Chamber and committees

This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Official Statistics on recorded crimes and offences involving firearms are produced by the Scottish Government, including statistics on incidents that allegedly included an air weapon. However this information does not include whether or not the offender illegally held the air-weapon.

There has been no announcement by the Scottish Government or the Joint Programme Board that a new pension fund for retired BTP officers will be established on the integration of the BTP in Scotland into Police Scotland.

The Joint Programme Board has agreed that, subject to the approval of the British Transport Police Force Superannuation Fund (BTPFSF) Trustee, that existing officers and staff should continue to have access to their current pension scheme on transfer. The Scottish Government have sent a pension proposal to the Trustee and we expect to publish that letter soon. Retired officers will continue to have access to their existing benefits from the same pension scheme. The Scottish Government will refer to pension and actuarial experts to ensure the arrangements are fair for officers, staff and the Scottish taxpayer.

BTP officers and staff who are serving, deferred and retired BTPFSF scheme members will be in the same scheme, with the same pension benefits, with the same Trustee continuing to deliver effective management of the funds.

The cost of railway policing pensions is a key consideration for the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government aims to ensure that public sector pensions are affordable, sustainable and fair. Doing so will ensure that railway policing officers and staff in Scotland remain well-skilled and well-motivated as they deliver an essential service across Scotland.

Pension costs already form part of the costs allocated to the railway industry under the BTP Authority Police Service Agreement model and will continue to do so in Scotland under Railway Policing Agreements by the Scottish Police Authority.

An initial working group meeting is due to take place later this week, hosted by Police Scotland. The group is expected to comprise COSLA, Police Scotland the Scottish Government/Transport Scotland. The key milestones going forward will be discussed at this meeting.

When the group meets it will also be able to consider how to appropriately capture and consider the views of other stakeholders, such as the Orange Order.

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

SPS has made changes to the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011 and single use, first generation e-cigarettes are being introduced for sale to those in our care. Further changes to these Rules will be made which will enable simultaneous implementation of smoke free prisons across Scotland on 30 November 2018.

SPS will deliver support to those in our care through facilitating additional smoking cessation classes and provision of an effective range of nicotine replacement therapies. SPS has also been working collaboratively on an ongoing basis, with NHS and other partners, in order to implement and review our integrated Smoke-free Prisons’ Strategy and Communication Plan.

These initiatives will assist those who wish to stop smoking or manage their nicotine intake in a much less harmful way, whilst maintaining safety and security for those who live, work and visit our prisons.

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

The following table shows the total number of (a) officers and (b) other staff who have incurred one or more periods of sickness absence during the financial year.

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

On 21 February 2018, there were 286 individuals in SPS care who were aged over 60.

SPS does not aggregate or retain historical data based on the ages of those in our care. I am therefore unable to provide you with a retrospective breakdown of how many prisoners in each of the last 3 years have been over 60.

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

SPS do not believe that there is a case to introduce the use of body worn video cameras during routine operational duties in Scottish prisons and have no plans to do so in the future.

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

SPS has issued operational advice to all staff in order to support them to conduct their duties safely when working in any area where any unknown substance is thought to be present. This operational advice sets out guidance on management arrangements, workplace control measures and procedures to be followed by all staff in order to reduce the risk of any potential exposure.

SPS has also established a Working Group, involving key partners, which will explore further options to maintain the health, safety and well-being of all those who live, work and visit our prisons.

This information is not held centrally and is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services.

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

SPS allocation criteria determines that those in our care should be designated to the establishment which provides the most appropriate regime to meet their identified needs. Wherever possible, this should be the establishment closest to the individual’s home. Whilst some regimes are specifically tailored for those convicted of a sexual offence, what is considered appropriate accommodation is dependent on an individual’s circumstances. It may at times be necessary to allocate an individual to an alternative establishment where their needs can be better met or when good order or security needs to be maintained.

Individuals with convictions for sexual offences are, so far as reasonably practicable, held and managed separately from the wider prison population. SPS currently hold 1,196 people in custody as a result of either being convicted of a sexual offence or being held on remand having been charged with a sexual offence.

Overall, 993 (83%) people in our care as a result of sexual offences are currently being managed in accommodation specifically intended for this group, with 203 (17%) currently being managed at other sites. Those individuals, who are not in a specifically tailored regime, are managed in a way that maintains safety and affords people the opportunity to engage with appropriate service providers according to their level of risk and need.