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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: S6W-06841

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many libraries have closed in each year since 1999.

Public library services in Scotland are devolved to local authorities which have a statutory duty to secure the provision of adequate library facilities for all persons resident in their area.

The Scottish Library and Information Council has provided data on the number of libraries in Scotland, England and Wales, based on data compiled by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). The data covers the period 2010 to 2020; we do not hold information on the numbers of libraries dating back to 1999. In Scotland, no libraries permanently closed in 2020-21. We do not have figures for England and Wales for this year.

FINANCIAL YEAR	SCOTLAND		ENGLAND		WALES
	Increase/ Decrease	Remaining	Increase/ Decrease	Remaining	Increase/ Decrease	Remaining
2009-10	0	627	0	3,501	0	358
2010-11	-8	619	-32	3469	+20	378
2011-12	-9	610	-149	3320	-51	327
2012-13	-4	606	-59	3261	-3	324
2013-14	0	609	-35	3226	+1	325
2014-15	-3	603	-57	3169	-36	288
2015-16	-15	588	-47	3,122	-16	272
2016-17	-30	558	-65	3,057	+2	274
2017-18	-2	556	-38	3,019	-1	273
2018-19	-13	543	-14	3,005	-1	272
2019-20	+1	544	-30	2,975	-1	273
NET CHANGE	-83		-526		-92
% change from 2010	13.2%		15%		25.7%

[source: Scottish Library and Information Council]

The data shows that Scotland has seen library closures over this period, but at a lower level than that seen in England and Wales. Between 2010 to 2020 13.2% of branches closed in Scotland compared with 16% across England and Wales. No libraries in Scotland permanently closed in 2020 or 2021; however, there were temporary closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Building closures in Scotland have largely bottomed out with significant investment in excess of £25 million taking place in the building and mobile infrastructure since 2015. 2016 was the exception to this, due to a reorganisation of library services in Fife.

Question reference: S6W-06783

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage youth work as a career, including any specific support for those seeking to leave their current employment in a different sector.

Scottish Government is taking steps to encourage youth work as a career by offering targeted qualifications and professional learning opportunities, building awareness of the sector, and offering support to gain qualifications.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) offers a Youth Work Modern Apprenticeship that teaches practical skills needed for a successful career in youth work. SDS also manage Individual Training Accounts, offering those who are unemployed or with an income of less than £22,000 access of up to £200 per year to support entry to or progression in work; and supports people to develop new skills and progress their careers.

Scottish Government also funds Youth Scotland to deliver the PDA in Youth Work to youth workers across Scotland, including volunteers. Furthermore, the Community Learning & Development Standards Council for Scotland (CLDSC) offers various opportunities to its members for professional learning & development, including buddying and mentoring programmes for early-career CLD practitioners, including youth workers. The CLDSC are also currently working with a range of stakeholders (including Further and Higher Education providers and Scottish employers) to host a CLD open day later in 2022 where youth work as a career or voluntary opportunity will be promoted to those not already involved in Community Learning & Development.

Question reference: S6W-06753

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) reported incidents, (b) prosecutions, (c) convictions and (d) penalties for vandalism and related offences committed against public toilet facilities there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-06752

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it undertakes of vandalism of public toilet facilities and the impact that vandalism has on the availability of toilet facilities in local communities.

Question reference: S6W-06803

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners are being held in (a) individual cells and (b) cells holding more than one person, and how many are being "doubled-up" in individual cells.

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

On 21 February 2022 the prison population at unlock was 7,561. A breakdown is provided below regarding the accommodation the individuals were located in:

1. 4,885 people were accommodated alone in a cell intended to accommodate one person and,

230 people were accommodated alone in a cell that is designed to be double occupancy.

2. 918 people were accommodated in a cell, or dormitory, intended for more than one person and,

1,528 people were accommodated with another person in a cell intended for one person.

Question reference: S6W-06802

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) design capacity, (b) average number of occupants and (c) average occupancy rate was in each prison in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2021.

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

The following tables detail the (a) Average occupancy (b) Design capacity and (c) the Average occupancy rate of each prison over 2019, 2020 and 2021.

2019

Name	Average Occupancy	Average Design Capacity	Average Occupancy Rate
Addiewell	758	702	108%
Barlinnie	1431	987	145%
Cornton Vale	97	112	87%
Dumfries	194	176	110%
Edinburgh	914	867	105%
Glenochil	728	668	109%
Grampian	455	552	83%
Greenock	214	237	90%
Inverness	118	93	127%
Kilmarnock	574	501	115%
Low Moss	798	784	102%
Open Estate	189	284	66%
Perth	700	631	111%
Polmont	472	758	62%
Shotts	541	538	100%

2020

Name	Average Occupancy	Average Design Capacity	Average Occupancy Rate
Addiewell	728	702	104%
Barlinnie	1215	987	123%
Cornton Vale	70	109	64%
Dumfries	182	176	103%
Edinburgh	866	867	100%
Glenochil	660	668	99%
Grampian	427	552	77%
Greenock	192	230	83%
Inverness	103	93	110%
Kilmarnock	547	501	109%
Low Moss	795	785	101%
Open Estate	139	284	49%
Perth	642	631	102%
Polmont	389	758	51%
Shotts	544	538	101%

2021

Name	Average Occupancy	Average Design Capacity	Average Occupancy Rate
Addiewell	699	702	100%
Barlinnie	1208	987	122%
Cornton Vale	57	109	52%
Dumfries	183	176	104%
Edinburgh	867	867	100%
Glenochil	700	668	105%
Grampian	435	552	79%
Greenock	191	218	88%
Inverness	107	93	115%
Kilmarnock	529	501	106%
Low Moss	827	785	105%
Open Estate	145	284	51%
Perth	648	631	103%
Polmont	341	758	45%
Shotts	543	538	101%

Question reference: S6W-06782

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals have been employed as youth workers in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Question reference: S6W-06801

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) design capacity, (b) number of occupants and (c) occupancy rate was in each prison in January 2021.

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

The following table details the (a) average occupancy (b) design capacity and (c) the occupancy rate of each prison over January 2021;

JANUARY 2021

The occupancy rate and the design capacity rates provided are the average for the calendar month.

Establishment	Average Occupancy	Average Design Capacity	Average Occupancy Rate
Addiewell	713	702	102%
Barlinnie	1214	987	123%
Cornton Vale	64	109	59%
Dumfries	182	176	104%
Edinburgh	859	867	99%
Glenochil	668	668	100%
Grampian	437	552	79%
Greenock	191	218	88%
Inverness	101	93	109%
Kilmarnock	524	501	105%
Low Moss	805	785	103%
Open Estate	147	284	52%
Perth	669	631	106%
Polmont	362	758	48%
Shotts	544	538	101%

Question reference: S6W-06781

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what specific interventions are currently underway to ensure that BAME young people can access youth and community services that meet their needs locally.

The Scottish Government believes that all young people in Scotland should have access to youth work services at the right time, and in the best place, for them. Various groups representing young people with protected characteristics, including young people from minority ethnic communities, have been involved in the consultation for Scotland’s new youth work strategy. The strategy aims to see more joined up services for young people where schools, colleges, service providers, local authorities and education partners are better connected around the youth work offer, meaning better opportunities locally for young people across Scotland, including those from minority ethnic communities.

The Scottish Government also provide core funding to Intercultural Youth Scotland to ensure young people from a minority ethnic background are supported and encouraged to take part in youth work activities. The funding has also supported a range of mental health programmes, in particular during the pandemic. In addition to this, a range of local, national and grassroots organisations are funded to promote youth work among the minority ethnic community and advance race equality in general to improve outcomes for young people.

Question reference: S6O-00849

Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any safety issues on the trunk road network in the Perthshire South and Kinross-shire constituency.