Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has no current plans to conduct an independent review of the issues surrounding the use of psychoactive substances (PS) in prisons.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) continues to effectively manage the risk that PS poses to prisons. It has established a Strategic Risk and Threat Group to identify emerging threats and coordinate tactical responses. Tactical measures are supported by various technologies, including X-ray machines, body scanners and other equipment which can assist in detecting attempts to introduce illicit substances to prisons. SPS also has a number of drug detection dogs.

To promote awareness of PS, SPS staff have been made aware of the key methods used in attempts to introduce PS and are being encouraged to focus on these factors whilst undertaking their duties. SPS staff also carry out regular searches of people in its care, staff, visitors and items handed into prisons.

Despite robust security processes, some individuals are ultimately successful in bypassing these. SPS and Police Scotland continue to work closely to share information to prevent the introduction of illicit substances and seek convictions where appropriate.

The minutes of the 22 February meeting have been published here . The minutes of any further such meetings will also be published.

Colleges operate independently of Government and have responsibility for their own staffing provision. These are operational matters for individual colleges.

West Lothian College is piloting an instructor role in academic year 2019-20 in one curriculum area (Motor Vehicle). The introduction of this role has no impact on existing staffing arrangements for lecturers, but instead will complement their work by providing demonstrations to support the practical elements of the courses.

Fife College is not replacing lecturer jobs with trainers or assessors. Lecturers, and trainers or assessors, will deliver the range of responsibilities relevant to their respective roles.

The Scottish Government makes ex-gratia financial support payments through the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS). The scheme provides lump sum payments to the estates of those who have died, where the infected person was unable to claim their lump sum payment while they were still alive. Additionally, SIBSS provides regular support payments to those infected, which can be used to support their wider household’s living costs, and also grants to help cover the costs of a carer(s) or to provide respite breaks.  

Section 28 of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 provides the basis for the scheme to provide support payments to an infected person or their ‘dependants’. For these purposes, the legislation confirms that a widow, widower, civil partner or long-term cohabiting partner can be considered as a dependant. The SIBSS also enables dependent children under the age of 21 who are in full-time education to receive support and assistance grants where their infected parent has died.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23805 on 26 June 2019, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/ormain.aspx .

The Scottish Government will take account of any findings of the UK Infected Blood Inquiry in relation to legal actions relating to infected blood.

As indicated in reply to S5W-17831, information broken down to the level requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. However, in line with the answer given to that question, the total number of operations for SUI and POP involving mesh tape inserted transvaginally, are shown in the following table. Note that, as indicated in my September 2018 statement to Parliament in which I announced a halt to transvaginal mesh procedures, a small number of operations were exceptionally permitted to go ahead under the treatment time guarantee, with Accountable Officer assurance that there was informed consent in this context. The table also includes figures for rectopexy procedures, which are not subject to a halt.

The Scottish Government provides financial support to those infected and affected by infected blood through the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS). In addition to specific lump sum payments and regular annual payments, the scheme allows for payments of one-off support and assistance grants, to provide financial support primarily to take account of the additional costs or financial hardship experienced by beneficiaries of the scheme, or by surviving spouses, civil partners, long-term cohabitees and dependent children as a result of the death of the beneficiary.

Support and assistance grants can be used for counselling and also support or care services needed as a result of the impacts of a beneficiary’s Hepatitis C or HIV infection. SIBSS has recently reminded its beneficiaries that this counselling support in particular is available to them.

The Scottish Government also provides separate funding for the Haemophilia Psychological Support service, which offers services to patients in Scotland with inherited bleeding disorders, including those who are SIBSS beneficiaries.

SIBSS staff can also help signpost beneficiaries to other support and advice services, including NHS services where appropriate.

The minutes of the short life working group on mesh complications are published on the Scottish Government website. The declarations of interest of members of the group and future minutes will be published on the Scottish Government website once approved by Group members.

Patient engagement on the group is through a nominated representative of the Scottish Mesh Survivors and the work of the Health and Social Care Alliance will capture public and patient views.

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

SPS use a Job Evaluation Scheme known as Equate, which was developed by KPMG in 1995 and incurs no annual cost. Although Equate continues to meet its purpose, SPS is keen to explore a possible replacement which will meet the requirements of the Service moving forward.

Over recent years, SPS has carried out work internally to develop a new Job Evaluation Scheme in partnership with recognised trade unions. Due to the specialist nature of the work, a Reward Analyst was recruited through an Employment Agency to carry out a range of reward tasks, including technical support for a new Job Evaluation Scheme. The cost of the Reward Analyst, for all of their work including Job Evaluation, was £96,379 in 2017-18 and £71,167 in 2018-19. This includes the Employment Agency fee and VAT.

While impact assessments cannot be completed until a Job Evaluation Scheme has been finalised and posts are matched to pay bands, an impact assessment for any unlawful bias is carried out throughout the development stage. The purpose of a new Job Evaluation Scheme is to determine the relative importance of a number of different jobs through a systematic, consistent and gender neutral approach. Savings will not be achieved through a new Job Evaluation Scheme.