Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-17554

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 11 July 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide as detailed a breakdown as possible of the86,565,000 incurred for operating expenses for school meals in 1998-99, as identified in table 4A of Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics 1998-99.

The following table provides a breakdown of school meals operating costs for 1998-99. The total figure has been revised from that published in Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics 1998-99, due to the submission of revised data from local authorities.

Operating Costs for School Meals, 1998-99	£000
Property Costs	1,299
Rates		6
Rents and property insurance		6
Repairs, maintenance and minor alterations		484
Fixtures and fittings		41
Energy costs		610
Domestic supplies		7
Other property costs		145
Contract Costs	73,208
Supplies and Services	8,217
Loose furniture		118
Provisions		6,256
Other supplies and services		1,843
Transport	50
Administration Costs	166
Printing, stationery, postage and telephone charges, advertising		44
Other direct expenditure not included elsewhere		122
Payments to Persons and Other Bodies	904
Other accounts of the authority		541
Other agencies, bodies or persons		363
Total Operating Costs for School Meals	83,844

Source: LFR 1 returns to the Scottish Executive.

Question reference: S2W-17553

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 11 July 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the operating expenses for school meals identified in table 4A of Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics 1998-99, what the equivalent figure was in each year since 1998-99.

The information requested is given in Table 4A of the annual Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics publications for 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02, published by the Scottish Executive. Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 18128, 25640 and 29382 respectively).

From 2002-03 onwards, in line with the Best Value Accounting Code of Practice, school meal operating costs were not recorded separately by local authorities, but were included in the general operating costs for each school sector.

Question reference: S2W-17676

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 7 July 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-17047 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, why information on the turnover of staff employed at the health centre in HM Prison Kilmarnock in each of the last five years cannot be provided, given that, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, the SPS can provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor if an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers, and whether it will now provide the information requested.

Question reference: S2W-17498

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 1 July 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any restrictions are placed on HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in respect of the public release of any data that he holds on HM Prison Kilmarnock and, if so, how these restrictions are applied.

Question reference: S2W-17403

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-17045 and S2W-17046 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 June 2005, whether it considers that the dismissal of Premier prison officers employed to carry out the functions of the contract between the Scottish Prison Service and Premier Prison Services Ltd for the management of HM Prison Kilmarnock is a matter of public interest and, if so, what involvement it has in any instances of dismissal.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

The dismissal of Prisoner Custody Officers is a matter for the company. The SPS has no involvement. I refer the member to the answer to S2W-17045 and S2W-17046, answered on 14 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S2W-17404

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-17045 and S2W-17046 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 June 2005, whether the answers indicate that there has been no communication between either Premier Prison Services Ltd and itself or the Scottish Prison Service and itself in relation to the dismissal of any Premier prison officer for disciplinary offences in the last five years.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: There is on-going discussion with Premier Prison Services on a wide range of issues. As stated in the answer to S2W-17045, answered on 14 June 2005, however, disciplinary action and the dismissal of PCOs are entirely matters for the company and not ones on which SPS holds information. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S2W-17405

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17043 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 June 2005, whether Premier Prison Services Ltd has given any indication when it will complete the investigation into the allegations made in the BBC documentary in respect of HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Question reference: S2W-17406

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15194 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, whether the Scottish Prison Service gave directions to Premier Prison Services Ltd to have the investigation into the allegations made in the BBC documentary in respect of HM Prison Kilmarnock completed by a particular date, and, if so, by what date.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

As I stated in my previous answer I have discussed the issues raised by the BBC broadcast with the Chief Executive of Premier Custodial Group and with those within SPS responsible for the oversight of the contract. Premier commissioned an independent report from Professor Kevin Powers regarding their suicide prevention procedures. That report was published on 28 June 2005.

Question reference: S2W-17378

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17037 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 June 2005, which part of the contract between the Scottish Ministers and Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd addresses payments made to Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited, Premier Prison Services Ltd or Premier Custodial Group Ltd.

Question reference: S2W-17401

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the level of service in prisons is affected by staff turnover and, if so, in what way and whether the provision of information on this issue is in the public interest.