Chamber and committees

A revision to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2009 was made in the week of 19 July 2010. This is referred to as SIMD 2009 Version 2. This answer is based on the revised figures from SIMD 2009 Version 2 as opposed to the SIMD 2009 published in October 2009.

The SIMD is calculated at datazone level. Datazones are small statistical boundaries with an average population of around 750 people.

Of the Scottish Borders'' 130 datazones, none are in Scotland''s 5% most deprived areas using SIMD 2009 Version 2. Prior to the correction, the Scottish Borders had one datazone in the 5% most deprived but this datazone is now in the 10% most deprived.

A list of deprived datazones is available on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/SIMD.

The Scottish Government is working closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Legal Aid Board, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the Law Society of Scotland to monitor the impact of the Lord Advocate''s interim guidelines on access to a solicitor by suspects, which were issued on 9 June 2010 and applied to all cases from 8 July 2010. At this stage it is too early to provide an estimate of the costs of the interim guidelines.

Information on the cost of upgrading the Abbey St Bathans, Cappercleugh, Longformacus and Whitsome telephone exchanges to full platform ADSL is commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be released by the Scottish Government.

The information requested is given in the document Children aged under 16 proceeded against in Scottish Courts, 1999-2000 to 2008-09, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 51158).

Yes, one million euros will be allocated to deliver support for the development of broadband in rural areas. Details are being worked out with LEADER contacts who already deliver SRDP funding to Rural Communities.

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

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS), has identified a preferred site for HMP Grampian which is on the site of the existing HMP Peterhead. On 5 March 2010 SPS submitted a Pre-Application Consultation Screening Notice to Aberdeenshire Council to commence the planning application process.

The SPS working in conjunction with Highland and Inverclyde Councils, has conducted site search exercises to identify possible sites for the proposed new prisons. Further work is underway to assess the suitability of these sites for the proposed developments.

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

No contracts have been issued for the construction of HMP Inverclyde and Highland.

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

No sums have been set aside in the current year for construction of  HMP Inverclyde, Highland and Grampian.

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

Construction will commence following site acquisition and the completion of a procurement process for the appointment of a contractor to design and construct the prison.

I last met representatives of Lothian and Borders Police at Howdenhall police station on 1 June 2010, on the day I announced record numbers of police officers in Scotland, with numbers in Lothian and Borders exceeding 3,000 for the first time.

I last met Chief Constable David Strang on 18 May 2010 as part of my regular one-to-one meetings with all chief constables.