Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-20713

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it would rule out full British Transport Police (BTP) integration with Police Scotland.

My letter of 13 December to the Justice Committee advised that my officials have been working with stakeholders to explore further options for enhanced accountability of railway policing in Scotland. As part of this on-going work both the Scottish Police Authority and the British Transport Police Authority have agreed to work together to explore legislation currently in force which could be used to create an arrangement that facilitates a stronger oversight role for the Scottish Police Authority in relation to railway policing. A sufficient time period will be required to settle in any agreed model before any external scrutiny and review.

Question reference: S5W-20571

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which prisons provide body-worn cameras for (a) officers and (b) staff.

Question reference: S5W-20569

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which prisons test for new psychoactive substances.

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

SPS considers it would be inappropriate to place into the public domain information about the technology that is utilised in individual establishments to prevent the introduction of illicit substances.

SPS deploys a variety of strategic, tactical and technological responses to reduce drug use in Scotland’s prisons and has invested in the development of new technology to detect, deter and reduce the availability and supply of illegal substances. The Rapiscan Itemiser and similar technologies are only one of a number of security measures and tactics that can be deployed to prevent the introduction and disrupt the use of illicit substances in our establishments.

Question reference: S5W-20570

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which prisons use (a) the Rapiscan drug test system and (b) other similar drug-test technology.

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

SPS considers it would be inappropriate to place into the public domain information about the technology that is utilised in individual establishments to prevent the introduction of illicit substances.

SPS deploys a variety of strategic, tactical and technological responses to reduce drug use in Scotland’s prisons and has invested in the development of new technology to detect, deter and reduce the availability and supply of illegal substances. The Rapiscan Itemiser and similar technologies are only one of a number of security measures and tactics that can be deployed to prevent the introduction and disrupt the use of illicit substances in our establishments.

Question reference: S5W-20572

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which prisons use dogs to detect drugs.

Question reference: S5W-20464

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) process and (b) timescale is for the public to be notified when an NHS board moves up a stage in the board escalation process.

Question reference: S5W-20466

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 21 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be periodic review points during the new three-year financial period that NHS boards will follow.

As announced in October, the new planning and performance cycle for NHS Boards will support longer-term planning by providing increased financial flexibility, requiring Boards to break-even over a 3-year period, rather than each year as has previously been the case.

All NHS Boards are currently reviewed regularly by the Scottish Government. This includes reviews of monthly financial reporting, annual reviews, and in-year meetings covering finance and wider performance. These periodic reviews will continue under the arrangements for the new planning and performance cycle.

We will work with Boards at a national, regional and local level to ensure that they continue to work towards a balanced and sustainable financial position whilst ensuring that there is no impact on patient care. Where any board cannot deliver the requirements of the new planning and performance cycle, a full assessment will be undertaken as part of our Board Performance Escalation Framework. This considers financial management, operational performance and quality of care as well as indicators around leadership and governance.

Question reference: S5W-20463

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 21 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what checks it undertakes when reviewing settlement business cases for employees leaving NHS boards, and within what timescales.

Question reference: S5W-20431

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the evidence given by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on 5 December 2018 (Official Report, c. 29), whether it will confirm the date that the cabinet secretary was initially advised of (a) the ongoing and (b) further potential delays to the completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR); what these issues are, and what action he and his officials are taking to ameliorate them.

As I outlined in my statement to Parliament on 1 November, ARL first reported concreting issues at the River Don Crossing in May 2018. I was fully briefed on these issues when I assumed office in June 2018.

On 26 October 2018, Transport Scotland was informed that a greater scope of works would be necessary to repair the defects and ARL intimated that December was a more realistic date for opening this final section. As advised during my appearance at the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on 5 December 2018, it would be prudent to treat ARL’s timescale with caution.

My officials and I have been involved in a series of high-level meetings with ARL, designed to remove any obstacle to the road being opened while remedial works at the Don progress. I am pleased to confirm that the 31.5km section from Craibstone to Stonehaven and Charleston opened on the morning of 12 December, bringing immediate benefits to road users.

Question reference: S5O-02730

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecast for economic growth in Scotland over the next four years compares with that for the UK as a whole.

Chamber and committees