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-04605

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 22 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the recommendations in the Advancing Professionalism in Teaching: Report of the Review of Teacher Employment in Scotland (the McCormac Review).

Question reference: S4W-04551

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) which types of chartered engineers it employs in a policy or policy advisory role and in which directorates.

Information is not held centrally for engineers employed by the Scottish Government; however, one of the Scottish Government’s agencies, Transport Scotland, employs 79 engineers covering a number of different disciplines, for example; civil, structural, highway and transportation, railway and geotechnical. All of Transport Scotland’s engineers are predominantly involved in operational delivery but do feed into the wider policy development process.

Question reference: S4W-04242

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve conditions for (a) prisoners and (b) prisoners with mental health issues in HMP Cornton Vale.

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

The SPS Framework for the Management of Women in Custody has identified several areas of development to meet the needs of women in custody in Cornton Vale.

Easing overcrowding of the prison has allowed for general improvement in conditions for all women prisoners.

Identified managers and named nurses are now responsible for the operation of multi-disciplinary mental health team meetings, and support for individual prisoners with mental health issues respectively.

Responsibility for the delivery of healthcare transferred to the NHS on 1 November 2011 and the specific healthcare needs of women in HMP Cornton Vale will be met by Forth Valley Health Board.

Question reference: S4W-04244

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in providing staff at HMP Cornton Vale with appropriate training to deal with the needs of prisoners with mental health issues.

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

Within the SPS Framework for Management for Women in Custody, training for staff to assist in managing prisoners with mental health issues is one specific area for development.

The SPS continue to deliver Mental Health First Aid training to operational staff in all establishments including HMP Cornton Vale. The SPS Mental Health Strategy is being reviewed at present and will include a training element specific to operational staff.

Responsibility for delivery of health care to prisoners transferred to the NHS on 1 November 2011. All healthcare staff will now have access to Mental Health training in line with the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework.

Question reference: S4W-04245

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2011
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that prisoners in HMP Cornton Vale who are removed from association have comprehensive multidisciplinary care plans and that they are fully implemented.

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

Under the new Prison Rules prisoners, including women prisoners at HMP Cornton Vale, may be removed from association on several grounds. In each case, management plans are a requirement that is integral to implementation of every Rule decision.

Prisoners removed from association for medical reasons will be managed under specific Prison Rules. The Prison Rule process requires a multi-disciplinary care and supervision plan to be in place. Operation of Prison Rules is monitored closely for implementation by headquarters staff.

Responsibility for healthcare delivery transferred to the NHS on 1 November 2011. SPS Healthcare Standards are still in place. Healthcare standards highlight the requirement for multi-disciplinary care plans for those prisoners identified with additional physical or mental health needs. Compliance against these standards is regularly monitored and assurance provided.

Question reference: S4O-00464

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist further education colleges to avoid compulsory redundancies.

Question reference: S4O-00410

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult on introducing a ban on smoking in cars carrying children.

Question reference: S4O-00299

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures access to orthodontic dentistry for all children who would benefit from it.

Question reference: S4O-00274

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to improve the availability of local NHS services.

Question reference: S4W-03156

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 18 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its proposals for Scottish studies to be taught in schools, what plans it has to introduce other subjects, such as British Sign Language, into the curriculum.