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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 672 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-04681

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-03798 by Michael Matheson on 11 November 2016, for what reason Scottish Prison Service industries income has reduced at HMP (a) Barlinnie, (b) YOI Cornton Vale, (c) Dumfries, (d) Glenochil and (e) Shotts.

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

In response to the information previously provided in the answer to PQ S5W-03798, the reduction in external income from the external sales of products and services in the following establishments is as follows:-

(a) HMP Barlinnie – this is as a result of the closure of the Concrete Workparty in 2009. This workparty manufactured numerous precast concrete products such as road kerbs, slabs and other precast products to a single source supplier, and the contract was not renewed.

(b) HMP & YOI Cornton Vale – this is a result of the closure of the Arts & Crafts workparty in 2012 and the subsequent reduction in sales of Cards and other Arts & Craft items that were handmade in that area and sold to both internal and external customers.

(c) HMP Dumfries – this reduction in income is as a result of the loss of a contract with an external supplier in 2009 and the closure of the packaging workparty.

(d) HMP Glenochil – the reduction of income generated from external sales was as a result of the closure of the workparty within the establishment when the contract was not renewed in 2014. This workparty provided cleaning, repair and maintenance to the plant and equipment that was hired out and returned across a number of the contractors’ premises. A number of other local manufacturing contracts with external companies during this period were also not renewed.

(e) HMP Shotts – over the 10 year period, external income at HMP Shotts has increased, however the reduction in income for the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13 was as a direct result of the rebuild of HMP Shotts, and the closure and transfer of those workparties to the newly built premises, and the subsequent loss of manufacturing income during this transitional period.

Question reference: S5W-04680

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03798 by Michael Matheson on 11 November 2016, what happens to the income generated through Scottish Prison Service industries.

Question reference: S5W-03798

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what income has been generated from external sales of products and services created through Scottish Prison Service Industries in each of the last ten years, broken down by prison.

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

Over the last 10 years, sales of products and services from Scottish Prison Service industries have generated total income of £11.2m.

This is broken down by prison as follows:

	Total	2015-16	2014-15	2013-14	2012-13	2011-12
Establishment	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
HMP Barlinnie	506	28	18	6	14	1
Central Stores	10,184	1,019	1,166	897	773	1,044
HMP YOI Cornton Vale	94	0	0	0	2	18
HMP Dumfries	45	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Edinburgh	2	0	0	0	0	1
HMP Glenochil	271	6	14	17	23	25
HMP YOI Grampian	0	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Greenock	0	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Inverness	2	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Low Moss	10	0	0	0	0	0
Open Estate	48	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Perth	3	0	0	0	0	2
HMP Peterhead	1	0	0	0	0	0
HM YOI Polmont	2	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Shotts	56	11	9	14	1	1
Total	11,224	1,064	1,207	934	813	1,092

	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	2006-07
Establishment	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
HMP Barlinnie	15	34	138	143	109
Central Stores	1,105	1,259	1,136	864	921
HMP YOI Cornton Vale	28	11	16	9	10
HMP Dumfries	1	2	7	18	17
HMP Edinburgh	1	0	0	0	0
HMP Glenochil	35	46	29	39	37
HMP YOI Grampian	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Greenock	0	0	0	0	0
HMP Inverness	0	0	0	0	2
HMP Low Moss	0	0	0	2	8
Open Estate	0	0	11	16	21
HMP Perth	0	1	0	0	0
HMP Peterhead	0	0	0	0	1
HM YOI Polmont	1	1	0	0	0
HMP Shotts	3	2	6	4	5
Total	1,189	1,356	1,343	1,095	1,131

Question reference: S5W-03793

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which department and minister have overall responsibility for children and families affected by the imprisonment of a parent or other family member.

Question reference: S5O-00337

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet the UK Government regarding the result of the EU referendum.

Question reference: S5W-03794

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) spends on carrying out purposeful activity in prisons, given in (a) cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the SPS budget, also broken down by prison.

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

The SPS does not collect financial information in the format requested. Financial information related to Purposeful Activity is available within SPS Annual Report and Accounts 2015-2016. This information can be accessed via the SPS Website at the following address:

http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-4206.aspx

The specific financial information is contained within pages 40 – 50 of this document.

Question reference: S5W-03799

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the waiting list time is for prisoners accessing purposeful activity, broken down by prison.

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

The SPS does not collect this information in the format requested.

Following the admissions process, everyone received into a Scottish prison following conviction is afforded the opportunity to participate in Purposeful Activity.

Some of the activities provided, such as education, do however require specific planning and coordination and this is planned by taking into account local circumstances and the particular needs of the individual.

Question reference: S5W-03796

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners take part in purposeful activity each year, broken down by prison.

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

The SPS does not collect this information in the format requested.

All prisoners are both required to and take part in Purposeful Activity. This can be constrained on occasion when prisoners are subject to disciplinary awards and also through medical considerations.

Some prisoners do from time to time decline to take part and when they do so this is addressed through a problem solving approach which can also, in some case, lead to internal disciplinary procedures.

Question reference: S5W-03797

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many activities and services are classed as purposeful activity in prisons.

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

Within the SPS there are in excess of 500 activities and services delivered in establishments which are considered to be Purposeful. The definition of a Purposeful Activity is contained within Prison Rules Scotland, Rule 84.

The SPS delivered over 7 million hours of Purposeful Activity last financial year across all prisons.

Further information on to Purposeful Activity is published within the SPS Annual Report and Accounts 2015 -2016, Pages 10, 18 and 19. This information can be accessed via the SPS Website at the following address:

http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-4206.aspx

Question reference: S5W-03795

Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many third sector organisations are involved in purposeful activity in prisons.

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

The SPS engages with a wide range of third sector organisations in the delivery of Purposeful Activity. SPS believe that the third sector has an important role to play in progressing the delivery of PA. We have provided a breakdown prison by prison and the third sector organisations currently engaged with establishments.

Third sector agencies involved in Purposeful Activity in the Scottish Prison Service: October 2016

Establishment	3^rd sector agencies

Barlinnie	Adult learning Alcoholics Anonymous Citizens’ Advice Cornerstone Croft Early years intervention Faith in Throughcare Prison Fellowship Glasgow Life Narcotics Anonymous New Routes Scottish Canine Concern Scottish Phoenix Trust Theatre Nemo Toy Box
Cornton Vale	Stirling Interfaith Partnership Shine Stirling Addiction Services Tomorrow’s women Women’s Justice Centre Women’s Aid Paws for progress Scottish Youth Hostel Assoc’n Shelter Salvation Army PDSA Sue Ryder Robertson Group ACE recycling Adult Literacy Link Project – City of GlasgowCollege Open secret Alcoholics anonymous Samaritans
Dumfries	Open Secret ADDACTION ILS Community Learning and Development Samaritans Oral Health Adult Support and Protection APEX SACRO SHELTER Throughcare Addictions Service (TAS) Positive Routes/ New Routes/ Routes out of Prison Bethany Housing Relationships Scotland Early Years Scotland Families Outside
Edinburgh	Four Square/PHASE HOPE Open Secret Armed Services Advice Project Veterans First Point WILDAS New Routes Advocard Willow SHINE SACRO Veterans Housing Agency Referral (Non Edinburgh &Fife) Lifeline Thera-pet project Edinburgh Bike-station Conservation Foundation Prison Fellowship Barclay Viewforth Church Salvation Army
Glenochil	Samaritans Signpost recovery Families Outside Family Mediation Prison Fellowship Gamblers Anonymous Glasgow School of Art Live Literature Makers Gallery Alloa Mothers Union Narcotics Anonymous Open Secret Reading Agency
Grampian	Narcotics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous Station House Media Unit APEX Turning point Early years Scotland
Greenock	218 Project Alcoholics Anonymous Apex Moving On Open Secret Prison Fellowship Shine/New Routes Street Cones Theatre Nemo Throughcare/Addiction Services, Dumbarton Tomorrow’s Woman Women’s Aid
Inverness	The Liberty Project New Start Highland Blythsewood Apex SMART UK Highland Homeless Trust Alcoholics Anonymous Barnardos Citizen Advice Creativity in Care Victim Support Prison Fellowship Poppy Scotland
Low Moss	BASE Momentum Skills Shaw Trust
Open estate	Shelter Taymara Sixth Circle Independent Advocacy Samaritans Springboard SSAFA (Armed Forces Charity) Alcoholics Anonymous Dundee Discovery Games Street Soccer Early Years Scotland (EYS)
Perth	Dundee Law Society Faith in Throughcare Positive steps Scottish Recovery Consortium Alcoholics Anonymous Cross Reach 6^th Circle Narcotics Anonymous Scottish Drug Forum CAIR Scotland SMART Recovery First Fife Front Line Fife Drug & Alcohol Project Limited Restoration Fife Jericho House Perth & Kinross Joint Recovery Project Perth Addiction Support Team Eclips
Polmont	Alcoholics Anonymous Access to Industry / Passport Adult Literacies & Numeracy Action for children Art therapist Barnardos Church of Scotland Education Scotland Falkirk Community Trust Falkirk Council outreach Fife College Impact arts Life skills Mentor UK Open Secrets Paws for progress Wise Group Women’s Aid Youth Scotland Youth Bridges Youth Community Support Agency
Shotts	Getting Better Together, Shotts Braveheart Industries Narcotics Anonymous Cocaine Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous Christian Fellowship Samaritans