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: S3W-10030

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 27 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses in the public sector were suitable for families with more than one family member with a disability in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

The number of public authority dwellings classified as suitable for people with disabilities can be accessed through the on-line Housing Statistics for Scotland information resource at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/SpecialNeeds.

Changes in building regulations over the past few years have lead to increased accessibility of the more recent mainstream new build, particularly in the social sector, resulting in higher levels of barrier-free housing which can more readily be adapted to meet the particular needs of people with disabilities.

Providers of social housing have a duty to accommodate a tenant''s needs where possible, including adapting existing mainstream housing as tenants'' needs change. Therefore in practice, people with disabilities may be housed in suitably adapted mainstream accommodation but this will not necessarily be identified through current data sources.

The information held centrally on housing for people with disabilities does not include detailed information on the individual property type or what type of household it would be suitable for.

Question reference: S3W-09969

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 February 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the public purse has been of the police investigation leading to charges of perjury against Tommy Sheridan, Rosemary Byrne and Graeme McIver.

Question reference: S3W-09143

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what scientific advice it has sought regarding the proposed major development of a large poultry farm in the Scottish Borders which will be situated below the flight path of a number of species of migratory birds.

Question reference: S3W-09097

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents there have been of illegal drugs recovered by prison authorities from individuals who have attempted to smuggle drugs into prison in each year since 1999, broken down by category of drug and prison.

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

The following table illustrates the number incidents where drugs have been recovered from visitors attending Scottish Prisons. Reliable data is not available prior to 2001 and category of drug is not recorded.

Incident Establishment Name	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Grand Total
Aberdeen				3	6	32	24	4	69
Barlinnie			2	25	58	39	21	4	149
Cornton Vale		1	1	2	3	6	5		18
Dumfries				2	1	2	1		6
Edinburgh	4	1	2	13	17	14	14	1	66
Glenochil Prison	4	11	7	3	2	4	9	1	41
Glenochil YOI		2	2						4
Greenock	1	1		7	14	3	14	1	41
Inverness	1					1	1		3
Kilmarnock			10	21	32	28	19	1	111
Low Moss	3		1	7	6		1		18
Perth	5	4	7	25	29	29	18	1	118
Peterhead						3	1		4
Polmont				10	14	15	22	2	63
Shotts	2	2	7	9	14	18	9	2	63
Grand Total	20	22	39	127	196	194	159	17	774

Question reference: S3W-09089

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners were held in segregated protective custody whilst serving sentences in Scottish prisons in each year since 1999.

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

The SPS does not have a category of prisoners who are held in segregated protective custody. The following table displays the number of prisoners who have been held on protection conditions within SPS establishments.

Incident Establishment Name	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	Grand Total
Aberdeen		1			2	2		5
Barlinnie			1	2	1			4
Cornton Vale	1				1		2	4
Edinburgh	1	2		1	1	1		6
Glenochil Prison	1			1				2
Kilmarnock		1				1		2
Low Moss	1	1	2	1		2	1	8
Perth	1	1			4	1	2	9
Peterhead						1		1
Polmont		5	2	2		1	1	11
Shotts		1						1
Grand Total	5	12	5	7	9	9	6	53

Question reference: S3W-09100

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders released on licence have been recalled to prison to serve the remainder of their sentence in each year since 1999, broken down by prison.

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

The following table illustrates those offenders who have been recalled having been released on licence.

Establishment	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Grand Total
Aberdeen	16	22	16	21	20	22	16	23	19	2	177
Barlinnie	156	133	132	163	147	117	137	156	137	24	1,302
Castle Huntly	2	4	4	12	9	5	1	1			38
Cornton Vale	14	15	17	9	5	10	7	15	18	1	111
Dumfries	7	7	10	13	13	7	8	16	9	3	93
Edinburgh	48	41	55	85	85	70	93	115	133	12	737
Glenochil	26	21	23	31	39	50	50	82	85	7	414
Glenochil YOI	4	2									6
Greenock	28	27	34	34	11	26	24	22	28	5	239
Inverness	7	4	6	8	7	10	9	7	9	0	67
Kilmarnock	70	61	82	81	40	30	46	64	57	5	536
Low Moss	30	17	21	11	12	11	14	9	2		127
Noranside		1		4	5	4	1				15
Open Estate	3	7	3	8	20	12	16	17	8	0	94
Perth	40	26	44	31	45	43	30	59	78	11	407
Peterhead	6	2	4	5	7	10	16	19	17	1	87
Polmont	6	3	5	2	3	10	10	23	38	6	106
Shotts	27	14	21	24	22	21	41	31	34	0	235
Grand Total	490	407	477	542	490	458	519	659	672	77	4,791

Question reference: S3W-09102

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to ensure public accountability of professional associations, such as the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, which are wholly or partially funded from the public purse.

Any organisation in receipt of Scottish Government funding will be subject to conditions of grant attached to that funding.

A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding between ACPOS and the Scottish Government agreed in October 2007 setting out the provisions governing the payment of grant-in-aid to ACPOS is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44794).

On 1 April 2007, ACPOS became an incorporated company limited by guarantee. This means that it has responsibilities under the Companies Acts 1985 and 1989 to register its memorandum and articles and to produce annual accounts.

Question reference: S3W-09093

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many attempted prisoner escapes have been identified and prevented by prison authorities in each year since 1999, broken down by prison.

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

The following table illustrates the number of instances of attempted escape. Reliable data is not available prior to 2001.

Incident Establishment Name	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	Grand Total
Aberdeen		1			2	2		5
Barlinnie			1	2	1			4
Cornton Vale	1				1		2	4
Edinburgh	1	2		1	1	1		6
Glenochil Prison	1			1				2
Kilmarnock		1				1		2
Low Moss	1	1	2	1		2	1	8
Perth	1	1			4	1	2	9
Peterhead						1		1
Polmont		5	2	2		1	1	11
Shotts		1						1
Grand Total	5	12	5	7	9	9	6	53

Question reference: S3W-09087

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners were assaulted in Scottish prisons while (a) on remand and (b) serving their sentence in each year since 1999, broken down by gender and category of assault.

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

The following table illustrates the total number of assaults broken down by establishment and gender. Reliable data is not available prior to 2001, neither is it possible to distinguish between remand and convicted.

Establishment	Prisoner Gender	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Grand Total
Aberdeen	F	1	4			1				6
	M	19	30	21	12	30	32	20	2	166
Barlinnie	M	55	77	47	34	51	62	60	8	394
Castle Huntly	M	1					3			4
Cornton Vale	F	11	8	8	7	31	22	32	1	120
Dumfries	M	6	10	17	8	17	18	29		105
Edinburgh	M	32	41	51	51	52	80	66	7	380
Glenochil Prison	M	14	8	13	15	15	15	20	5	105
Glenochil YOI	M	3	9	2						14
Greenock	F		1	3	6	1				11
	M	8	10	10	30	21	25	22	3	129
Inverness	M				2	12	13	17		44
Kilmarnock	M	18	31	16	21	41	38	49	11	225
Low Moss	M	4	19	9	14	19	16	6		87
Noranside	M		1		1	2				4
Open Estate	M							1		1
Perth	M	10	33	53	92	59	37	59	8	351
Peterhead	M	8	4	3	2	4	8	10		39
Polmont	M	24	51	95	151	151	145	141	10	768
Shotts	M	6	10	13	10	15	14	11	1	80
Grand Total		220	347	361	456	522	528	543	56	3,033

Question reference: S3W-09096

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 February 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents there have been involving the recovery of illegal drugs by prison officers carrying out searches of prisoner accommodation and prisoners in each year since 1999, broken down by category of drug recovered and prison.

Incident Establishment Name	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Grand Total
Aberdeen	13	68	52	35	41	20	29	4	262
Barlinnie	128	146	168	200	265	307	378	40	1,632
Castle Huntly	2	5	13	17	37	79	19		172
Cornton Vale	46	79	52	58	94	83	106	4	522
Dumfries	5	12	31	23	20	22	33	2	148
Edinburgh	112	231	309	231	265	219	215	38	1,620
Glenochil Prison	79	93	69	98	116	114	137	15	721
Glenochil YOI	13	21	4						38
Greenock	27	51	50	85	71	80	64	8	436
Inverness	1	1			1	18	12	1	34
Kilmarnock	79	86	123	171	236	333	226	30	1,284
Low Moss	80	71	66	89	102	68	25		501
Noranside	2	2	4	24	23	22	5		82
Open Estate							48	8	56
Perth	44	94	103	182	202	163	130	14	932
Peterhead	4	2	2	3	1	9	5		26
Polmont	32	71	53	163	157	102	99	20	697
Shotts	68	29	47	65	154	135	90	15	603
Grand Total	735	1,062	1,146	1,444	1,785	1,774	1,621	199	9,766