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: S6F-00001

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 May 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-08318

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what training existing independent prison monitors have received.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has drawn up detailed Guidance on Monitoring for Independent Prison Monitoring which has been reviewed and signed-off by the Prison Monitoring Advisory Group.

In addition to this independent prison monitors receive core HMIPS monitoring training, core SPS training (comprising personal protection training, suicide risk management, key training and local induction), Human Rights training and in-role training by the prison monitoring co-ordinator and other more experienced independent prison monitors. Separate local training is also arranged on the basis of local teams’ needs.

Question reference: S5W-08317

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of prison monitoring visits have been carried out on an unannounced basis.

Question reference: S5W-08322

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been undertaken to assess prisoners’ awareness of independent prison monitors and prison monitoring coordinators.

Question reference: S5W-08313

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there are for independent prison monitors.

Question reference: S5W-08316

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of prison monitoring visits have been carried out as part of a pre-arranged rota.

Question reference: S5W-08312

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many independent prison monitors are in post.

Question reference: S5W-08319

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Independent Prison Monitoring Advisory Group has met.

Question reference: S5W-08314

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average frequency of monitoring visits per prison is by (a) independent prison monitors and (b) prison monitoring coordinators.

HMP Open Estate – 1.09 per week

HMP Glenochil – 1.3 per week

HMP and YOI Grampian – 1 per week

HMP Inverness – 1.07 per week

HMP Perth – 1.14 per week

HMP Addiewell – 1.17 per week

HMP and YOI Cornton Vale – 1.14 per week

HMP Edinburgh – 1.20 per week

HMP and YOI Polmont – 1.09 per week

HMP Shotts – 1.20 per week

HMP Barlinnie – 1.37 per week

HMP Low Moss – 1.17 per week

HMP Kilmarnock – 1.20 per week

HMP Greenock – 1.29 per week

HMP Dumfries – 1.04 per week

Rota visits were carried out by Prison Monitoring Co-ordinators at a frequency of one a month or less up to 30 December 2016:

Question reference: S5W-08321

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how visits by independent prison monitors are publicised to prisoners.

Neither prisons nor prisoners are routinely made aware of the times and dates that Independent Prison Monitors will be attending prisons. Prisoners are informed of the following through information about monitoring at Induction, in leaflets and in posters:

IPMs attend prisons every week.

Prisoners can ask to see an Independent Prison Monitor by:

Calling the Freephone number

Putting a request form in the request box

Direct approach