Parliamentary questions
Michael Matheson
1,154 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21188 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 January 2002, what outputs are required by the contracts for social work services at HM Young Offenders Institution (a) Glenochil and (b) Polmont.
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 required by the contract for social work services are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=349><TR><TD WIDTH=…
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to paragraph 95 of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review, what cost-saving measures it assumed the Scottish Prison Service could make in constructing a new publicly built prison.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>All construction costs were determined by professional advisers based on best estimates of industry costs to provide the specification se…
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to paragraph 95 of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review, whether in estimating costs for a publicly built prison it assumed the minimisation of late design changes during construction by introducing an independent design certifier, detailing the reasons for its position…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The estimated costs assumed that an appropriate change control system would be in place.
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to paragraph 95 of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review, whether in estimating costs for a publicly built prison, the review assumed the adoption of a fixed price construction contract, detailing the reasons for its position on the matter.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>All construction costs were determined by professional advisers based on best estimates of industry costs, with appropriate risk analysis. Cont…
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to paragraph 95 of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review, whether in estimating costs for a publicly built prison the review assumed the adoption of a project management approach to add certainty to the delivery of the project to deadline, detailing the reasons for its p…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The estimated costs assumed that an appropriate project management system would be in place. The Scottish Prison Service is already using a project management approach in its present houseblock building programme and would apply a similar approach in the cons…
18 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Prison Service staff have been members of the Institution of Civil Engineers in each of the last 20 years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Historical information is not available. Currently one member of staff is a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers.
18 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Prison Service staff have been members of the Institution of Structural Engineers in each of the last 20 years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Historical information is not available. Currently no staff are members of the Institute of Structural Engineers.
18 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Prison Service staff have been registered with the Architects Registration Board in each of the last 20 years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Historical information is not available. Currently four staff are registered with the Architects Registration Board.
18 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number of staff employed in the Scottish Prison estates department has been in each of the last 20 years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Historical information is not available. Currently 34 staff are employed in Estates Development.
18 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the staff establishment has been in the Scottish Prison Service estates department in each of the last 20 years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Historical information is not available. Currently 34 staff are employed in Estates Development.
17 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24629 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 April 2002, whether it will list each section in the published version of the contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock from which omissions were made and, in each case, what the reasons for each omission were.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=500><TR><TD WIDTH="34%" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN=2><P>Contract Section</TD><TD WIDTH="66%" VALIGN="TOP…
17 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many performance points have been accrued by the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock in each year since the prison opened, giving the reason for each accrual.
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 performance points accrued by the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock for years 1, 2 and 3 respectively were 3,843, 2,268 and 3,243. Th…
17 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24350 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 April 2002, what performance-related revenue deductions have been incurred under the contract to operate HM Prison Kilmarnock by the prison's operators in each year since the prison opened.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=141><TR><TD WIDTH="53%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><P>1999-2000 </TD><TD WIDTH="47%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIG…
17 Apr 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to improve the efficiency of administration within the court system.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Two formal reviews are in progress. Lord Bonomy is examining the efficiency of the High Court and will report later this year. Sheriff Principal John McInnes chairs a committee examining the whole structure of summary criminal justice with a view to efficient…
15 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost to the Scottish Prison Service of receiving prisoners was in each of the last five financial years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The costs of reception are not separately identified.
15 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average cost to the Scottish Prison Service is per prisoner of receiving prisoners, broken down by category of cost.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The costs of reception are not separately identified.
15 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12572 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 5 March 2001, how many cases were referred to the Procurator Fiscal service by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 and (i) how many and (ii) what percentage of such cases that were ta…
Answer · Allan Wilson: The numbers of cases involving alleged contravention of environmental protection legislation referred to the Procurator Fiscal Service by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are set out in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 W…
15 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13449 by Colin Boyd QC on 1 March 2001, how many cases were marked "no proceedings" in respect of each category recognised by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service computer in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000, (c) 2000-01 and (d) 2001-02.
Answer · Colin Boyd: The figures are shown in the following table. The figure for time barred cases in 2000-01 is slightly smaller than that given in answer to S1W-16140 on 15 June 2001 because that answer was given before the figures for that year had been finally reconciled.<TA…
15 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16140 by Colin Boyd QC on 15 June 2001, how many cases were marked "no proceedings" under section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 in 2001-02.
Answer · Colin Boyd: In the 11 months to the end of February 2002, there were 1,867 cases.
3 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Legal Aid Board has undertaken a comparative exercise on the value of work now being performed under the Criminal Legal Aid (Fixed Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, applying Schedule 1 of the Criminal Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Regulations 1989 and, if so, what …
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive will commission an independent research project into the impact of fixed payments in the course of this year.
3 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the Scottish Legal Aid Board considers that a block fee regime would encourage additional usage of the courts in civil legal aid matters and what evaluations have been undertaken on this matter.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Legal Aid Board is by statute an independent body. It is not for Scottish ministers to speak for the board on its opinions. This question should be raised with the board. However, I await proposals from the Law Society of Scotland on fees for civ…
28 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24120 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 March 2002, whether it will specify all the omissions from the published version of the contract on HM Prison Kilmarnock in each case showing in which part of the contract the omissions were made, what information has be…
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The categories omitted were detailed in the response to question S1W-24120. These were omitted on the grounds of security, commercial in confid…
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses in multiple occupation were built by local authorities in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24567 on 24 April 2002.
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties were converted into houses in multiple occupation by local authorities in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24567 on 24 April 2002.
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many sheltered housing complexes were built by local authorities in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Iain Gray: The numbers of sheltered dwellings built in the years 1999-2000 to 2001-02 are shown in the following table: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=591><TR><TD WIDTH="24%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=18><P></TD><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT=1…
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties were converted into sheltered housing complexes by local authorities in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Iain Gray: The numbers of dwellings converted into sheltered housing in the years 1999-2000 to 2001-02 are shown in the following table. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=606><TR><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=5><P></TD><TD WIDTH="23%" VALIGN="TOP" C…
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new houses in multiple occupation were built by social landlords other than local authorities and by private developers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The information requested is not held centrally. Although some properties are built or adapted specifically for use as hostel type accommodation, it is not possible to distinguish how many other houses in any housing sector will be used for multiple occupatio…
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties were converted into houses in multiple occupation by social landlords other than local authorities and by private developers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24567 on 24 April 2002.
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new sheltered housing complexes were built by social landlords other than local authorities and by private developers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Sheltered housing is now classified as supported residential accommodation on an individual or group basis. The number of new build unit approvals b…
27 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties were converted into sheltered housing complexes by social landlords other than local authorities and by private developers in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.
Answer · Iain Gray: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Sheltered housing is now classified as supported residential accommodation on an individual or group basis. The number of unit approval rehabilitatio…