Chamber and committees

The concordat with local government recognises that progress on reducing P1 to P3 classes to a maximum of 18 will vary according to local circumstances. Aberdeen did not make progress on this concordat commitment between September 2007 and September 2008. The Minister for Schools and Skills met with elected members and senior officials from Aberdeen City Council on 26 May to discuss this and other issues. It is clear that Aberdeen City Council faces a substantial financial challenge to overcome budgetary problems that have built up over several years going back to at least 2002. The council has a recovery programme in place and has received substantial support to deliver the programme from COSLA. Responsibility for resolving the financial issues ultimately rests with the council so it is well placed to deliver high quality services that improve the lives of the people of Aberdeen.

Information on the number of teachers employed in Aberdeen can be found in the statistical bulletin Teachers in Scotland 2008 published on 24 March 2008 and can be found at the following link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/270926/0080623.pdf.

Information on class sizes in secondary schools is not routinely collected. In primary the average primary class size has risen from 23.7 in September 2006 to 24.7 in September 2008. It is clear that Aberdeen City Council faces a substantial financial challenge to overcome budgetary problems that have built up over several years going back to at least 2002. The council has a recovery programme in place and has received substantial support to deliver the programme from COSLA. Responsibility for resolving the financial issues ultimately rests with the council so it is well placed to deliver high quality services that improve the lives of the people of Aberdeen.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S3W-23837 on 12 May 2009 in respect of the future of the existing mandatory drug testing of arrestees pilots. 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.

The evaluation of the pilots found that significantly fewer arrestees had been assisted into treatment than originally anticipated, especially those who had not previously engaged with treatment services. Of the 3,308 individuals tested, only 223 were reported to have engaged with treatment services. The study also found that comparing the cost effectiveness of the mandatory drug test of arrestees pilots against arrest referral in terms of individuals attending assessment and engaging with drug treatment, arrest referral schemes appeared to be more cost effective.

The funding released as a result of the government''s decision not to continue the pilots (£1.8 million per year) is being reinvested to make community sentences more robust, particularly with regard to issues of immediacy, speed of completion and visibility. The termination of the pilots will also allow police officers in busy custody suites to have a greater focus on other key tasks.

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

The office of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice was advised of the abscond at approximately 5pm on Wednesday 27 May 2009.

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

The decision to transfer Mr Martin from HM Prison Shotts to the SPS open estate was made by the multi-disciplinary progression group at HM Prison Shotts.

Mr Martin was considered for transfer in accordance with the SPS management rule for prisoner progression. Mr Martin had addressed all identified needs to reduce his risk of re-offending and had been tested in a national top-end regime, including special escorted leaves.

In reaching the decision to transfer Mr Martin, the multi-disciplinary progression group at HM Prison Shotts did not follow the full SPS procedures surrounding the management of prisoners who have previously absconded being transferred to open conditions following the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in 2008.

Such a case should have been referred to Prisons Directorate at SPS HQ for further consideration. This is now subject to a review by Professor Alec Spencer.

Scottish Prison Service headquarters were advised of the abscond of Brian Martin at 3.33pm on 18 May 2009. This information was passed on to the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice shortly thereafter.

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

The office of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice was advised of the abscond at approximately 5pm on Wednesday 27 May 2009. I believe that the First Minister was advised within the hour.

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

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24282 on 9 June 2009. 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.

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

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24280 on 9 June 2009. 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.