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.

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Question reference: S6W-27210

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any risk assessment process that is undertaken before detaining multiple prisoners in single cells in prisons and custody suites, and how many "high risk" prisoners are currently housed alongside "standard risk" prisoners across the prison estate.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

A Cell Sharing Risk Assessment is conducted on every occasion where two (or more) individuals are required to share one cell.

The process is an individualised approach where the following overarching areas are considered based on the information held on each individual;

If they are likely to cause injury or harm to each other
If they are likely to cause damage to property
If they are likely to otherwise prejudice the good order and running of the prison

SPS do not determine individuals as ‘high’ or ‘standard’ risk through this process as it is a dynamic process used to assess each individual’s suitability to share with another or others.

Question reference: S6W-27206

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what process exists for the certification of cells in prisons and custody suites.

Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed that Cell Certification is conducted in all prison establishments. This process involves all prison cells across the estate being regularly checked a minimum of 3 times per week, with any issues being reported and acted upon immediately. Additionally, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons Scotland (HMIPS) conduct routine inspections of all prisons in Scotland, which includes inspecting decency standards within prison cells.

With regard to the management of the police custody suites, this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government also supports His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland ( HMICS ) and Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) to undertake joint inspections across Police Scotland’s network of custody suites to ensure the safety of these facilities.

Where recommendations have been made, Police Scotland, working with health partners as appropriate, work to address these quickly and effectively.

Question reference: S6W-27216

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently being held in Scotland's prison estate for non-violent offences, broken down by offence type.

The prison population on the morning of 6 May 2024 was 8,203 in custody. Excluding people held for index offences in Group 1 (Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence) or where the index offence could not be classified or originated outwith Scotland, provides a population of 3,927 people.

Further excluding Group 2 (Sexual Crimes) index offences of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault this population totals 2,466.

The full prison population is broken down by index offence type in the following table.

Where individuals in custody are accused or convicted of multiple offences, these are summarised by index offence. This is the offence for which they have received the longest sentence or, where they are on remand, which would on average receive the longest sentence. Each may have other associated offences for which they have received shorter sentences, or for which they have not yet been convicted, which may include acts of violence. Some offences cannot be classified in this way because the charges originate in other jurisdictions or because the data required were not available at the time the snapshot was taken.

Index Offence Group	Total
Group 1: Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence	3,935
Group 2: Sexual Crimes	1,686
- Rape, Attempted Rape and Sexual Assault	1,461
- Sexual Crimes excluding Rape, Attempted Rape and Sexual Assault	225
Group 3: Crimes of dishonesty	462
Group 4: Damage and reckless behaviour	107
Group 5: Crimes against society	1,206
Group 6: Antisocial offences	233
Group 7: Miscellaneous offences	132
Group 8: Road traffic offences	101
Other Jurisdiction Charge	47
Could not be classified	294

Question reference: S6W-27208

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what requirement exists for the maintenance of minimum standards of cleanliness and physical decency in cells in prisons and custody suites.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the response provided for S6W-27206 on 13 May 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-27207

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what minimum standards are required for cells in prisons and custody suites before they can be used to confine prisoners overnight.

Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed that each prison cell must be of an adequate size, fitted with a means of communication with an officer and have a standard of cleanliness.

Further, each cell used to accommodate an individual must be adequately:

(a) lit by natural or artificial light;

(b) heated and ventilated; and

The management of the police custody suites is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government supports His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland ( HMICS ) and Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) to undertake joint inspections across Police Scotland’s network of custody suites to ensure the safety of these facilities.

Where recommendations have been made, Police Scotland, working with health partners as appropriate, work to address these quickly and effectively.

Question reference: S6W-27209

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what requirement exists for the maintenance of minimum safety standards in cells in prisons and custody suites.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the response provided for S6W-27206 on 13 May 2024.

Annual cell certification checks are also undertaken by Estates personnel regarding the physical maintenance of prison cells.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-27132

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its timeline for the introduction of free ferry travel for island residents under 22 years old.

Question reference: S6W-27131

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects island residents under 22 years old to have access to free ferry travel to the mainland.

The draft Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach, published for consultation on 1 February 2024, said that we would take forward detailed consideration of proposals for under 22 year old island residents to provide free foot passenger travel on inter-island ferries within the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Island groups and extend the existing National Ferry Concessionary Scheme.

The online consultation concluded on 6 May 2024 and responses will now be collated and analysed. Further detail on next steps and timescales will be confirmed in due course.

Question reference: S6O-03435

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its engagement with stakeholders in the legal sector regarding the provision of legal aid.

Question reference: S6W-27080

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what degree of impact it expects the extension of free bus travel to (a) under-22s, (b) over-60s and (c) disabled people to have on its emissions reductions targets.

The Scotland-wide free bus travel schemes aim to make sustainable travel more available, affordable and accessible to those aged 60 and above, aged under 22 and eligible disabled people.

As set out in our report on proposals and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions following annual target for 2019 not being met ( www.gov.scot ) , published in 2021, the Scottish Government committed to building upon our commitment in the updated Climate Change Plan to extend National Concessionary Travel Schemes to include under 22s as part of our additional policies and proposals to deliver the amount of emissions reduction required. However, it does not apportion emissions reduction to any single additional policy.