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 3347 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-27215

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people are currently housed in the prison estate, broken down by the category of offence for which they have been charged or convicted.

On the morning of Monday 6th May 2024 there were 192 people under the age of 21 held in the prison estate. This population is broken down by index offence group in the following table.

Where individuals in custody are accused or convicted of multiple offences, these are summarised by index offence. This is the offence for which they have received the longest sentence or, where they are on remand, which would on average receive the longest sentence. Some offences cannot be classified in this way because the charges originate in other jurisdictions or because the data required was not available at the time the snapshot was taken.

Index Offence Group	Total
Group 1: Non-sexual crimes of violence	106
Group 2: Sexual Crimes	29
Group 3: Crimes of dishonesty	15
Group 4: Damage and reckless behaviour	3
Group 5: Crimes against society	22
Group 6: Antisocial offences	7
Group 7: Miscellaneous offences	6
Other jurisdiction charge	2
Could not be classified	2

Question reference: S6W-27207

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what minimum standards are required for cells in prisons and custody suites before they can be used to confine prisoners overnight.

Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed that each prison cell must be of an adequate size, fitted with a means of communication with an officer and have a standard of cleanliness.

Further, each cell used to accommodate an individual must be adequately:

(a) lit by natural or artificial light;

(b) heated and ventilated; and

The management of the police custody suites is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government supports His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland ( HMICS ) and Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) to undertake joint inspections across Police Scotland’s network of custody suites to ensure the safety of these facilities.

Where recommendations have been made, Police Scotland, working with health partners as appropriate, work to address these quickly and effectively.

Question reference: S6W-27198

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that an islands impact assessment was undertaken in relation to VisitScotland's proposal to close its iCentres across Scotland, and, if it is not the case, for what reason it decided not to undertake such an assessment.

Question reference: S6W-27216

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently being held in Scotland's prison estate for non-violent offences, broken down by offence type.

The prison population on the morning of 6 May 2024 was 8,203 in custody. Excluding people held for index offences in Group 1 (Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence) or where the index offence could not be classified or originated outwith Scotland, provides a population of 3,927 people.

Further excluding Group 2 (Sexual Crimes) index offences of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault this population totals 2,466.

The full prison population is broken down by index offence type in the following table.

Where individuals in custody are accused or convicted of multiple offences, these are summarised by index offence. This is the offence for which they have received the longest sentence or, where they are on remand, which would on average receive the longest sentence. Each may have other associated offences for which they have received shorter sentences, or for which they have not yet been convicted, which may include acts of violence. Some offences cannot be classified in this way because the charges originate in other jurisdictions or because the data required were not available at the time the snapshot was taken.

Index Offence Group	Total
Group 1: Non-Sexual Crimes of Violence	3,935
Group 2: Sexual Crimes	1,686
- Rape, Attempted Rape and Sexual Assault	1,461
- Sexual Crimes excluding Rape, Attempted Rape and Sexual Assault	225
Group 3: Crimes of dishonesty	462
Group 4: Damage and reckless behaviour	107
Group 5: Crimes against society	1,206
Group 6: Antisocial offences	233
Group 7: Miscellaneous offences	132
Group 8: Road traffic offences	101
Other Jurisdiction Charge	47
Could not be classified	294

Question reference: S6W-27208

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what requirement exists for the maintenance of minimum standards of cleanliness and physical decency in cells in prisons and custody suites.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the response provided for S6W-27206 on 13 May 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-27209

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what requirement exists for the maintenance of minimum safety standards in cells in prisons and custody suites.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the response provided for S6W-27206 on 13 May 2024.

Annual cell certification checks are also undertaken by Estates personnel regarding the physical maintenance of prison cells.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-27132

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its timeline for the introduction of free ferry travel for island residents under 22 years old.

Question reference: S6W-27131

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects island residents under 22 years old to have access to free ferry travel to the mainland.

The draft Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach, published for consultation on 1 February 2024, said that we would take forward detailed consideration of proposals for under 22 year old island residents to provide free foot passenger travel on inter-island ferries within the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Island groups and extend the existing National Ferry Concessionary Scheme.

The online consultation concluded on 6 May 2024 and responses will now be collated and analysed. Further detail on next steps and timescales will be confirmed in due course.

Question reference: S6O-03435

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its engagement with stakeholders in the legal sector regarding the provision of legal aid.

Question reference: S6W-27081

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide any modelling, or other assessment undertaken, to estimate any reduction in (a) car kilometres travelled and (b) CO2-equivalent emissions as a result of the extension of free bus travel to (i) under-22s, (ii) over-60s and (iii) disabled people.

As outlined in the draft route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030, achieving this commitment relies on a package of over 30 interventions.

The route map does not apportion a specific reduction in car kilometres, nor in CO2-equivalent emissions, to any single intervention such as the extension of the concessionary travel scheme, which is one of a number of route map interventions which aim to encourage the use of public transport and reduce car use.