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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 833 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S3W-37570

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people given a custodial sentence in cases involving domestic abuse received a sentence of (a) three months or less and (b) six months or less in each of the last 10 years.

The available information is given in the following table.

Persons convicted for an offence with a domestic aggravator¹recorded, receiving a custodial sentence of six months or less, 2005-06 - 2008-09

Main Result of Proceedings	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
<= 3 mths	325	362	421	402
> 3 mths and <= 6 mths	117	111	166	266
Total	442	473	587	668

1. The recording of aggravators has improved with time therefore caution is needed when comparing changes over time. 2005-06 is the first year where it has been considered that the use and recording of domestic abuse aggravator codes from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database has been of sufficient coverage to be used.

Question reference: S3O-12122

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to monitor the progress of Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-37525

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the prisoner progression and community reintegration facilities available at each prison.

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

After the Spencer Report the Cabinet Secretary for Justice asked HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) to review our progression and community reintegration processes. That inspection work is underway now and we look forward to HMCIP''s comments and recommendations. Since the Spencer Report we now have a senior manager, usually the Deputy Governor, in each prison with responsibility for overseeing the systems and signing off on decisions of progression and community access requests. multi disciplinary progression management groups meet in prisons regularly to assess the suitability of prisoners to progress. All agencies involved in the management of individual prisoners and the prisoner her/himself are invited to contribute to this process.

Question reference: S3W-37521

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 24 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been secured by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since it came into force.

The total amount of money secured by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (including both the National Casework Division and Civil Recovery Unit) through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, broken down per year is as follows:

2003-04: £2,191,175

2004-05: £2,348,846

2005-06: £4,835,541

2006-07: £6,120,955

2007-08: £5,547,492

2008-09: £6,332,081

2009-10: £5,510,558

Total: £32,886,648

These figures include confiscation orders made by criminal courts (as sought by the National Casework Division), civil orders of court (following application on behalf of Scottish Ministers by the Civil Recovery Unit to recover assets unlawfully obtained) and cash seizures supervised by the Civil Recovery Unit.

Question reference: S3W-37523

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 23 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners in each prison was assessed as having an alcohol problem in 2009-10.

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

Every prisoner admitted to custody goes through an initial health screening by a nurse. Prisoners are all asked about historical and current alcohol misuse to ascertain immediate clinical need. Research indicates that there is a strong link between alcohol misuse and offending, particularly anti-social behaviour and violent crime. According to the 12 Prisoners'' Survey (2009), half (50%) of Scottish prisoners said they were drunk at the time of the offence.

Prisoners serving over 31 days in custody, identified with an alcohol misuse problem, are offered a comprehensive substance misuse assessment.

The following table shows the number of assessments completed for Alcohol misuse against referrals made to the Enhanced Addiction Casework Service (EACS) in 2009-10:

Prison	Number of Prisoners Referred to EACS	% Prisoners Assessed for Alcohol Misuse
HMP Aberdeen	306	15.03% (46)
HMP Barlinnie	731	29.69% (217)
HMP Cornton Vale	515	17.67% (91)
HMP Dumfries	216	32.87% (71)
HMP Edinburgh	748	15.24% (114)
HMP Glenochil	334	25.75% (86)
HMP Greenock	379	22.16% (84)
HMP Inverness	210	36.19% (76)
HMP Open Estate*	280	27.86% (78)
HMP Perth	597	18.09% (108)
HMP Peterhead	100	28% (28)
HM YOI Polmont	478	57.11% (273)
HMP Shotts	126	14.29% (18)
Total	5,020	25.70% (1,290)

Note: *Open Estate refers to Castle Huntly and Noranside.

A further 87 prisoners were identified though EACS as having problematic alcohol issues.

Question reference: S3W-37522

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 23 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what the sickness absence rates of Scottish Prison Service employees have been in each of the last three years, broken down by staff category.

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

Average Working Days Lost

Pay Band	1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008	1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009	1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010
A¹ (Mainly Admin)	13.2	-	-
B (Mainly Admin)	13.6	14.5	9.7
C (Mainly Operational Officers)²	8.7	9.3	8.8
D (Mainly Residential Officers)²	11.6	11.6	10.1
E (Mainly 1st Line Managers)	7.3	9.2	6.8
F (Middle Management)	5.6	4.4	4.2
G (Senior Management)	4.3	6.0	5.2
H (Senior Management	0.8	4.0	1.3
I (Senior Management)	13.2	0.8	2.5
Nurses	20.1	17.8	19.2
Clinical Manager	14.1	4.9	9.0
Health Centre Manager	1.2	0.6	3.0
Senior Civil Servants	0.7	4.3	1.1
SPS Total	10.3	10.6	9.3

Notes:

1. Pay Band A was amalgamated with Pay Band B.

2. Operations officers are mainly involved with security duties in prisons. Residential officers have a high degree of day-to-day contact with prisoners.

Question reference: S3W-37524

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 23 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prisoners in each prison was assessed as having a substance abuse problem in 2009-10.

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

Every prisoner who is admitted to custody goes through an initial health screening by a nurse. Prisoners are all asked about historical and current substance misuse to ascertain immediate clinical need. Drug problems are highly prevalent with 56% of prisoners testing positive for illegal drugs in their system upon entry to Scotland''s prisons. According to the 12Prisoners'' Survey (2009) just less than half reported being under the influence (45%) at the time of their offence.

Prisoners serving over 31 days in custody, identified with a substance misuse problem, are offered a comprehensive substance misuse assessment.

The following table shows the number of assessments completed against referrals made to the Enhanced Addiction Casework Service (EACS) in 2009-10:

Prison	Number of Prisoners Referred to EACS	% Prisoners Assessed for Drug Misuse	% Prisoners Assessed for Alcohol Misuse	% Prisoners Assessed for Drugs and Alcohol Misuse	Total Assessed
HMP Aberdeen	306	47.06% (144)	15.03% (46)	2.61% (8)	64.71% (198)
HMP Barlinnie	731	40.63% (297)	29.69% (217)	8.62% (63)	78.93% (577)
HMP Cornton Vale	515	74.37% (383)	17.67% (91)	1.75% (9)	93.79% (483)
HMP Dumfries	216	37.04% (80)	32.87% (71)	10.65% (23)	80.56% (174)
HMP Edinburgh	748	52.01% (389)	15.24% (114)	3.48% (26)	70.72% (529)
HMP Glenochil	334	39.82% (133)	25.75% (86)	4.49% (15)	70.06% (234)
HMP Greenock	379	41.95% (159)	22.16% (84)	5.28% (20)	69.39% (263)
HMP Inverness	210	39.05 (82)	36.19% (76)	7.14% (15)	82.38% (173)
HMP Open Estate*	280	31.79% (89)	27.86% (78)	0.36% (1)	60% (168)
HMP Perth	597	47.57% (284)	18.09% (108)	3.69% (22)	69.35% (414)
HMP Peterhead	100	18% (18)	28% (28)	0	46% (46)
HM YOI Polmont	478	34.73% (166)	57.11% (273)	4.60% (22)	96.44% (461)
HMP Shotts	126	65.08% (82)	14.29% (18)	0.79% (1)	80.16% (101)
Total	5020	45.94% (2,306)	25.70% (1,290)	4.48% (225)	76.12% (3,821)

Note: *Open Estate refers to Castle Huntly and Noranside.

It should be noted that data relating to assessments carried out for both drugs and alcohol only began being collated in April 2010.

Question reference: S3W-37511

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 18 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take forward the recommendations of the Independent Review of Sheriff and Jury Procedure.

The Scottish Government is considering the recommendations of the Independent Review of Sheriff and Jury Procedure and will respond publicly in the coming months.

Some recommendations would require changes to legislation to be implemented, and those will need to be addressed by the next government in the forthcoming parliamentary session. Others do not require legislative change and can be implemented through improvements to working practice. The Scottish Government will work with criminal justice partners to pursue these improvements over the course of 2011.

Question reference: S3W-37212

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 16 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what its funding for the Scottish Prison Service has been in each year since 1999.

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

The budget provided to the Scottish Prison Service in each year was:

Year	£ million
1999-2000	204.4
2000-01	248.9
2001-02	258.3
2002-03	265.7
2003-04	299.2
2004-05	298.5
2005-06	321.7
2006-07	396.3
2007-08	427.3
2008-09	441.3
2009-10	455.1
2010-11	485.9

Question reference: S3W-37211

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow Rutherglen, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 16 November 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what its funding for criminal justice social work has been in each year since 1999.

The indicative grant allocations, issued for criminal justice social work services in each financial year since 1999-2000, are as follows.

1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
£38,419,502	£41,922,699	£47,450,107	£51,511,111	£59,170,512	£67,085,712

2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11
£75,256,023	£79,610,320	£89,646,971	£92,786,314	£95,726,923	£98,969,688

The table contains the most relevant year-on year figures for comparison purposes and details the levels of funding that are provided to Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) who, along with local authorities, are the principal delivery agents of criminal justice social work services in Scotland. CJAs were introduced in 2006-07 and the administration grant allocated in each financial year has not been included in the figures. As well as covering the statutory criminal justice social work services provided by local authorities, this funding also covers a range of other programmes and pilots which have varied by year and by CJA area. Other funding streams such as intensive support packages, ad hoc capital payments and a number of other centrally administered grants, although not included in these totals, could also be said to support criminal justice social work services.