Chamber and committees

The provision of capital funding to individual colleges is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) rather than ministers. The SFC will take a decision on capital funding in relation to the newly created City of Glasgow College once a business case has been received from the college.

Employment issues within colleges are a matter for the institution and its recognised trade unions, rather than ministers. We have been encouraged however to learn of the intention of the new City of Glasgow College that there should be no compulsory redundancies as a direct result of the merger.

The funding of individual colleges is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) rather than ministers. I have asked the Chief Executive of the SFC to write to the member.

The Scottish Government is responsible for data handling across central government in Scotland. As a result of the 2008 Data Handling Review we have put in place a number of measures across core Scottish Government, agencies and non-departmental public bodies which set robust standards for the storage, processing and transmission of data. We monitor progress and compliance across these organisations annually by the completion of Security Policy Framework (SPF) returns.

Across the wider public sector, however, it remains the responsibility of individual police forces, local authorities and health boards to ensure that personal or sensitive information is stored securely and handled appropriately. We have worked with them to disseminate guidance material and provide information and advice about good practice.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The revised assessment criteria and processes, introduced after the publication of the Foye report, has had a direct impact on the number prisoners being assessed as suitable for open conditions.

As a result of these changes a multi-disciplinary progression meeting now takes place, whilst the prisoner is in a closed establishment, to assess their suitability for transfer to the Open Estate. This process of individual assessment ensures that only those individuals that meet the criteria for open conditions are approved for transfer.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

In line with the recommendations within the Foye report the key priority is to ensure that prisoners are only sent to the Open Estate when they are likely to benefit from the opportunities available and when any risk to the community is within acceptable limits.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Scottish Prison Service staff, within the closed and open estate, work closely together to ensure that all those prisoners who meet the criteria for open conditions and who would benefit from the open estate regime, are located there at the most appropriate point of their sentence.

A Commencement Order has been made which will bring section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 into force on 6 October 2010.

If and when the Scottish Government has any proposals in relation to police structures it will of course inform the Parliament.

Work to explore options for releasing additional savings in policing is at an early stage, and initial findings will be reported to the Scottish Policing Board on 6 December.