- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15757 by Mr Andy Kerr on 3 May 2005, who took the decision to amalgamate Wishaw and Hairmyres histopathology units and when this decision was taken.
Answer
I regret that theinformation about NHS Lanarkshire in my answer to question S2W-15757 answeredon 3 May 2005 was incorrect. No decision has been taken by NHSLanarkshire about the future of Wishaw and Hairmyres histopathology units. Iunderstand that the matter is under consideration by NHS Lanarkshire Acute Division.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 6 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people of ethnic minority origin are currently employed in the delivery of the Business Gateway programme.
Answer
I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-16923 on 6 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 2 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for authorising visits to HM Prison Kilmarnock and, in particular, what the roles are in the approval process of (a) the Scottish Prison Service and (b) Premier Prison Services.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
Visits are permitted at the discretion of the Director of HM Prison Kilmarnock, who may consult SPS if he considers it necessary.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 2 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15246 by Euan Robson on 12 April 2005, what the estimated total cost to local authorities of free school meals was in each of the five years prior to 1999-2000.
Answer
The Executive does not have data on actual expenditure by local authorities (LA) on free school meals. However, using data available on the gross expenditure by local authorities on school meals and the total number of meals provided, we are able to establish an average cost per meal for each local authority. This average cost per meal is multiplied by the take-up of free school meals in order to estimate the cost to local authorities of providing free school meals.
On this basis, it is estimated that free school meals cost LAs: £36.4 million in 1996-97; £32.9 million in 1997-98, and £34.5 million in 1998-99. Comparable data are not available before 1996 and therefore we cannot estimate the costs for 1994-95 and 1995-96.
These estimates may not include all the costs local authorities face when providing free school meals. In some cases the cost per meal figure may be underestimated due to the meals being provided under an external contract. In such cases, the figures may not include some elements of operating costs.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 2 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what written notices it has issued under paragraph 27.7 of Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock to "require the Contractor to remove any person from the Prison, the Site and the performance of the Services if, in the sole discretion of the Authority, it considers that such person is not a fit and proper person to be present at the Prison or Site or to be involved in the performance of the Services" and what the dates and circumstances were of any such notices.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
None.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 31 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the range and quality of statistics that it collects in relation to the performance of the economy.
Answer
There is an on-going programme of quality improvement for economic statistics within the Executive. For example, there is a continuous development programme in place for the quarterly GDP index, and there are initiatives to further improve exports statistics. Work is underway on a project to harmonise data sources within the Scottish supply-and-use tables, and to enhance analytical capability by redesigning IT systems.
The Executive is working with the Office for National Statistics to obtain better information on businesses in Scotland, which will have a positive impact on all the economic statistics we produce. The range of information produced from the analysis of business statistics is currently being reviewed, along with the potential for linking various datasets to investigate drivers of productivity.
There are several planned improvements for Labour Market statistics. The Scottish Executive boost of the Labour Force Survey will provide better more detailed information over time and for local areas. Further analysis of economic inactivity will also take place. New figures on Public Sector employment are soon to be published, and the Executive will be publishing a Scottish-based strategy to take forward work arising from the Atkinson Review.
An updated economic statistics plan for 2005-06 will soon be available on the Scottish Executive website.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 31 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it gave prior written approval of the training given by instructors to new employees shown in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock, broadcast on 9 March 2005.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to Schedule D of the contract with Premier Prison Services, which can be found at
http://www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/kilmarnock.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 26 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider an MSP representing the constituency in which HM Prison Kilmarnock is located as a "properly interested body", as defined in paragraph 29.1 of Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited 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:
No, Section 29 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock specifically relates to the Monitoring and Inspection of prison premises by those with a specific remit to do so.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 25 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Her Majesty's Government pays rates on buildings and land that it rents or owns in Scotland and, if so, how much revenue this generates annually for the Executive and Scottish local authorities.
Answer
Government departments pay rates on the buildings they occupy. Information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive on the rates paid by UK Government Departments for the buildings they occupy in Scotland. In 2004-05, the total amount of non domestic rate income collected by councils in Scotland is estimated to be £1.8 billion.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 25 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the staff sickness levels have been in each (a) prison and (b) young offenders institution in each of the last three years.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
The information below reflects working days lost per member of staff, calculated by dividing the number of sickness days by the number of staff. This reflects the standard measure utilised across the Civil Service.
| Establishment | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 |
| Aberdeen | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Barlinnie | 10 | 16 | 15 |
| Castle Huntly | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Cornton Vale | 19 | 21 | 20 |
| Dumfries | 18 | 15 | 18 |
| Edinburgh | 13 | 14 | 12 |
| Glenochil | 15 | 12 | 11 |
| Greenock | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Inverness | 11 | 13 | 10 |
| Low Moss | 16 | 12 | 16 |
| Noranside | 9 | 8 | 5 |
| Perth | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Peterhead | 7 | 6 | 11 |
| Polmont | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Shotts | 15 | 17 | 20 |
