Chamber and committees

The impact on the reduction in VAT will depend on the profile of non-staff expenditure throughout the period. Based on 2008-09 budgets, the estimated saving for the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 will be £0.07 million.

The impact on the reduction in VAT will depend on the profile of non-staff expenditure throughout the period. Based on 2008-09 budgets, the estimated saving for the Scottish Police Services Authority between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 will be £0.39 million.

The Scottish Government has regular discussions with police forces and local authorities concerning alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour and is working in partnership with them to tackle this problem effectively. In particular, the issue has been considered as part of the detailed discussions on the review of national anti-social behaviour policy, which will report to Parliament shortly. Meanwhile two direct examples of specific action we are taking to tackle this issue is the recently announced Safer Streets initiative, in which we provided £660,000 across all 32 local authorities to help them tackle alcohol related violence in our town and city centres over the festive period, and the national Violence Reduction Unit''s on-going anti-violence enforcement campaign, which delivers coordinated police action to target underage drinking and additional visits to licensed premises.

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

Historically the peak level of the prison population is reached in August/September. The SPS takes whatever action is appropriate to ensure the safety and security of prison staff and the public.

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

The information requested is contained in the following table.

Establishment	Total cells as at 15 January 2009	Cells with multiple occupants as at 15 January 2009	Percentage of cells with more than one occupant as at 15 January 2009
Aberdeen	135	80	59%
Addiewell	700	2	0%
Barlinnie	992	509	51%
Cornton Vale	276	116	42%
Dumfries	136	53	39%
Edinburgh	714	132	18%
Glenochil Prison	530	212	40%
Greenock	251	61	24%
Inverness	83	53	64%
Kilmarnock	500	139	28%
Open Estate	298	77	26%
Perth	539	215	40%
Peterhead	306	2	1%
Polmont	719	165	23%
Shotts	537	0	0%

 

The reduction in VAT will have no impact on police forces. Police forces recover all VAT paid on goods and services under Section 33 of the VAT Act 1994.

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

The number of prisoners who completed the Alcohol Awareness programme in the last three years is as follows:

2007-08 “ 402 prisoners completed the programme.

2006-07 “ 392 prisoners completed the programme

2005-06 “ 368 prisoners completed the programme.

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

This information will be available shortly. I will write to the Member with further details.

The unit has been set up and funded by Strathclyde Police from within its existing resources. It is for the chief constable to determine the running costs and operation of the unit.

The Major Crime and Terrorism Investigation Unit was set up by Strathclyde Police to maximise the effectiveness of the force''s response to serious and organised crime, including terrorism, in line with the force''s Strategic Assessment and Control Strategy Priorities. Its functions are an operational matter for the chief constable.