Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19965 on 7 August 2023. 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 average 2023-24 Band D charge in Scotland is £648 less than in England, and £463 less than in Wales. The average Band D charges in Scotland, England and Wales are available in the following table.

This information is available in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-22 to 2025-26: major capital projects progress update - March 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) the Scottish Government published on 20 June 2023. The plan outlines the progress and current projected costs of NTC Fife as well NTC Golden Jubilee Phase 2, NTC Grampian, NTC Lothian, NTC Highland, NTC Forth Valley and NTC Ayrshire and Arran.

The following table outlines the opening dates set out in the 2020 NHS Recovery Plan and the current projected opening dates for National Treatment Centres without approved Full Business Cases:

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

In each five years, there have been a total of 8 incidences of fire-raising of vehicles, shown in the following table:

According to the latest available data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2022, the median wage for employees in the UK was £27,756 in 2022.

At this level of income, and at the 2023-24 rates and bands of Scottish Income Tax, someone in Scotland would have an annual tax liability of £3,036.26. Someone living in the rest of the UK on this salary would have an annual tax liability of £3,037.20.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19984 on 7 August 2023. 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 Prison Service (SPS) is developing the operating cost of HMP Kilmarnock post transfer, with initial outcomes expected by the end of September 2023, and final submissions being provided within the usual budget planning process at the end of the calendar year.

SPS is working to agree proposals for a transitional operating model, and a target operating model, which is to be adopted within the first year of the prison transferring to the public sector.

Since the introduction of the STEM bursary scheme, 371 STEM bursaries have been awarded to bursary applicants in the last three years. 11 of these bursaries were awarded to applicants in Aberdeenshire.

Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd (KPSL) are contractually responsible for the design, construction, management and finance of the services at HMP Kilmarnock. KPSL subcontract this requirement to Serco Justice and Immigration.

The costs to provide the service, for each relevant financial year, are as follows.