Chamber and committees

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

I refer the member to the answer provided to S5W-08185 on 28 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

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

The following table shows the staffing complement of throughcare support officers (TSOs) in each prison since their introduction in 2012.

Since 2011 the responsibility for the provision of healthcare in prison settings changed from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to NHS Scotland. NHS standards for health care therefore apply to the provision of care within the prison setting and the Scottish Government expects Health Boards to act appropriately to meet these standards.

Health boards advise that all prisoners in Scotland with sentences of less than six months retain any registration they hold with their community General Practice and are registered as temporary residents with the prison healthcare centre. Prisoners with a sentence of six months or more are registered permanently with the prison health centre. Upon release these prisoners are required to re-register with their community General Practice to ensure continuity of care. The process of re-registration is encouraged and assisted by prison healthcare staff and others involved in the prisoner’s liberation and throughcare planning. Guidance has been issued by Practitioner Services Division, National Services Scotland to General Practices on the re-registration of liberated prisoners.

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

Whilst HMP Kilmarnock does not employ Throughcare Support Officers (TSOs), throughcare support is offered by TSOs attached to public sector establishments. For example, HMP Barlinnie provides throughcare support for those returning to Glasgow, and HMP Dumfries has provided support to an individual returning to their area. Gap in provision exists in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. Turning Point Scotland work in HMP Kilmarnock with prisoners who will be returning to these areas to offer similar levels of pre and post release support.

The introduction of TSOs in public sector managed prisons was created through the re-aligning of resources and achieving efficiency. SPS did not seek or receive any additional monies. It is entirely open to the contractor to undertake a similar process.

The information requested is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority.

Police Scotland is now taking a more modular and incremental approach to ICT development to manage risk. The Policing 2026 strategy published for consultation by SPA and Police Scotland on 27 February sets out a future direction for various aspects of police technology, and this will be supported by more detailed implementation plans later this year.

As Audit Scotland has already provided a comprehensive report on this subject, the Scottish Government has no plans to commission a separate review.

Police Scotland uses a variety of information technology systems. The details of these are a matter for the Chief Constable.

The average length of time spent on Electronic Monitoring for Restriction of Liberty Orders and Home Detention Curfews are set out in the following table.

The Scottish Government is consulting on legislative proposals for Electronic Monitoring until 19 May 2017.

This includes the proposal to introduce GPS technology for electronic monitoring. The consultation closes 19 May 2017 and a response will be published after that date.