Chamber and committees

I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

SPS does not hold this information. We have also been advised by Reliance that they do not hold the information either. Reliance are carrying out a further review of the security arrangements for expectant prisoners. This review will also result in risk assessment records being captured/retained in the future.

I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

Prior to admission to hospital Reliance attend a pre-birth case conference involving the SPS.

The risk assessment of the prisoner takes into account the following elements:

1. Any relevant medical issues

2. Intelligence (including any external threats)

3. Sentence

4. Earliest date of liberation

5. Birthing partners

6. Visitors

7. Term of hospital confinement

8. If child detained, bonding visits

9. In addition a full location risk assessment is carried out for the maternity ward at Stirling Royal Infirmary.

Reliance do not handcuff the prisoner while in labour or during bonding after birth unless the case conference highlights areas of significant risk.

Alcohol licensing in Scotland is presently undergoing a transition to the system introduced by the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. This will be completed on 1 September 2009, when the new licences under the 2005 act come into effect. Local licensing forums have already been established, and have a function to keep under review the operation of the legislation in their area. A number of national fora already exist at which licensing matters are discussed, including the Scottish Ministerial Advisory Committee on Alcohol Problems and the Alcohol Industry Partnership. We are not persuaded that there is a need for another forum at this stage.

Officials in the Scottish Government''''s Public Health and Wellbeing Directorate have had discussions with Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol (STRADA) about providing training for people working in needle exchanges. STRADA have recently developed a needle exchange module aimed at a wide range of non-pharmacy needle exchange staff which could be adapted to meet the needs of pharmacy and specialist needle exchange staff.

Data on the number of warnings issued by trading standards is not held by the Scottish Government.

In 2005-06, the latest year for which data is available from the Scottish Government court proceedings database, no persons were prosecuted in Scottish courts more than once for selling tobacco to underage customers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10715 on 17 March 2008. 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.

As part of our consideration of the actions in the Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland: Phase II, we will consider whether to establish a working group to develop guidelines for services that provide injecting equipment to injecting drug users. We would expect any working group to look at the provision of needles, syringes and other drug related paraphernalia used by drug users.

In summer 2007 the Scottish Government commissioned a stock-taking review of Respect and Responsibility, Scotland''s sexual health strategy. The review of how Respect and Responsibility has been implemented thus far and to identify any gaps in implementation has considered evidence from over 250 individuals and organisations. The review has been undertaken by a team from the universities of Abertay and Dundee and is due to report in April 2008.

In 2005-06, the latest year for which data is available from the Scottish Government court proceedings database, there were two persons with a charge proved in Scottish courts for selling tobacco to underage customers. The sentences were fines of £100 in East Lothian and £165 in West Lothian.

Implementation of Getting it right for every child is continuing through testing the core components, principles and values in pathfinding activity and in partnership with agencies. The issues raised in the consultation, published in October 2007, are being examined where relevant as part of that process. The Scottish Government is facilitating a learning community network to assist key partners with their understanding and implementation of Getting it right for every child. This will include developing improved culture, systems and practice to facilitate information sharing where this is necessary.