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: S1W-28705

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27739 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002, whether it will publish or make available to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre parts of the Scottish Prison Service Risk Register where such release would not compromise prison security.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The Scottish Prison Service Risk Register contains sensitive material relating to SPS's law enforcement responsibilities. Such material requires to be treated in a confidential manner. Publishing all or part of the register would increases the possibility of risks materialising which would in itself pose an additional threat to the safe and secure operation and good governance of the prison system.

Question reference: S1W-28701

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-21191 and S1W-27656 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 January 2002 and 15 August 2002 respectively, which targets in Standards of Health Care of Prisoners were not met by Medacs in each of the last three years or in as many years as such information is available.

Question reference: S1W-28704

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27739 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002, why the Scottish Prison Service risk register is confidential.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Because it contains sensitive material in that it identifies security, operational, corporate and business continuity risks relating to SPS's law enforcement responsibilities. Such material requires to be treated in a confidential manner so as not to increase the risks which the register is designed to help reduce.

Question reference: S1W-28700

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27656 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002, how it monitors compliance with Standards for the Health Care of Prisoners in all prisons including HM Prison Kilmarnock.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26897 on 3 July 2002. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa. In relation to HM Prison, Kilmarnock the operator of the prison is monitored on a daily basis by the SPS Controllers.

Question reference: S1W-28706

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of providing prisoner escorts has been to the Scottish Prison Service in each of the last three years, broken down by prison.

Question reference: S1W-28699

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 24 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-21191 and S1W-27656 by Mr Jim Wallace on 14 January 2002 and 15 August 2002 respectively, how it monitors contract compliance by Medacs in prisons.

Question reference: S1W-28658

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 23 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27403 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 August 2002, what conclusion has been reached in the case of each notice it has received under paragraph 6.8 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.

Question reference: S1W-28772

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Richard Simpson on 20 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27615 by Dr Richard Simpson on 22 August 2002, what benefits in relation to matters within its responsibility it envisages will accrue from the reclassification of cannabis.

Legislation on the classification of drugs is reserved to the UK Parliament, and it will be for them to decide finally whether cannabis will be reclassified. The Executive has, however, worked closely with the Home Office about these proposals.The proposals to reclassify cannabis are based on the outcome of a comprehensive scientific assessment of its risks to health, relative to other drugs. We can, therefore, deliver a credible message to young people in Scotland about the levels of harm posed by cannabis, compared to other illegal drugs.We have achieved this by giving wide distribution to a guide to cannabis reclassification, which was published to coincide with the Home Secretary's announcement on 10 July. The guide was published as part of our Know the Score Drugs Communications Strategy. It sets out the legal position, and the risks to physical and mental health associated with cannabis misuse.

Question reference: S1W-28816

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28180 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 August 2002, how the cost of answering question S1W-25568 was calculated and whether it will give a precise definition of the meaning given in this calculation to the terms "direct cost" and "opportunity cost".

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The cost was not calculated as this would itself have incurred considerable expenditure. The cost was guesstimated and the answer therefore said that the cost "could", not would, be around £1,000.The direct costs are those which would have been involved in undertaking the work. The opportunity cost is the value of the output which would have been foregone because of the diversion of resources in order to undertake the work.

Question reference: S1W-28822

Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 19 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what quality indicators it uses to measure the performance of Medacs in delivering medical services in prisons.