Chamber and committees

An independent Scottish Government would remain in membership of a range of international organisations and would follow standard procedures to do so. Given that Scotland, as part of the UK, already meets membership requirements, we do not anticipate any barriers to Scotland’s timely membership.

The Scottish Government has always been very clear that it will accept its fair share of both assets and liabilities following a vote for independence.

An independent Scottish Government would remain in membership of a range of international organisations and would follow standard procedures to do so. Given that Scotland, as part of the UK, already meets membership requirements, we do not anticipate any barriers to Scotland’s timely membership.

Scottish independence would have no effect on air traffic control operations. Scotland would meet its international obligations.

We are working in partnership with a range of people and organisations to develop and test social investment models that deliver social and economic impacts. We are very interested in the results of the Perth YMCA living balance social impact bond, and are supporting them to produce practical tools that will help others set up social investment partnerships.

The Scottish Government is aware that a number of third sector organisations, partners and potential investors are exploring alternative social impact funding models. This includes the YMCA’s Living Balance social impact bond pilot. This is part of the DWP’s Innovation Fund and is not monitored by the Scottish Government. However, we are engaged with YMCA to ensure that lessons learned from the project can be shared across Scotland.

Many of the existing Public Social Partnerships (PSPs) were already established before the first social impact bond pilot was developed and launched in Peterborough. To date, none of the service providers and funders involved in the development of more recent PSPs has brought forward proposals for the use of social impact bonds in their partnerships.

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

“The Scottish Prison Service publishes information in its annual report in relation to financial years. The following table illustrates the total number of prisoner on prisoner assaults and prisoner on staff assaults broken down by each prison. Included are serious, minor and non injury assaults for the period from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013.”

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

Purposeful activity as a performance measure has existed in the Scottish Prison Service since 2010-11 with the average number of hours per week convicted prisoners have been engaged in purposeful activity being measured since 2011-12.

Purposeful activity is defined as any structured and/or supervised activity that contributes to reducing reoffending and in terms of Rule 84(2) purposeful activities include:

Work

Education of any kind, including physical education

Counselling and other rehabilitative programmes

Vocational training; and

Work placement outside the prison

Prior to that, the Scottish Prison Service measured offender development hours. This measurement included education and training for work but excluded actual work activities and rehabilitative programmes. It should not therefore be used as a direct comparison with purposeful activity.

Offender Development Hours:

Purposeful Activity Hours:

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

SPS does not collate information on the percentages of adult and young offenders that attend education programmes. However, SPS learning and skills providers are required to record information on the number of individual prisoners and young offenders engaging with the learning centre during each month. This information does not detail whether the learner is an adult prisoner or a young offender.

The following table details the number of prisoners and young offenders engaging with the learning centres in each of the last six months: