- 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 the First Minister has taken following 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 answer to question S2W-15436 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/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 action the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency has taken following the allegations of drug trafficking and misuse made in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock broadcast on 9 March 2005.
Answer
Any action to be taken following the allegations made in the BBC documentary on HM Prison Kilmarnock is a matter for Strathclyde Police to consider in consultation with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
- 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 will outline the process by which HM Chief Inspector of Prisons was appointed, including when, where and how often the position was advertised; what the job description was; what the person specification for the post was, including experience and qualifications; how many applicants there were; who prepared the shortlist; how many applicants were on the shortlist; who selected the successful candidate; what criteria were used to appoint the successful candidate; what checks were made on the successful applicant's references and by whom; how long the appointment is for; what the remit of the post is; what performance review will be carried out; who will carry out such a review, and how often it will be carried out.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15424 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/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 it 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
With the exception of Annex 5 to the 2000 report on HM Prison Kilmarnock which was removed by the then Minister for Justice for the reasons stated on page 159 of that report, the Scottish Executive has neither amended nor sought to amend any draft report from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons prior to its publication in the past six years. Comment on the factual accuracy of Prison Inspectorate reports is, however, sought from Scottish Prison Service prior to publication in line with widespread practice.
- 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 will provide details of investigations undertaken by the police into alleged incidents within prisons and other incidents outwith prisons resulting from allegations made in televised documentaries in each of the last 20 years and what the outcomes of these investigations were.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally.
- 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 who takes the final decision in respect of when a report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on an individual establishment is published and what criteria are used when deciding on the publication date.
Answer
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons is independent of ministers and sets the date of publication of reports. The date of publication is dependent on when the report is completed and returned from the printers.
- 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 Minister for Justice and her predecessor have visited HM Prison Kilmarnock in the last six years; which sections they visited; how much notice was given of each visit; how long each visit lasted; which Premier Prison Services staff they met; which Scottish Prison Service staff they met; how many prisoners they met; what the outcomes were of these visits, and whether it will publish, and place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, all correspondence related to these visits.
Answer
My predecessor and I have visited HM Prison Kilmarnock on a number of occasions.
We have seen various facilities and activities and have met a range of members of staff and prisoners.
- 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 Colin Boyd on 14 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times fingerprint evidence prepared by the Scottish Criminal Record Office has been withheld or withdrawn in a trial in (a) each of the last two years and (b) the current year to date.
Answer
I refer to the answer given to S2W-3454, answered on 12 November 2003. 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. There are a number of reasons why a prosecutor may decide not to use evidence in court. I am not aware of any case in the last two years (including the current year to date) other than that of Mark Sinclair, which concluded at the High Court in Ayr in October 2003, in which the Crown has decided not to use fingerprint evidence provided by the Scottish Criminal Records Office following a challenge to that evidence by a defence expert.
- 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 there are any provisions in any guidelines for the police which prevent a chief constable investigating allegations made in a BBC documentary and, if so, what provisions.
Answer
No.
- 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 Scottish Prison Service has provided staff turnover figures for HM Prison Kilmarnock for the current year and each of the last three financial years and, if so, what the figures are.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS does not hold this information as staffing matters at HM Prison Kilmarnock are a matter for Premier Prison Services.
