- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what its arrangements are for assessing the performance of Premier Prison Services in respect of its contract with the Scottish Prison Service for running HM Prison Kilmarnock and whether it will place a copy of its own documentation on the contract in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
An SPS Controller team is based at HM Prison Kilmarnock and is responsible for monitoring the performance of Premier Prison Services.
The contract is published on the SPS website at www.sps.gov.uk.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place between it and the UK Government prior to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget 2005 announcement regarding the establishment of a new integrated countryside agency; which ministers participated in any discussions; whether it will place the minutes of any discussions in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; whether the new agency will have offices in Scotland; how it will report to the Executive and the Parliament; who will appoint its board; what role the Executive will have in such appointments, and how much of the agency's budget will be for devolved functions.
Answer
The new agency is wholly a Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs body and will have no powers with regard to Scotland. It will have no offices in Scotland, will not report to the Scottish Executive or the Parliament and the Executive will have no say over the appointment of its board or the budgets. The communications relating to the integrated agency will not be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre because it is a matter reserved to the UK Government.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the process by which HM Chief Inspector of Prisons was appointed, including when, where and how often the position was advertised; what the job description was; what the person specification for the post was, including experience and qualifications; how many applicants there were; who prepared the shortlist; how many applicants were on the shortlist; who selected the successful candidate; what criteria were used to appoint the successful candidate; what checks were made on the successful applicant's references and by whom; how long the appointment is for; what the remit of the post is; what performance review will be carried out; who will carry out such a review, and how often it will be carried out.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15424 on 14 April 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the situation in HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15194 on 14 April 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.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service has visited HM Prison Kilmarnock in each of the last six years; whether he reported his findings to the Minister for Justice; if so, what these findings were, and, if not, why he has not been instructed to do so.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
I visit prisons including HM Prison Kilmarnock periodically in conducting the business of SPS. I do not routinely report to the minister on particular visits to prisons but provide information on performance against targets and other matters in line with the Framework Document. The key information is contained in SPS's Annual Reports and Accounts which are published and laid before Parliament.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place between it and the UK Government prior to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget 2005 announcement regarding the establishment of a new animal health agency; which ministers participated in any discussions; whether it will place the minutes of any discussions in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; whether the new agency will have offices in Scotland; how it will report to the Executive and the Parliament; what impact the agency will have on the provisions of the proposed Animal Welfare Bill; who will appoint its board; what role the Executive will have in such appointments, and how much of the agency's budget will be for devolved functions.
Answer
No discussions about the proposed animal health regulatory agency have been held with Scottish ministers. Animal health and welfare policy and its enforcement are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and we will monitor development of the UK Government’s proposals to see if there are any lessons to be learnt from this approach.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the performance of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons; what criteria it uses to measure his performance; what his performance targets are; what level of remuneration he receives; how many days per week he is contracted to work, and what financial, human and office resources he has available to carry out his duties.
Answer
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) was appointed on 18 October 2002, following an open competition advertised in the press and in accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Code on fair and open competition, which can be found at:
www.civilservicecommissioners.gov.uk. The appointment is for four years in the first instance. A copy of the recruitment literature is attached at Annex A.
There were 56 applicants. Following an initial sift undertaken with the assistance of the Search and Selection company who assisted with this appointment, the interview panel invited seven candidates for final interview. The decision of the panel to appoint he current HMCIP was based on merit against the criteria set out in the recruitment literature. Prior to appointment the Scottish Executive’s Human Resources division carried out standard security, health and reference checks.
Salary is within SCS Pay Band 1 which from 1 April 2005 has a range of £54,788 - £115,616.
HMCIP is contracted to work full-time; is responsible for a budget of £315,000 and a core team of four individuals.
The Scottish Executive is satisfied with the performance of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) which is assessed using the Senior Civil Service performance management system, further details can be found at:
www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_information/senior_civil_service/scs_performance_and_reward/guidance_and_forms/index.asp. This includes formal review of performance at least twice a year.The business and development objectives set for HMCIP for 2004-05 are:
- To make inspection visits to every prison, four of these being full inspections.
- To complete reports of all such visits within eight weeks and to prepare the annual report on the work of the inspectorate.
- To complete a thematic review of the “provision of personal change programmes for sex offenders who are in custody”.
- To review the theoretical framework of inspections and produce standards for inspections.
- To work with the Scottish Prison Service and the Justice Department in producing revised protocols for the operation of HMIP.
To ensure that the necessary performance management procedures are completed by the due dates for all HMCIP staff.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will authorise publication of the most recent report into HM Prison Kilmarnock by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.
Answer
I refer the member to my answer to S2W-15295 on 14 April 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.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise has given any notice of a potential underspend in its budget allocation for the financial year 2004-05 and, if so, what the estimated underspend is.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise generated £17 million of additional income receipts above the estimate contained within the the Budget Backing Documents for 2004-05. These were primarily through asset sales, the proceeds of which they were allowed to retain. Consequently, they did not draw down the equivalent amount in grant-in-aid from the Executive.
However, underspend against their resource budget for 2004-05 is forecast to be less than £17 million. It will be for the Executive to determine the allocation of any end-year underspends available to carry forward into 2005-06, once the departments and the Executive’s overall outturn position for 2004-05 is known. This will be announced to the Scottish Parliament, as in previous years, sometime during the summer.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise has indicated that there will be no underspend in their budget allocation for 2004-05.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the fairness of prison officers cited in the fatal accident inquiry report by Sheriff Colin McKay on the death of James Barclay in HM Prison Kilmarnock in January 2002 having been punished but Premier Prison Services having received no penalty for negligence.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
The relevant performance measures were applied at the time under the contract.
