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-04799

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 19 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a co-ordinating body of medical experts within the NHS in Scotland overseeing treatment of Gulf War related illnesses.

Question reference: S1W-04798

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 19 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many ex-Gulf War personnel in Scotland are currently receiving treatment through the NHS in Scotland for medical conditions that the patients define as Gulf War related illnesses and what these illnesses are.

Question reference: S1W-08132

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number, value and si'e in tonnage and length of vessels to be included in the Northlink ferry contract.

The Northern Isles Ferry Contract will involve the payment of subsidies for the provision of lifeline ferry services to the Northern Isles. It will not be a contract for the purchase of vessels. Bids have been invited on the basis of a detailed specification setting out the standards of service required. This specification was finalised taking into account comments from Islands Councils, MSPs and other interested groups. The Executive has not insisted upon specific numbers, sizes or lengths of vessels, allowing bidders to use their commercial judgement in deciding the best way to meet the service requirements.

The evaluation of bids is ongoing and the detail of the vessels to be used will be made known when the contract award is announced.

Question reference: S1W-08130

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what tendering process is being used for the Northlink ferry contract and what measures it has in place to ensure that all tenders are afforded equal and fair consideration.

The Executive has taken steps throughout to ensure equal and fair competition for the Northern Isles passenger ferry services contract. Bidders were shortlisted against agreed criteria, and invited to submit technical proposals and costed bids. We are now completing a process of evaluating the bids submitted against objective criteria which were made clear to all bidders when bids were invited. The bidding process complies with European legislation on state subsidies in the maritime sector, and with Scottish Executive Procurement procedures.

Question reference: S1W-08131

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision is to be made with regard to the award of the Northlink ferry contract.

Question reference: S1W-07914

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government with regard to the future of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton, what decisions or conclusions were reached and whether it intends to have any future discussions with them on this matter.

Question reference: S1W-07916

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any strategies in place or in preparation to deal with the local and national economic and social impact of the closure of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton and what are the details of any such strategies.

Question reference: S1W-07915

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 27 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the staff or shop-stewards of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Bishopton, the local authority, local enterprise companies or local community and business representatives with regards to the future of the factory; what conclusions or decisions were reached, and whether it intends to hold any future discussions.

On 5 November 1999, I established the Bishopton Working Group to identify ways of creating new, sustainable jobs through the redevelopment of this important site which is expected to be closed by BAE SYSTEMS in 2002. Membership of the group, chaired by Peter Hughes, Chief Executive of Scottish Engineering, consists of representatives from BAE SYSTEMS, the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Trade Union Congress, Royal Ordnance Bishopton Union Convenors, Paisley Chamber of Commerce and Bishopton Community Council.

The working group, which has met five times so far, has recently commissioned initial studies of the potential uses of the site and of the extent of land remediation that will be required. The working group is also considering how those who would be affected by the closure decision could be assisted to find new work. The working group will continue to meet to oversee the development process for as long as Ministers require.

Question reference: S1W-04122

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 7 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of its intention to discourage water pollution, it will order a review of West of Scotland Water's plan to discharge diluted untreated liquid sewage into the Kilbarchen burn, Renfrewshire.

I understand that West of Scotland Water proposes to build a storm overflow at Kilbarchan to alleviate a long-standing problem of flooding after heavy rain. The proposed scheme has been examined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) which is confident that it will result in an improvement in the quality of the Kilbarchan Burn. SEPA has granted a consent for the discharge subject to a condition requiring the sewage to be screened to prevent raw sewage solids entering the stream. The Scottish Executive therefore does not intend to order a review of this proposal.

Question reference: S1W-07100

Asked by: Colin Campbell, MSP for West of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what are (a) the establishment of prison officers at each of the Scottish prisons, (b) the numbers of prison officers at each of the Scottish prisons for the last five years and (c) the staff shortage nationally, expressed as a percentage of the establishment for the last five years.

The attached table shows, for prison officers, the establishment and staff in post (SIP) on 1 April, insofar as past data are available. In no year has there been a shortage.

Number of Prison Officers at each Establishment within the Scottish Prison Service for 1996-1997

	1996		1997
	April SIP	Complement	April SIP	Complement
HMP Aberdeen	124		126
HMP Barlinnie	440		473
HMP Castle Huntly	57		58
HMPI Cornton Vale	169		180
HMPYOI Dumfries	134		129
HMP Dungavel	55		57
HMP Edinburgh	370		370
HMP Friarton	43		46
HMP & YOI Glenochil	374		377
HMP Greenock	135		135
HMP Inverness	89		82
HMRI Longriggend	147		145
HMP Low Moss	138		130
HMP Noranside	58		58
HMP Penninghame	28		28
HMP Perth	342		324
HMP Peterhead	198		195
HM Unit Peterhead	19		19
HMYOI Polmont	264		271
HMP Shotts	321		320
HMNIC Shotts	39		35
HM Unit Shotts	25		25
SPS College	35		36
HMP Zeist
Total	3,604	3,547	3,619	3,452

Number of Prison Officers at each Establishment within the Scottish Prison Service for 1998-2000

	1998		1999		2000
	April SIP	Complement	April SIP	Complement	April SIP	Complement
HMP Aberdeen	132	134	136	130	131	130
HMP Barlinnie	495	498	512	496	482	496
HMP Castle Huntly	57	54	53	54	63	54
HMPI Cornton Vale	168	193	196.5	195	189	196
HMPYOI Dumfries	138	126	128	127	127	127
HMP Dungavel	65	66	67	67	56	62
HMP Edinburgh	405	399	399	398	387	403
HMP Friarton	43	41	39	41		*1
HMP & YOI Glenochil	382	386	384	385	380	384
HMP Greenock	139	141	142	146	143	145
HMP Inverness	91	83	86	82	84	77
HMRI Longriggend	139	146	138	141	112	*2
HMP Low Moss	134	128	131	128	120	129
HMP Noranside	56	52	52	52	51	51
HMP Penninghame	31	26	27	26		*3
HMP Perth	333	311	308	313	338	349
HMP Peterhead	207	204	203	203	206	206
HM Unit Peterhead	19	19	14	19		*4
HMYOI Polmont	280	279	279	274	263	279
HMP Shotts	325	318	324	318	354	355
HMNIC Shotts	39	34	35	35		*5
HM Unit Shotts	23	20	20	20		*5
SPS College	30	25	30	25	25	25
HMP Zeist					46	40
Total	3,731	3,683	3,703.5	3,675	3,557	3,508

N.B. The figures above include Residential/Operations/Regimes Officers & Operational First Line Managers

Notes:

*1. HMP Friarton now merged with HMP Perth and figures are included in Perth's.

*2. HMPI Longriggend has been closed.

*3. HMP Penninghame has been closed.

*4. HMNIC Shotts and HM Unit Shotts are now both merged with HMP Shotts and figures are included in HMP Shotts.