Michael Matheson

27 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in providing, or facilitating the provision of, houses in multiple occupation.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The use of houses for multiple occupation is mainly driven by market forces. In that connection the Scottish Executive's role is to ensure as far as possible that the physical condition and management of such houses is to acceptable standards, giving protecti…

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12540 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 February 2001, what its (a) base case, (b) best case and (c) worst case estimates were for the cost of HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The net present value (NPV) of the contract for HMP Kilmarnock was £133 million, based on the agreed contract pricing. The NPV of the public se…

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12540 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 February 2001, what methodology it used to calculate the net present value for HM Prison Kilmarnock and what assumptions were made in regard to the rate of inflation, interest rates and any other relevant factor.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The net present value for HMP Kilmarnock was calculated based on the cash flow over the 25-year operating period, discounted at 6%, according t…

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12540 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 February 2001, what methodology is used to estimate the cost of the Scottish Prison Service's provision of a custodial service equivalent to that provided at HM Prison Kilmarnock, detailing the assumptions made with rega…

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 costs for Kilmarnock Prison date back to 1997, the date of contract signature. The most up to date estimates for the delivery of a mo…

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it pays any additional fees when the number of prisoners at HM Prison Kilmarnock is greater than the number of places available for prisoners.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Details of the payment mechanisms are given in the contract published on 8 March 2002, on the SPS website.

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all costs it incurs associated with HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:<P>In addition to the obligations of the respective parties to the contract, details of which were published on the SPS website on 8 March 2…

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties have been incurred under the contract to operate HM Prison Kilmarnock by the operators of the prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>There was a start-up performance deduction of £190,912, and there have been performance related revenue deductions totalling £494,746.

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21184 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 January 2002, whether the cost of the Controller and his staff is included in the costs for HM Prison Kilmarnock given in the answers to questions S1W-9796, S1W-10002 and S1W-11308.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>No.

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answers to questions S1W-2006, S1W-9041, S1W-9042, S1W-9374, S1W-17536, S1W-17721 and S1W-18201 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 November 1999, 31 and 24 August and 4 December 2000 and 12, 20 and 28 September 2001 respectively, why it was possible to provide figures for the number o…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The answer given to question S1W-2006 was given in error shortly after the opening of Kilmarnock and prior to the establishment of arrangements…

22 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what total fees (a) have been paid and (b) are now due for work by external consultants employed on the Scottish Prison Service'ss Estates Review.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>(a) £107,584 excluding VAT and (b) none.

21 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of funding for anti-drug measures was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Expenditure on tackling drug misuse spans a variety of programmes and funding streams, and the Executive does not hold all of this information centrally.<P>At the end of 1999, however, the Executive's Policy Unit Review of Drugs Expenditure:<P>http://www.drug…

21 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of funding for drug treatment and rehabilitation services was in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99, (d) 1999-2000, (e) 2000-01 and (f) 2001-02, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Richard Simpson: The following table details the resources allocated to NHS boards for drug treatment services since 1998-99, broken down by NHS board area. Funding for drug services prior to 1998-99 was arranged by contract between the Common Services Agency and individual B…

21 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of the distribution of funding allocated to the "Know The Score" strategy.

Answer · Richard Simpson: We have allocated £6.3 million over three years to support activities falling within the scope of our Drugs Communications Strategy. These activities include national mass media campaigns, the production and distribution of drugs communications materials for …

21 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the "Know The Score" local communication strategy will be in place.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Work is currently under way with Scotland's Drug Action Teams (DATs) to develop local communications strategies, including the provision of materials funded by the Executive for local use. Scotland's drugs problems are diverse and local strategies will be des…

21 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #6.3 million allocated to the "Know The Score" strategy will be allocated to treatment and rehabilitation services.

Answer · Richard Simpson: None of the £6.3 million allocated to our Drugs Communications Strategy will be allocated for treatment and rehabilitation services. Treatment and rehabilitation are funded separately, in accordance with our overarching drugs strategy, <I>Tackling Drugs in Sc…

21 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the mechanism is for evaluating the "Know The Score" strategy and what criteria will be applied in the evaluation process.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Our Drugs Communications Strategy will be evaluated in several ways. At national level, evaluation will include a tracking study which will measure the impact of the strategy, including shifts in attitudes towards drugs problems. Factors such as hits to the "…

19 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will present proposals for the provision of portable liquid oxygen that may be prescribed by GPs.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I will make an announcement on this issue in due course.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences were committed under paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each calendar month from January 1999 to date.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>I am aware of no offences.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people had a certificate to perform custodial duties revoked in accordance with paragraph 4 of Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each calendar month from January 1999 to date.

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 given in the following table:<P><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=340><TR><TD WIDTH="53%" VALIGN="TO…

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people had a certificate to perform custodial duties suspended in accordance with paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each calendar month from January 1999 to date.

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 given in the following table:<P><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=359><TR><TD WIDTH="53%" VALIGN="TO…

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people held a valid and current certificate to perform custodial duties in accordance with section 114 and Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each calendar month from January 1999 to date.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Such information is not readily available. The number as at 19 March 2002 was that 196 people held a valid and current Prisoner Custody Officer…

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people currently have a valid and current certificate to perform custodial duties in accordance with section 114 and Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>196 as at 19 March 2002.

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been approved to perform custodial duties in accordance with section 114 and Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each calendar month from January 1999 to date.

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 given in the following table:<P><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=378><TR><TD WIDTH="45%" VALIGN="TO…

13 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which parts of the contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock were omitted in the version of the contract published by the Scottish Prison Service.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Most of the contract has been published. Certain security information and lengthy lists of, for example, fixtures and fittings were omitted tog…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was provided to local authorities in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 and will be provided in 2002-03 for the provision of equipment and adaptations to promote independent living at home.

Answer · Margaret Curran: Generally it is for local authorities to decide how best to deploy the resources available to them to meet housing need, including the provision of equipment and adaptations to promote independent living at home. However, in 2000-01, a one-off allocation of £…

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21183 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 February 2002 and in light of the requirement for best value in public services, how the Scottish Prison Service compares costs of private prisons with public prisons when it does not calculate the costs to it of the ten…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The tender costs are excluded from the costs of both private and public prison models for comparison purposes.

13 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the provision of ambulatory oxygen on prescription for people with lung disease.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The possibility of providing portable or ambulatory oxygen is currently under consideration.

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18301 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 October 2001, how many offences there were in the Central Scotland Police force area involving the possession of knives in 2001 and how many homicides there were in the area involving the use of knives in (i) 2000 and (ii…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Information on recorded crime in 2001 is not yet available.<P>There were no homicides involving the use of sharp instruments in Central Scotland police force area in 2000. Data for 2001 are not yet available.

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions Tony Gauci was brought to Scotland by (a) the police or (b) the Crown Office.

Answer · Colin Boyd: It would be inappropriate to comment on matters relating to a witness in the Lockerbie case while the appeal is continuing.

5 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates any visits to Scotland were made by Tony Gauci and what the cost was of facilitating any such visits.

Answer · Colin Boyd: It would be inappropriate to comment on matters relating to a witness in the Lockerbie case while the appeal is continuing.