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: S5W-12684

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated lifespan is of HMP Dumfries.

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 given in PQ S5W-12680 on 24 November 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S5W-12681

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it is making at HMP Dumfries, and what future investment it plans.

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

The general day-to-day maintenance activities – planned, preventative and reactive repairs – are included in running cost for the Estates team based at HMP Dumfries. The level of general maintenance activity carried out is consistent with the remainder of the prison estate.

In addition to general maintenance, there is also a 5 year programme of future maintenance and replacement works. The plan for HMP Dumfries, as prepared in November 2017 includes the following budget costs:

2017-18 - £327,218

2018-19 - £472,000

2019-20 - £601,875

2020-21 - £545,000

2021-22 - £715,000

This 5 year plan is a ‘rolling programme’ of proposed works and is subject to review annually with regard to the overall current maintenance budget and intended future funding of the maintenance budget for the Estate. The figures beyond 2017-18 may be liable to change depending on the risks identified at the time of the annual review and priorities. There is also a concurrent programme for the upgrading of specialist security systems which includes spend of £50,000 in 2017-18 and further work valued at £96,000 for 2018-19.

SPS has invested in a programme of works to reduce carbon emissions and HMP Dumfries is included within this programme. In 2017-18, a total of £115,400 is being invested in building energy controls and LED lighting replacement projects and in 2018-19 an installation of photovoltaics is anticipated with a budget of £37,500. Future investment at HMP Dumfries for projects to reduce energy and carbon emissions are likely beyond next year.

Question reference: S5W-12682

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether HMP Dumfries is being treated as a priority under the plans to modernise the prison estate.

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 given in PQ S5W-12680 on 24 November 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.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S5W-12680

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether HMP Dumfries will be included in the strategic and corporate plans to modernise the prison estate.

Question reference: S5W-12835

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been excluded from school in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Data about the number of pupils excluded by Local Authority in 2014-15 is published in table 21 of the exclusions supplementary datasets, available on the Scottish Government website here:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/exclusiondatasets/exclusionsdataset2015

Table 21 shows the number of pupils subject to temporary exclusion and pupils removed from the register.

Exclusion data is collected by the Scottish Government on a biennial basis so no data is held for 2015-16. Data for 2016-17 is due to be published on the
12 December 2017.

Question reference: S5W-12537

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5W-12531

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints Transport Scotland has received in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-12539

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the SAMSON maths programme developed by Neil Armstrong.

The Dumfries and Galloway Primary School where the SAMSON mathematics programme, developed by Neil Armstrong, has been applied have identified significant improvements in attainment. The programme is to be assessed by the Dumfries and Galloway Delivering Excellence and Equity in Numeracy Group and the report will be finalised in 2018 and shared with Education Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5O-01530

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce levels of drugs use.

Question reference: S5W-12695

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the initial feasibility study for extending the Borders Railway.

The Scottish Government has given a commitment to examining the case for an extension of the Borders Railway, along with potential improvements to the A1, A7 and A68. This work is currently being taken forward by Transport Scotland through the Borders Transport Corridors – Pre-Appraisal study which commenced in Spring 2017. Having completed an extensive engagement exercise over the summer it is now moving into the reporting phase. A series of presentations to key stakeholders is scheduled to take place in the early December with a final report expected in early 2018.

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