- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Premier Prison Services has amended, or sought to amend, draft reports from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons prior to publication in each of the last six years, specifying the relevant reports and showing what the changes were and whether they were accepted by the Chief Inspector.
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 the answer to question S2W-15428 on 14 April 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on 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: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Scottish Prison Service has amended, or sought to amend, draft reports from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) prior to publication in each of the last six years, specifying the relevant reports and showing what the changes were and whether they were accepted by the Chief Inspector.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
HMCIP determines the form and content of all Prison Inspectorate Reports. However, in line with widespread practice, on the completion of each inspection report a copy is sent to the SPS for comment particularly to check factual accuracy. It is for the Chief Inspector to decide whether to adjust the report in the light of any comments. This procedure applies to all inspection reports.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to pursue the allegations made 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 the question S2W-15194 on 14 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on 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: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is in respect of plans for the establishment of another privately-run prison; when it expects to issue a tender for this project; where the prison will be located; what criteria will be used in deciding to whom the contract for operating the prison will be allocated; whether Premier Prison Services will be allowed to submit a tender or be awarded any contract, and what the differences will be between this tender and that issued for HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS has obtained outline planning permission for a new prison at Addiewell, West Lothian. This prison will be provided and managed by the private sector under contract to the Scottish Prison Service. The procurement process is currently underway. No private sector bidders were excluded from participating in the competition. The tender specification is based on best practice and includes a requirement to contribute to reducing re-offending.
The SPS is also seeking outline planning permission for a new prison at the site of HM Prison Low Moss, East Dunbartonshire.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the situation in HM Prison Kilmarnock.
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 the answer to question S2W-15194 on 14 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on 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: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise has given any notice of a potential underspend in its budget allocation for the financial year 2004-05 and, if so, what the estimated underspend is.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise generated £17 million of additional income receipts above the estimate contained within the the Budget Backing Documents for 2004-05. These were primarily through asset sales, the proceeds of which they were allowed to retain. Consequently, they did not draw down the equivalent amount in grant-in-aid from the Executive.
However, underspend against their resource budget for 2004-05 is forecast to be less than £17 million. It will be for the Executive to determine the allocation of any end-year underspends available to carry forward into 2005-06, once the departments and the Executive’s overall outturn position for 2004-05 is known. This will be announced to the Scottish Parliament, as in previous years, sometime during the summer.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise has indicated that there will be no underspend in their budget allocation for 2004-05.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it or its agencies have to expand HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS has no such plans.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any comparative analysis of the performance of prisons and, if so, whether it will publish the last three such analyses.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The reports of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons into the performance of individual establishments are published routinely. In addition the SPS publishes the analysis of the annual Prisoner Survey.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been to it and its agencies in the current year and each of the past three financial years of monitoring (a) the performance of HM Prison Kilmarnock and (b) its compliance with the contract between the Scottish Prison Service and Premier Prison Services to run the prison.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows: (a) I refer the member to the answer to S2W-15474 on 14 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The costs are not available in the form requested.(b) The SPS Controllers, based in HM Prison Kilmarnock, monitor both the prison’s performance and the level of compliance with the contract between SPS and Premier Prison Services. Estimated costs of this monitoring are as follows:
| Period | Estimated Cost (£) |
| 2003-04 | 178,000 |
| 2002-03 | 162,000 |
| 2001-02 | 126,000 |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Justice has issued any instructions to the Scottish Prison Service or the Chief Inspector of Prisons following the allegations made in the BBC documentary broadcast on 9 March 2005 about HM Prison Kilmarnock and, if so, what these instructions were.
Answer
The Scottish Prison Service is responsible for monitoring the operation of the contract with HM Prison Kilmarnock. I refer the member to the answer to S2W-15194 on 14 April 2005, which outlines the actions taken in the light of the allegations contained in this programme. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
