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-15554

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) have been held since May 1999; how many FAIs have related to deaths of prisoners; what time period elapsed between the date of death and the opening of the FAI in each case; how long each FAI took, and what time period elapsed between the conclusion of the evidence sessions and the issuing of the report in each case.

The number of FAIs held were:

Financial Year	No. of FAIs Held
1999-2000	80
2000-01	79
2001-02	64
2002-03	58
2003-04	55
2004-February 2005	36

Information on the proportion of FAIs which related to deaths of prisoners is not held centrally. The number of prisoners whose deaths have been/will be the subject of an FAI are provided in the following table. However, the FAI would not necessarily be held in the year of death.

Financial Year	No. of Deaths of Prisoners in Respect of Which an FAI has Been/Will be Held
1999-2000	26
2000-01	16
2001-02	18
2002-03	16
2003-04	18
2004-05	18

Information on time periods is not held centrally.

Question reference: S2W-15591

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether every prisoner entering HM Prison Kilmarnock since January 2002 has been examined by a nurse; what examinations are undertaken by the nurse, and what role the nurse plays in assessing whether a prisoner may be at risk of self-harm or suicide.

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

In accordance with Rule 8 of The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 1994 (as amended) a health care examination is undertaken for every prisoner admitted into a prison.

The health care examination includes assessments of previous and current physical health; previous and current mental health; present domestic circumstances; previous and current drug misuse, and current demeanour and mood. This examination also includes an assessment of self-harm.

Question reference: S2W-15584

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties have been, or will be, imposed on Premier Prison Services by the Scottish Prison Service in light of the findings by the fatal accident inquiry into the death of James Barclay in HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Question reference: S2W-15594

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether procedures have been introduced in HM Prison Kilmarnock to ensure that any "red cards" issued by the police to indicate that a prisoner is at risk are passed to both the officer completing the reception risk assessment form and the nurse responsible for examining the prisoner on admission.

Question reference: S2W-15583

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of legal aid provided to participants in fatal accident inquiries has been in each of the last six years.

Information to the level of detail requested is not held for the years prior to April 2001. The total cost of legal aid and the number of cases for which legal aid was made available for fatal accident inquiries in the last four financial years is listed in the following tables.

Expenditure (£)	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
Civil Legal Aid	93,808	213,385	416,879	218,982
Advice and Assistance	12,641	12,304	8,786	9,408
Total	106,449	225,689	425,665	228,390

Number of Cases	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
Civil Legal Aid	14	31	30	26
Advice and Assistance	52	45	45	37
Total	66	76	75	63

Question reference: S2W-15587

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service has offered condolences to the family of James Barclay who died whilst in the custody of HM Prison Kilmarnock in January 2002.

Question reference: S2W-15586

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Justice has offered condolences to the family of James Barclay who died whilst in the custody of HM Prison Kilmarnock in January 2002.

Question reference: S2W-15585

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation has been, or will be, paid to the family of James Barclay by (a) Premier Prison Services and (b) the Scottish Prison Service in light of the findings of the fatal accident inquiry into the death of James Barclay in HM Prison Kilmarnock in January 2002.

Question reference: S2W-15590

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what training is provided for officers in HM Prison Kilmarnock on completing a reception risk assessment form and whether any officer who has not had such training has been responsible for the completion of such a form at any time during the last three years.

Question reference: S2W-15578

Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the only investigation into the procedures for suicide watches in HM Prison Kilmarnock is the one being carried out internally by Premier Prison Services and, if so, why the Executive has not ordered an independent inquiry.