Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government provided Openreach with a finalised speed and coverage template (or SCT) for the R100 North lot contract at the end of March 2021 as outlined in response to S5W-36133 on 23 March 2021. The remodelling exercise to finalise their coverage footprint is ongoing and will be subject to rigorous review through Scottish Government governance and assurance structures, and those of Building Digital UK (BDUK). The full picture across the R100 North lot contract area is expected to be available by Summer 2021.

Survey vessels have begun detailed survey work in preparation for the deployment of 16 new subsea cables.

The roll-out of R100 build in the North lot – and the associated survey work – will be completed in phases, and build plans will be reflected in our online checker at scotlandsuperfast.com.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government has committed to developing a £5 million ‘Islands Bond’ offering 100 bonds of up to £50,000 to young people and families to stay in or to move to islands currently threatened by depopulation. In line with the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 and the introduction of Island Community Impact Assessments, we know the importance of consulting with Island Communities and speaking to the people who are likely to be affected by any new policy, strategy or service before they are implemented. The Islands Bond is still in development and at this stage we do not have exact dates for when the consultation around this will be carried out. However, an Islands Community Impact Assessment will be completed in respect of this new policy and as part of that process, consultation will be undertaken with island communities, local authorities and key stakeholders.

Testing for people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms was made available to everyone in Scotland on 26 April. Everyone can now access free lateral flow devices (LFD), for testing at home twice a week.

To get a LFD test you can: order a test kit online at GOV.UK for home delivery collect a test kit from your nearest COVID-19 test site. The site finder shows where you can collect test kits from. You can find further information on how to order and take a LFD test on NHS inform.   In addition to this, many groups already have access to routine asymptomatic testing through their education setting or workplace. The purpose of these established testing routes is to support clinical care, to protect the vulnerable, and to support the operation of essential services. Our most recent Testing Strategy sets out the groups we intend to test in this way.   Those with COVID-19 symptoms should not use a lateral flow device (LFD) test, and instead must self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test through NHS inform.  

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, SPS introduced a number of significant restrictions on prison regimes to protect the health and well-being of all those who live and work in our prisons. These restrictions have impacted on the number of Purposeful Activity (PA) hours that each establishment has been able to deliver.

The table below details the average number of PA hours that individuals in custody engaged in each public sector establishment, between March 2020 and January 2021. Data for February 2021 has not yet been verified.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following tables detail the (a) average occupancy (b) Design Capacity and (c) the occupancy rate of each prison over the preceding 12 months.

The occupancy rate and the Design Capacity rate are the average for each calendar month. The current single cell occupancy rate across the estate is 71%.

MARCH 2020

As part of our regular dialogue with BT, we explore opportunities to accelerate work, wherever and whenever possible. However, delivery ahead of contractual milestones is ultimately a matter for BT to determine.

16 new subsea cables will connect to 15 Scottish islands including Colonsay, Iona and Lismore in Argyll and Bute, Eigg in the Highlands, Eday, Flotta, Hoy, Rousay, Sanday, Shapinsay and Stronsay in Orkney, and Fair Isle, Unst, Whalsey and Yell in Shetland. There will also be a cable laid between Sanday and Fair Isle. A news release on the deployment of these cables can be found on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/news/superfast-broadband-subsea-work-to-start .

The National Wellbeing and Engagement Survey launched on 2 March 2021 and is in 2 parts. Part A is open for four weeks and closes on 30 March. Part B launches on 6 April for a further 3 weeks and then closes on 27 April.

Results are expected to be available on a national level by the end of June, followed by further detail by the end of July.

We understand that results will not be directly comparable to the 2015 survey, but will allow for some comparison across themes and with other forces. The survey is being delivered in partnership with Durham Business School who lead on Collaborative Research in Policing. In the past seven years their research has grown and now involves thirty eight forces across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the BTP and MDP. This is recognised as the most relevant comparator available.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following tables detail the (a) average occupancy (b) Design Capacity and (c) the occupancy rate of each prison over the preceding 12 months.

The occupancy rate and the Design Capacity rate are the average for each calendar month.

MARCH 2020

The available information is provided in the following tables (one for each year), which has been produced from the Scottish Government’s criminal proceedings database .

Requirements for Community Payback Orders are not held in the criminal proceedings database. However, an earlier study that linked convictions data with criminal justice social work statistics indicated that, between 2013-14 and 2016-17, around 3% of community payback orders for those convicted of possession of drugs included a specific drug treatment requirement. The low use of the CPO drug treatment requirement does not mean that individuals with substance misuse problems are not having these needs addressed. Community Payback Order annual reports, provided by local authorities, highlight that issues such as alcohol, drugs and mental health are often addressed under the supervision requirement of a CPO. This was echoed by the evaluation of Community Payback Orders, carried out in 2015 (section 5.38). Both the evaluation and the annual reports noted that using the supervision requirement in this way is especially helpful for those individuals who need support but do not meet the specific criteria of the treatment requirements.

Number of people convicted for the possession of drugs¹, by the type of drug and main penalty, 2016-17.

As outlined in response to question S5W-36109 on 23 March 2021 from Lewis Macdonald, we have committed to provide Openreach with the finalised speed and coverage template (or SCT) no later than 31 March 2021 to allow them to finalise their coverage footprint. We expect that this remodelling exercise will conclude in April/May 2021, after which it will be subject to rigorous review through our own governance and assurance structures, and those of Building Digital UK (BDUK).

We expect the full picture across the North lot contract area to be available by Summer 2021. The roll-out of R100 build in the North lot – and the associated survey work – will be completed in phases, and build plans will be reflected in our online checker at scotlandsuperfast.com.

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