Parliamentary questions

Stewart Stevenson

2,358 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-19339, S1W-19397, S1W-23505 and S1W-24227 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 26 November 2001, 11 January, 12 March and 2 April 2002 respectively, whether it is its policy not to assess any impact on the economy of decisions taken by Her Majesty's Government…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive constantly monitors the impact upon the Scottish economy of major policy decisions made by both the UK Government and Scottish Parliament. It also takes account in a similar fashion of relevant European directives at an appropriate stag…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Family Contact Development Officers there are within 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:The number of officers designated as Family Contact Development Officers within the Scottish Prison Service is 86. This number includes 17 mana…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the minutes of the quarterly meetings of Family Contact Development Officers in the Scottish Prison Service record any note of difficulties encountered by visitors to sex offenders in non-specific sex offender jails.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The minutes of the quarterly meetings of the Family Contact Development Officers in the Scottish Prison Service do not record any note of diffi…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19194 by Iain Gray on 16 November 2001, whether the provision of compensation for the use of Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd staff when deployed in other prisons and vice versa is compatible with the mutual aid arrangement section 5.5 and 5.6 of the M…

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

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the rateable value is for calculating business rates for the prison and site under section 9.5 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The current rateable value is £410,000.

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what area of land is leased to the contractor and what financial consideration forms part of the lease; on what date the land was purchased or acquired by the Secretary of State for Scotland or by any public body responsible to him or his successors; what the purchase price of the land w…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Twenty-eight hectares are leased to the contractor for a peppercorn rent of £1 per annum. The land was purchased in early 1997 for £810,000. Th…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contractor has provided evidence of having negotiated insurance for the private prison estate that it operates under section 6 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd.

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

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what insurance cover exists for the prison estates owned and operated by the Scottish Prison Service and how much is paid for that cover under section 6 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd.

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

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which visits to prisons in Scotland and elsewhere were undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers staff in relation to the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:PricewaterhouseCoopers staff visited HM Prison Edinburgh.

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date ministers first received the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review in what was materially the form in which it was published and on what date was the first version, if different, received.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The Estates Review document page V. refers.

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review submitted to it by the Scottish Prison Service was changed in any material regard as a result of the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Prison Service Estates Review document page V. refers.

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff from PricewaterhouseCoopers were involved in the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review and how many working days were spent by them on the review.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Three were directly involved at various stages of the review, totalling approximately 70 chargeable days.

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) attended the risk workshop referred to in section 2.7 of the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review prepared by PwC.

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

4 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any members of staff from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and who at the time worked in a prison, attended the risk workshop referred to in section 2.7 of the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers and, if so, how many and …

Answer · Jim Wallace: Personnel covering a range of expertise, including operational, professional, estates, financial and contracts staff participated in those processes.

3 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which parts of the procedures of Scottish ministers do not apply to the operation of HM Prison Kilmarnock as referred to in paragraph 2.2 of Schedule D: Part 1 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Con…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:In general, HM Prison Kilmarnock follows or aligns itself with most SPS policies and operational procedures, save for those involving the…

3 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Category A prisoners are currently accommodated at HM Prison Kilmarnock; what the maximum number of such prisoners has been to date and how does Schedule D: Part 1 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for th…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Since opening there have been no Category A prisoners accommodated at Kilmarnock.

3 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific evidence is there for any "innovative approach to Prison management" from the performance of HM Prison Kilmarnock in any area other than cost, as referred to in Schedule D: Part 1 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison S…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:In HM Chief Inspector of Prisons' last formal report he included 12 items of best practice at HM Prison Kilmarnock. The company operates …

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether HM Prison Kilmarnock was included in the calculation of the projected cost of a Public Private Partnership Private Build Private Operate prison as referred to in paragraph 1.3 of the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Yes, as explained in paragraph 3.3 of the Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many transactions were included in calculating the projected cost of a Public/Private Partnership Private Build Private Operate prison as referred to in paragraph 1.3 of the Financial Review of Scottish Prisons Service Estates Review by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Six, as explained in paragraph 3.3 of the Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what types of assets would be transferred to the public sector upon termination of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The prison buildings and the other assets, contained in Schedule B of the contract between SPS and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited, as…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what value of assets, calculated at March 2001 values, would be transferred to the public sector upon termination after 25 years of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Fina…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:As published in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts for 2000-01, included with Land and Buildings, as at 31 March 2001, is an amount of £5…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether adjustments were made to the data provided by HM Prison Service in relation to the levels of business rates, water, electricity, gas, heating requirements due to climate and any other costs which differ between Scotland and England and Wales before inclusion in the calculation of …

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

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by what percentage the Scottish Prison Service estimates that costs per prisoner year on a net present value basis would vary with reference to a 700 place prison if a Public/Private Partnership Private Build Private Operate prison were built with places for (a) 300, (b) 400, (c) 500, (d)…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Paragraph 1.3 indicates that the base assumption for all the calculations was that of a 700 place model. This was based on the recommendation o…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who the staff with the most relevant experience are from whom the Scottish Prison Service sourced data as referred to in its media briefing on 28 March 2002 on the prison estates review; what positions do they hold and what experience do they have of prison administration, of working with…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:No SPS media briefing took place on 28 March 2002. There was media briefing on 21 March when SPS said that throughout the review it sourc…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many places are currently available for prisoners wishing to achieve qualifications to level SVQ 3 and how many achieved that level in each of the last three years at (a) HM Prison Kilmarnock and (b) each Scottish Prison Service prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information requested is not held centrally and is not available for previous years. SVQ level 3 is currently offered at present by HM P…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which prisons and in what numbers are the 1,900 prisoners held who are required to slop out each day, as referred to in paragraph 30 of its Scottish Prison Service Estate: Consultation Paper - Proposals for the Future of the Scottish Prison Service Estate.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:This information refers to prisoner places which do not have access to full sanitation. It is contained in The Scottish Prison Service Estates …

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what disciplinary or corrective action has been taken regarding those responsible for the two-year delay in the completion of the new Polmont houseblock as referred to in paragraph 34 of its Scottish Prison Service Estate: Consultation Paper - Proposals for the Future of the Scottish Pris…

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

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish ministers ensure that Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited (KPSL) and all servants, agents and sub-contractors of KPSL (a) do not unlawfully discriminate within Scotland, (b) apply similar standards of operation elsewhere and (c) have codes of practice relating to the preventio…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:By making it an enforceable condition of the contract.

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited has at any time transferred personal data to any country outwith the EU in line with the data protection provisions in section 57 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for th…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:This is a matter for Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited.

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Coopers & Lybrand, or their successors PricewaterhouseCoopers, signed Schedule P in line with section 64 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Yes, on 11 November 1997.