Parliamentary questions
Michael Matheson
1,154 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) reports have been received by each procurator fiscal of offences in which a firearm other than an air weapon was alleged to have been used and (b) convictions have been obtained following such reports in each sheriff court district in each of the last five years.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: Table 1 provides information on the number of cases reported to procurators fiscal during the specified period that included charges under the Firearms Act 1968 and associated legislation. Table 2 provides information on the total number of such charges inclu…
11 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made in the Falkirk Council area to date under its central heating installation programme; how many of these applications have been approved, and how many installations have been carried out.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Eaga do not collect information by local authority area. However, in the FK postcode area there have been 392 applications since the central heating programme began. Two hundred and seventy-six applications have been approved for the initial survey and 87 ins…
11 Sep 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to monitor the level of spending on overtime by police forces.
Answer · Richard Simpson: Information on spending on overtime by forces is contained in the annual financial returns which police forces make to the Executive.
2 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its contracts with City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Councils for provision of social work services in Scottish prisons subject to deletion of matters that are commercially confidential, giving the reasons for its position on th…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Yes.
2 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20325 by Mr Jim Wallace on 18 December 2001, why the cost of the contract for medical services provided by Medacs is commercially confidential.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>To enable SPS to maximise best value for money for the taxpayer both in relation to the negotiations for the present contract and so as n…
2 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20325 by Mr Jim Wallace on 18 December 2001, what evidence it can provide that its contract with Medacs for medical services in prisons provides best value if it will not publish the cost of the contract for medical services.
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 procurement was a competitive one. The proposals by Medacs were considered alongside others submitted and demonstrated to SPS as the …
2 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its contract with Medacs for provision of medical services in prisons, subject to deletion of matters that are commercially confidential, giving the reasons for its position on this matter.
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-28224 on 2 September 2002.
2 Sep 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27324 by Dr Richard Simpson on 6 August 2002, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the independent evaluations of the public space closed circuit television projects funded through the "Make Our Communities Safer" Chall…
Answer · Richard Simpson: I will make arrangements to ensure that copies of the evaluations referred to in the answer to question S1W-27324 are placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre by the end of October.
28 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-913 and S1W-27621 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 August 1999 and 12 August 2002 respectively, why it was possible to give an answer to S1W-913 but not to S1W-27621.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Decisions on police officer ill-health retirements are the responsibility of the employing authorities and information on the reason for police officer ill-health retirements is not routinely collected or held by the Scottish Executive. In response to questio…
28 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27619 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 12 August 2002, what (a) increased sum in drug treatment resources and (b) resources through the Changing Children's Services Fund for work with young people and families affected by drug misuse was or will be allocated …
Answer · Richard Simpson: Resources for drug treatment are allocated to NHS boards. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25154 on 1 May 2002, which details total and per capita allocations to NHS boards from 1998-99 to 2002-03. Funding for 2003-04 will remain the sam…
28 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-26897 and S1W-27654 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 July 2002 and 13 August 2002 respectively, where a standard for health care in a prison has been recorded as "partially achieved", what progress this implies has been made in working to achieve all aspects…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The recording of "partially achieved" implies that the establishment has either met some parts of a standard containing multiple crit…
2 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25568 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 July 2002, what the cost would be of providing a table showing where omissions have been made in the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Constru…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The cost could be around £1,000 taking into account the direct and opportunity cost of the diversion of resources which would be necessary. Thi…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve drug treatment services for young people in rural areas.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive has already taken a number of actions to improve drug treatment services for young people in rural areas. All areas are benefiting from increased drug treatment resources of £13.3 million for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04. In addition, …
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will change its drug strategy in the light of findings by the Effective Interventions Unit that school-based programmes are "generally ineffective in reducing drug use".
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive has no plans to change its drugs strategy. The research referred to was about young people who already have drug problems. As part of the research, an international literature review examined a range of school-based programmes that sought to red…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is given to procurators fiscal with regard to the prosecution of those accused of possession of cannabis and whether any new advice on this matter will be given in the light of the reclassification of cannabis.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The specific advice given to procurators fiscal with regard to the prosecution of such persons is confidential. The disclosure of such detailed guidance would be of assistance to those contemplating or involved in criminal actions.<P>Cases involving the posse…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give any new advice to judges on sentencing in the light of the reclassification of cannabis.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Home Secretary proposed on 10 July that cannabis should be reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. If approved by the Westminster Parliament, this will reduce the maximum penalty for possession of cannabis from fi…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its advice is to police forces on enforcing the law in respect of possession of cannabis.
Answer · Richard Simpson: In my statement accompanying the Home Secretary's announcement on 10 July 2002 that cannabis is to be reclassified from Class B to Class C in terms of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, I made clear that those who traffic in cannabis in Scotland should be in no do…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to redirect any resources of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency following the reclassification of cannabis.
Answer · Richard Simpson: No. The SDEA was established to drive and co-ordinate an enhanced multi-agency response to the threat from drug trafficking and other forms of serious and organised crime in Scotland. That threat still exists, particularly from Class A drugs, and for so long …
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes in drug treatment policy it plans in the light of the reclassification of cannabis.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive monitors drug use patterns and trends as part of its information strategy. A range of approaches to treatment is available and is kept constantly under review in the light of any new and relevant information. The Executive's recently-published <…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it envisages will be released as a result of the reclassification of cannabis in respect of (a) the police, (b) the procurator fiscal service, (c) the courts, (d) the Scottish Prison Service and (e) criminal justice social work services.
Answer · Richard Simpson: While it is possible that the reclassification of cannabis will result in some redirection of resources, no estimates have been made of the impact on the different elements in the criminal justice system. The Executive and the criminal justice agencies in Sco…
15 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by Her Majesty's Government about any impact of reclassifying cannabis on (a) education, (b) health, (c) social work, (d) police work and (e) the criminal prosecution system.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The classification of drugs is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive was informed by Her Majesty's Government of the proposal to reclassify cannabis and the consequences highlighted were fully considered. The Home Secretary's decision was based, in part, …
2 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25345 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 June 2002, why it did not provide in the answer details of the periods of time within which the outputs are required and whether this answer complies with Part I of its Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive In…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I<B> </B>have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Question S1W-25345 did not request the periods of time within which the outputs were required. The answer to question S1W-25345 assumed …
2 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25345 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 June 2002, what periods of time the contracts for social work services for HM Young Offenders Institution (a) Glenochil and (b) Polmont have been agreed to cover.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>(a) An initial period of two years 11 months.<P>(b) An initial period of two years five months.
2 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25345 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 June 2002, within what periods of time the outputs required by the contracts for social work services for HM Young Offenders Institution (a) Glenochil and (b) Polmont are to be provided.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The outputs contained in the answer to question S1W-25345 in relation to both Glenochil and Polmont are based on a twelve month period.
26 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-25569 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May 2002 and S1W-26494 and S1W-26495 by Mr Jim Wallace on 20 June 2002, what the reason was for the errors in answers S1W-26060 and S1W-26061 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 May 2002.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Arithmetic errors occurred in converting the numbers of performance measure points previously awarded to summarise the numbers of incidents. Th…
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to it at March 2001 prices was of the independent engineer engaged to monitor the progress of work on HM Prison Kilmarnock in accordance with section 11.4 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the De…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>£194,226, excluding VAT.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost at March 2001 prices to obtain the outline planning approval for the construction of the prison referred to in section 1.1.73 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Manag…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The actual cost is not separately identifiable. The best estimate is approximately £32,000 including planning fees.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost of non-domestic rates was included in the costing of the public sector comparator by PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Financial Review of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Yes.
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid in non-domestic rates for each prison in each of the last four years and how much it will pay in 2002-03.
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 requested is provided in the following table.<P>Information regarding non-domestic rates dates back to April 2000 when this rat…
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-25569 and S1W-26061 by Mr Jim Wallace on 24 and 30 May 2002 respectively, why the performance points accrued for year three under measure 2.2(a) of Schedule F of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Pri…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The 30 "no injury" assaults reported in the answer to question S1W-26061 for year three was an error. The correct figure should have …