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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: S5W-22928

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 15 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether the revised total project cost of £80.5 million for HMP Highland is under review, in light of the operational date being pushed back from October 2021 to March 2023, and when specific funding provision will be confirmed.

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

The costs for the construction of HMP Highland will have to be reviewed to take account of the new provisional operational date following the publication of the Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan's project pipeline update.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service are committed to modernising and improving the prison estate. However, as with all substantial capital projects, the timescale for HMP Highland is dependent on sufficient capital funding being available.

Question reference: S5W-22936

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 15 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total cost and (b) annual interest rates will be in relation to the land purchase for HMP Highland, and whether there are any restrictions placed on the land by the seller and agreed to by the purchaser.

Question reference: S5W-22937

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 15 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to decrease the prison population and address concerns regarding the (a) safety of prison staff and prisoners and (b) delivery of rehabilitation training, arising from prison overcrowding.

The Scottish Government has been working closely with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and other Justice partners both to ensure the effective management of the increasing prison population and to consider medium and longer term action to reduce the prison population.

A Prisons Resilience Leadership Group of senior officials from relevant justice agencies is being established to ensure a coordinated response to the immediate challenges of the growth in prison numbers.

The Scottish Government remains committed to taking forward action that will aim to address the underlying causes of an increasing prison population, including reducing the use of short periods of custody. On 16 May, we will introduce secondary legislation to extend the current presumption against short sentences from 3 to 12 months.

We recognise the importance of providing a safe and secure environment for all those in custody as well as for the staff who work in our prisons. The SPS has introduced a national Strategic Risk and Threat Group (STRATG) to oversee the response to and mitigate against the risk of violence against SPS staff.

As set out in the SPS Corporate Plan 2019-2022, SPS continuously reviews all learning and development and opportunities for its workforce.

Question reference: S5O-03071

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment the finance secretary has made of the impact on business rates of its proposed workplace parking levy.

Question reference: S5W-21825

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-02853 by John Swinney on 6 February 2019 (Official Report, c. 19), regarding the support for local authorities to access mental health first aid training, what positions "key staff" hold, and whether these include teaching assistants and additional support needs staff.

Mental Health First Aid Training can be delivered to all staff within school settings which could include teaching assistants and additional support needs staff. Local authorities and schools are encouraged to identify members of the school community who are best placed to identify pupils who may be struggling with mental health issues.

This approach empowers local authorities and schools to target the support to the communities within the school that need it most.

Question reference: S5W-21826

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20262 by Clare Haughey on 11 December 2018, when the Autism Strategy Review Group was established; who its members are; on what dates it has met; which (a) NHS boards and (b) local authorities it has met, broken down by date, and how it will review and monitor progress towards achieving the priorities and outcomes set out in the strategy.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people through the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism.

The Scottish Strategy for Autism Review Group was established in 2018 following the publication of the Scottish Strategy for Autism: outcomes and priorities 2018-2021 document in March 2018.

The Scottish Government reviews the progress of the strategy through quarterly meetings with the Autism Review Group. This group provides service expertise, strategic leadership and challenges the delivery of the strategy’s outcomes - aimed at improving outcomes for individuals and families living with autism.

The members are key representatives from Scottish Government, Third Sector, NHS, COSLA, Autistic People’s Organisations, parent/carers and Autism Network Scotland.

The group has met twice since it was formed, the first public meeting was hosted by the Borders Health and Social Care Partnership on 6 December. A closed meeting was held on 25 January 2019 in Edinburgh. The next public meeting of the group is currently being planned for NHS Highland in April/May.

The strategy’s progress is highlighted at the annual autism conference, this year’s event will take place on 26 March.

The strategy’s progress is also being monitored by the Autism Cross Party Group. Policy officials attended the last meeting on 26 February to give a strategy update.

Question reference: S5W-21823

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its suicide prevention action plan, what action has been taken regarding its aim to create and implement refreshed mental health and suicide prevention training by May 2019.

Question reference: S5O-02946

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what recent meetings the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding local government finance.

Question reference: S5W-21322

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the National Rail Passenger Survey, which has reported that overall passenger satisfaction in ScotRail services has fallen to a 15-year low.

Question reference: S5W-21165

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many sheep have been shot on land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland in each year since 2016.