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: S4W-15625

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-15626

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-15623

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-15091

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what services Education Scotland will provide at HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont.

Education Scotland will provide relevant expertise, advice and guidance to Scottish Prison Service in relation to the range of learning opportunities available at HMYOI Polmont. The aim is to improve education, skills and life chances for young people in custody. Education Scotland will achieve this by:

Supporting Scottish Prison Service to recognise the full range of learning opportunities available across HMYOI Polmont;

Mapping current learning opportunities available in HMYOI Polmont;

Identifying any gaps and opportunities for development;

Mapping learning opportunities to Curriculum for Excellence;

Providing a range of training and awareness raising for prison staff on a range of related topics; and

HM Inspectors of Education will work with HM Chief Inspector of Prisons to report on progress made during the follow-through inspection in November 2013.

Question reference: S4W-15092

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether Education Scotland will be responsible for (a) maintaining and (b) improving standards in education and training at HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont and, if so, what targets (i) it and (ii) the Scottish Prison Service has set for these.

Education Scotland will support the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to deliver the highest possible standards in education and training at HMYOI Polmont. Education Scotland and the SPS will work with a wide range of learning provider partners, including Carnegie College, to deliver improved opportunities, standards and levels of engagement and participation amongst the young people in custody. As Education Scotland are not the service providers they would not be directly responsible for raising standards within the establishment. However, HM Inspectors of education will continue to work with HM Chief Inspector of Prisons to monitor progress against the recommendations in the inspection report published on 20 February 2013 and the targets identified in HMYOI Polmont’s business plan.

Question reference: S4W-15093

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what costs are involved in funding the work of Education Scotland in HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont and how those costs will be met.

Question reference: S4O-02114

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Aberdeen and Dundee bids for UK City of Culture 2017.

I am delighted that both Dundee and Aberdeen have bid to be the UK City of Culture 2017 which reflects the strength of arts and culture in the cities. However, as this is a UK Government scheme, the Scottish Government has not been involved in the bidding process.

In November last year my officials met with Aberdeen City Council and their intention to bid for UK City of Culture status was discussed, and last month I wrote in response to correspondence from Councillor Ken Guild of Dundee City Council stating my support for the scheme and wishing both cities every success with the bid process.

Question reference: S4W-14578

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the Scottish Prison Service will launch its piloting of mobile phone blocking technology and which two prisons have been chosen for the pilot.

I have asked Colin McConnell, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

“We are not currently able to provide a definitive date for the introduction of this technology, but it is our intention to have the two pilots in place during the current financial year”.

We have not definitely identified the two sites we will use but for security reasons it would not be our intention to publicly announce those sites.”

Question reference: S4W-14579

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what company the Scottish Prison Service has selected to provide the technology for its mobile phone blocking pilot and what others were considered in the selection process.

I have asked Colin McConnell, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

“The procurement process for blocking equipment has not yet begun. The type of equipment to be used will be subject to a Memorandum of Understanding with OFCOM and telephone operatives. When this has been concluded it would be intention to either procure in conjunction with the National Offender Management Service and the Ministry of Justice framework agreements or advertise these requirements via the Public Contracts Scotland Web Portal.”

Question reference: S4W-12624

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11856 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 January 2013, what percentage of all fiscal fines, including those discharged, has been paid or is on track to be paid.

The percentages in the following table have been taken from Scottish Court Service’s Quarterly Fines Report 14.

Year	Fiscal fines paid/on track to be paid expressed as a percentage of the value imposed (including discharges)	Fiscal fines paid/on track to be paid expressed as a percentage of the value to be paid (excluding discharges)
2009-10	66%	78%
2010-11	60%	69%
2011-12	52%	57%

As Scottish Court Service makes clear in their report, fines and penalties are levied throughout each year and arranged instalment payments can mean that some may take two or more financial years to be paid.

The percentages provided in the second column are not representative of the total value due as some fiscal fines can be discharged. The percentages in the third column are a more accurate representation.