- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sent any representative to attend the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union on 14 and 15 October 2002 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
There was no representative from the Scottish Executive at the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union on 14 and 15 October 2002. Negotiations within the European Union are conducted by the UK Government, taking due account of the views of the devolved administrations. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide variety of EU-related issues, including those that were discussed on 14 to 15 October.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30093 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 October 2002, in what way disclosing whether the premium paid to the authority in the event that a private prison cannot find insurance at a commercial price is greater than the premium previously paid to a private provider for the same insurance might prejudice future negotiations with providers of a new prison.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:This information would provide bidders with an indication of the level of premium that SPS had previously found to be acceptable. It could therefore inhibit bidders from proposing a more competitive rate.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources for the care and treatment of young people with mental health problems in young offender institutions were made available in each year since 1999-2000 and what future resources are to be made available.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Young people with mental health problems are currently cared for by a multidisciplinary team, including medical, nursing, psychology and social work staff. The development of multidisciplinary mental health teams will continue in the future.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 29 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the ministerial statement on the prison estates review by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice on 5 September 2002, what steps it will take to ensure that there is not a two-tier workforce in the Scottish Prison Service between the privately-operated and the publicly-operated prisons.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The contract will be for the provision of a new service to the Scottish Prison Service delivering about 700 new prisoner places, not the creation of a new prison, and with it a workforce, within the Scottish Prison Service.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive in which of HM Prison (a) Barlinnie and (b) Kilmarnock the cost of doubling-up prisoners in cells for (i) two days or less and (ii) more than two days is lower.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Robust information is not available which would enable a valid comparison to be made between these two existing prisons. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30374 today, and to the fact that robust information is available which shows that the average annual cost per prisoner place on an net present value basis over a 25-year period in a public sector built and run prison of about 700 places is about £24,500 compared with £11,800 for an equivalent private sector build and run prison.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what annual fee is paid by it for the prisoner escort service contract under paragraph 30.1 of the Minute of Agreement Between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:This information is at Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd's request treated as commercially confidential and as the prisoner escorting and court custody services are currently out to tender, publication of such information might prejudice the value for money of any future contract.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements a police officer must meet before being entitled to be issued with a firearm.
Answer
Firearms are only issued to officers who are authorised and trained in that particular class of weapon and have continued to undergo the corresponding tactical training. Every applicant for firearms training is required to complete a comprehensive application form and this form is assessed against a range of key competencies, including restraint and control, teamwork and co-operation, and decision making under pressure. Officers also undergo a series of health checks assessing their fitness, stability, hearing, and eyesight.After successful completion of this process officers attend a three-week Induction course where they learn all aspects of firearms training including legislation, tactics, use of force and shooting accuracy. If successful, the officer will be authorised to use police issue firearms and issued with an authorisation showing the types of weapons which may be used. The authorisation card is produced before a weapon is issued and always carried when the officer is armed.Authorisations are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that officers' weapons handling and accuracy continue to be of a sufficient standard to allow them to carry their weapons. This review also confirms whether they remain suitable for the role.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what rules govern the disposal of surplus police weapons.
Answer
Scottish Police Service policy is that all police firearms deemed surplus to requirements are destroyed.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) firearms are currently held by the police and (b) officers are qualified to hold firearms, broken down by police force area.
Answer
The information requested is given in the following table:
| Forces | No. of Firearms | No. of Qualified Officers |
| Central | 79 | 48 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 96 | 40 |
| Fife | 92 | 58 |
| Grampian | 131 | 122 |
| Lothian and Borders | 174 | 105 |
| Northern | 143 | 69 |
| Strathclyde | 627 | 215 |
| Tayside | 95 | 63 |
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27908 by Mr Jim Wallace on 22 August 2002, why HM Prison Shotts, which is a 516-place high-security prison for long-term prisoners, was considered to be sufficiently comparable to a 700-place local prison to serve as a basis for calculating the staffing required for such a prison in the public sector.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The new prison assumes high security for 700 prisoner places with full flexibility in respect of the type of prisoners being accommodated over 25 years. HM Prison Shotts was considered to be an appropriate comparator prison for this exercise based on its size and role.
