland; when each meeting will take place, and which Scottish and UK ministers will attend each meeting.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive ministers will continue to be in contact with UK ministers as appropriate during April 2003.

14 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been referred to the Children's Reporter on offence grounds in each of the last four years broken down in respect of (a) one, (b) two to three offences, (c) four to six offences, (d) seven to nine offences and (e) 10 or more offences, broken down by reporter area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This is a matter for the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration. I have asked the Principal Reporter to write to you with this data.

11 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is consistent with the Sewel Convention for the Parliament to be asked to agree that the Sexual Offences Bill be considered by the UK Parliament after the principles of that bill, including that the bill apply to Scotland, have been agreed in the UK Parliament.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Yes. The Sewel Convention, which provides that the UK Parliament will not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament, has always been observed. The convention does not prescribe the precise st…

11 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has finalised plans for accreditation of youth justice programmes and, if so, what these plans are.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The first meeting of the Criminal Justice Social Work Accreditation Panel is to be held on 22 and 23 April. The development of criteria for the accreditation of youth justice programmes will be discussed at this meeting.

11 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32801 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 December 2002, when the 25 additional secure accommodation places will become available.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34950 on 24 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/w…