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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:

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:

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, to respond. His response is as follows:

The following table shows all of the admissions for those aged over 60 since
‎ 1 January 2015.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) recognise that meeting the needs of the ageing prison population is an emerging and pressing issue which requires specific consideration.

That is why the provision of personal and social care within prisons will be considered by the recently established Health and Social Care in Prisons Programme Board which sits under the Health and Justice Collaboration Improvement Board.

SPS is also reviewing its population management strategy and consideration of the health and social care needs in the increasing number of older people in custody will be part of that process.

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 (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.

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.

The first section of the project, at Aberdeen International Airport (between Craibstone and Dyce) opened to traffic on 29 August 2016, with many new junctions and side roads opened throughout 2017. This brought immediate benefits to those travelling to and from the airport. The intention remains to open the project roads in the coming months, in line with the initial timescale announced by Ministers in 2012. Notwithstanding the Carillion announcement, this is a challenging target and will depend upon many factors including favourable weather. We are continuing to work closely with Aberdeen Roads Limited to identify any impacts on project delivery following Carillion’s announcement, however, the contractor is not in a position to provide an exact opening date at this time.