Chamber and committees

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

All convicted prisoners are required by law to work. Participation may be limited by incapacity or unavailability of work places. Detailed information is not routinely recorded.

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

The Scottish Prison Service does not record the information requested in this way. However, based on the average monthly number of prisoners engaged with the prison learning centres, around 29%, 29% and 33% of all prisoners have taken part in prison education programmes in each of the last three years.

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

All convicted prisoners are required by law to work. Participation may be limited by incapacity or unavailability of work places. Detailed information in the form required is not routinely recorded.

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

The average monthly number of prisoners engaged with learning centres in prison in 2009-10 broken down by prison is as follows:

Prison	Average Monthly Number of Individual Prisoners who Engaged with Learning Centres in Prison in 2009-10
Aberdeen	85
Addiewell	98
Barlinnie	266
Cornton Vale	160
Dumfries	76
Edinburgh	278
Glenochil	180
Greenock	304
Inverness	105
Kilmarnock	65
Open Estate	127
Perth	232
Peterhead	123
Polmont	346
Shotts	206
Average number of individual prisoners attending prison learning centres in 2009-10	2,651

 

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

A wide range of work opportunities are available across the prison estate, these vary through time as Governors are constantly looking for new opportunities. The attached list provides a snapshot of the opportunities available.

HMP Aberdeen: Laundry, Industrial Cleaning, Catering, Internal service jobs

HMP Addiewell: ˜Connexions'' worker, Visits Canteen, Catering, Industrial Cleaning, Internal service jobs.

HMP Barlinnie: Vocational Training (VT) Joiners, VT Bricklaying, VT Roofing, VT Plumbing, VT Painting, Wood Machinery, Wood Assembly, Industrial Cleaning, Gardening, Recycling, Welding, Forklift Truck Driving, In-House Services, Catering, Laundry, Library, Internal service jobs.

HMP & YOI Cornton Vale: Laundry, Hairdressing, Catering, Craft Shop, Bicycle Repair, Industrial Cleaning, Gardening, Pantry, Internal service jobs.

HMP Dumfries: Gardening, Catering, Laundry, VT Industrial Cleaning, VT Joiners, Waste Management, Cleaning, Fork Lift Truck Driving, Tea packing, Internal service jobs.

HMP Edinburgh: Waste Management, Tiling, Mono-blocking, Bricklaying, Gardening, Forklift Truck Driving, Joinery, Painting, Woodcraft, Electricians, Plumbers, Industrial Cleaning, Life Skills, Restart, Induction, PC Passport, Laundry, Labels, General Purpose work part, Hobbies, Internal service jobs.

HMP Glenochil: Timber Assembly, VT Industrial Cleaners, VT Paint & Decorating, Metal Fabrication, Speedy Hire Service Centre, VT Hairdressing, Laundry, Laminating, Grounds/Gardens, Recycling, NPA Carpentry & Joinery, Kitchen, Internal service jobs, Full-Time Education.

HMP Greenock: Laundry, Industrial Cleaning, VT Painting & Decorating, Hairdressing, Wood Assembly, Wood Machining, VT Construction, Catering, Internal service jobs.

HMP Inverness: Catering, Industrial Cleaning, Recycling, Laundry, Gardening, Internal service jobs.

HMP Kilmarnock: Recycling, Textiles, Painting, Gardening, Laundry, VT Cleaning, VT Environmental, Internal service jobs.

Open Estate: Catering, Forestry, Grounds & Gardening, Industrial Cleaning, Waste Management, Laundry, Public Reception, Library, Prisoners Canteen, Community Work Placements, Community Project Team, Internal service jobs.

HMP Perth: VT Bricklayers, VT Painters, VT Plumbers, VT Hairdressers, Catering, Textiles, Laundry, Packaging, Wood Assembly, Wood Machine, Industrial Cleaning, VT Industrial Cleaning, Waste & Recycling, Gardening, Internal service jobs.

HMP Peterhead: VT Joiners, VT Bricklayers, VT Horticulture, Production Joiners, Recycle, Industrial Cleaning, Textiles, Laundry, Catering, Internal service jobs.

HMYOI Polmont: VT Plumbers, VT Bricklaying, VT Joiners, VT Painters, VT IT Skills, VT Hairdressers, VT Forklift, VT Engineering, Industrial Cleaning, Packing, Personal & Social Development, Gardens, Independent Living, Catering, Laundry, Internal service jobs.

HMP Shotts: Wood Assembly, Wood Machining, Crafts Workshop, Recycling/Environmental, Forklift Training, Catering/Kitchen, Laundry, Garden, Outside Work Placements, Charity Work, VT Cleaning, Textiles, Engineering, Occupational Party, Ceramic Crafts, Internal service jobs.

 Internal service jobs cover general assistance in a particular area of the prison, including cleaning.

No. Premises licence application fees and annual fees are set by licensing boards in line with the Licensing (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2007. These fees are linked to the rateable value of the premises concerned. This approach was agreed by licensing boards and most of the licensed trade and was based on independent research which recommended that while some anomalies would arise, a link to rateable value was the fairest approach overall. We do not consider that a further and full review of fee arrangements should be taken forward in the short term, nor do we consider it desirable to return to the fee arrangements under the 1976 Act where a small gift shop paid the same as a large supermarket.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34977 on 21 July 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

Standardised forms are already in place by virtue of secondary legislation. These include the forms for premises licence applications, personal licence applications, a standard template for operating plans and a specification for layout plans. I have already given an undertaking to review forms in light of transition. I have accepted the Regulatory Review Groups offer to begin this process. Guidance to applicants is also available and we are happy to consider whether that needs to be revised.

The Scottish Government is using the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill to address a number of issues that arose during the transition period from the 1976 Act to the 2005 Act, and work is already ongoing in respect of variations and revised statutory guidance. I indicated to stakeholders that we would review the prescribed forms to see whether they can be improved and, following the publication of its recommendations, I have asked the Regulatory Review Group to give further consideration to this. I have invited COSLA to examine the proposal for a national licensing forum.

There are already mechanisms in place to allow stakeholders to raise any issues that they feel should be re-examined, for example the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership, the ACPOS Licensing Group, and the Retailers'' Working Group. Discussions with these groups have allowed us to use the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill to address a number of issues and we will continue to work with stakeholders as the 2005 Act beds in.