Written Question · S2W-09015 · Session 2
Further to the answer to question S1W-30051 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002, when the relevant data will be placed in the Scottish Par…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30051 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 October 2002, when the relevant data will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
The answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
As part of the procurement of its contract for prisoner escort and court custody services, SPS collected data on prison-based escort volumes for the twelve month period from December 2001. These data were commercially confidential at the time they were collected but are no longer subject to that restriction. From these data and from information on SPS establishment staff and overhead costs in relation to escorts, SPS estimated that the cost to it of providing prisoner escorts in that 12 month period was about £5 million. This estimate included staff time and vehicle costs so far as they could be reliably identified. It did not include the cost to the police of escorting prisoners to court from police custody, the cost of risks associated with escort duties and the opportunity costs represented by assigning prison and police officers to escort duties.
As part of the procurement of its contract for prisoner escort and court custody services, SPS collected data on prison-based escort volumes for the twelve month period from December 2001. These data were commercially confidential at the time they were collected but are no longer subject to that restriction. From these data and from information on SPS establishment staff and overhead costs in relation to escorts, SPS estimated that the cost to it of providing prisoner escorts in that 12 month period was about £5 million. This estimate included staff time and vehicle costs so far as they could be reliably identified. It did not include the cost to the police of escorting prisoners to court from police custody, the cost of risks associated with escort duties and the opportunity costs represented by assigning prison and police officers to escort duties.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-09015 by reference.