Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 696 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S3W-13092

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 29 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers from Strathclyde Police Force assisted Greater Manchester Police in policing the events of 14 May 2008.

Question reference: S3O-03512

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 29 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many listed buildings have had demolition orders served on them in the past 12 months.

Demolition orders on listed buildings can be issued by local authorities in their capacity as the Building Control authority and on this basis, no information on the subject is held centrally. Historic Scotland has no formal role in such orders but in practice will often be consulted by local authorities before demolition takes place.

Listed building consent is also required for the demolition of a listed building and, as with building control matters, is dealt with by local authorities. Historic Scotland does have a statutory role in this process and must be notified by the local authority before such consents can be issued.

In addition, the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments for Scotland must be notified when listed building consent is granted for the demolition of a listed building in order that the commission may make arrangements for the building to be recorded before works commence.

Question reference: S3W-12533

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the workshops in HM Prison Kilmarnock make a financial surplus.

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

The contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock requires appropriate employment to be provided for prisoners. There is no requirement for SPS to receive information on the financial status of the workshops; and we do not hold this information. The full contract is published on the SPS website at:

www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/contracts.

Question reference: S3W-12529

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs would have been to it of terminating the management contract for HM Prison Addiewell, showing the basis on which such costs are determined and calculated.

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

The contract for HMP Addiewell has been published by the SPS and is available on www.sps.gov.uk. Full details of the contractual implications associated with the Scottish ministers, the authority under the contract, voluntarily terminating the contract with Addiewell Prison Limited, the contractor under the contract, are outlined in the minute of agreement, clause 42 and the associated compensation due by Scottish ministers is defined in clause 48. The actual compensation cost payable by Scottish ministers would be calculated in accordance with the terms of the contract and would reflect the particular circumstances at the time that the contract was actually terminated, with the value being variable from the award of the contract to the expiry date.

Question reference: S3W-12531

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of prisoners to staff is estimated to be in HM Prison Addiewell.

Question reference: S3W-12532

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 12 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many changes there have been in the management contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock since it was first signed and what the cost has been of each change.

Question reference: S3W-12530

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 9 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of prisoners to staff is in (a) Shotts, (b) Glenochil and (c) Kilmarnock prisons.

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

The following table illustrates the prisoner to staff ratios in HM Prison Shotts and HM Prison Glenochil.

	Establishment	Baseline Prisoner Capacity	Total Staff Complement	Prisoner to Staff Ratio
(a)	HM Prison Shotts	537	365	1.48 to 1
(b)	HM Prison Glenochil	670	383	1.75 to 1
(c)	HM Prison Kilmarnock¹

Note: 1. Information about staffing levels at HM Prison Kilmarnock is not collected by SPS. Specific staffing levels are not set in the terms of the contract. It is a matter for Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited, as contractor, to determine how to meet the contractual requirements to deliver services.

Question reference: S3W-12534

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 6 May 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently employed by the Scottish Housing Regulator, broken down by location.

Question reference: S3W-11713

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the police give appropriate priority to apprehending absconders from prison, in light of the circumstances surrounding the case of Robert Foye.

Question reference: S3W-11712

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 April 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service was available for media comment on publication of the report into the circumstances surrounding the case of Robert Foye and what its position is in respect of this matter, given public concern at the gravity of the issues reviewed.