Chamber and committees

For nearly 15 years, this Government has delivered bold and effective justice reforms with a firm focus on early intervention, prevention and rehabilitation. We are currently consulting publicly on a revised national strategy for community justice, which seeks to build on progress to date and encourage a further shift towards greater use of community-based disposals.

As Martin Whitfield would expect, there has been substantial discussion with the UK Government and very good collaboration.

We have invested an additional £1.5 million to set up the centre that I mentioned, and that is on top of the £1.16 million that we will invest in furthering the vision of the strategic framework for a cyber resilient Scotland. That investment is building on what is being done with the UK Government in collaboration. That work has to be done in collaboration, because many of the powers are reserved, so it makes sense to do that. There is a very effective relationship.

Martin Whitfield mentioned the attack on SEPA. There have also been attacks on public authorities in Ireland. That is a big concern for the Scottish Government, so we are ensuring that our public authorities are as secure as they can be. Much of the Government’s work in that regard is led by the Deputy First Minister. We take the matter extremely seriously, and I assure the member that there is a very effective relationship with the UK Government on the issue.

People in custody are subject to a range of assessments while in prison, including talk to me and general wellbeing. The national health service provides access to appropriate mental health support and assessment, including more specialist care when that is appropriate. The Scottish Prison Service works collaboratively on pre-release arrangements with community partners, which facilitates access to people in its care to support multidisciplinary assessments, for example to access throughcare services.

First, I extend my condolences to Mr Geddes’s family. Of course, I am willing to meet the member and the family.

Such assessments are extremely difficult to do, but we should always continue to improve the system over time because, as in this case, people’s lives can depend on it.

Pauline McNeill makes a very important point about people’s ability to understand legal processes. We have had discussions in the chamber about the not proven verdict in which it has been conceded that judges are not even allowed to explain to a jury the difference between not proven and not guilty. If the people the system is meant to serve do not understand it—even if all the lawyers understand it—that is a major problem.

I have some sympathy with what Pauline McNeill says. There are some compelling arguments In relation to legal representation for complainers. There are also some concerns, including from the legal profession, but we are looking at that urgently and will publish our thoughts shortly. I am looking for additional suggestions. We are not ruling that out, but it is a complex area. I am happy to continue those discussions.

As the question implies, we owe it to Scotland’s young people, as well as to victims and communities, to promote an evidence-led, progressive and continually improving approach. Both the Promise implementation plan and the consultation on the children’s care and justice bill, which will be the responsibility of Clare Haughey, demonstrate our determination to support children who come into conflict with the law through age-appropriate systems and services.

Our Promise implementation plan makes clear that we will end the placement of 16 and 17-year-olds in young offenders institutions without further delay. We are committed to funding care-based alternatives to custody and we are consulting on new legislation. Our proposals for the children’s care and justice bill include raising the maximum age of referral to the principal reporter to ensure that when a child requires the support and intervention of formal systems, age-appropriate support is available through the children’s hearings system.

We also intend to enhance the offer to victims and ensure appropriate protection, support and information. Taken together, those actions build on the clear synergies between our youth justice vision, which was published in June 2021, and the justice vision that was published in February. We look forward to expanding the successful whole-system approach and focusing on intensive residential and community alternatives across Scotland.

I am happy to do so, but I would say to Natalie Don that she might be interested in, or already aware of, the fact that, in Baroness Helena Kennedy’s recent report on misogyny, she has recommended action that can be taken in relation to people who purposely disfigure others, and women in particular.

On this important issue, in recognising the profound impact that arises both where someone receives a facial injury as a result of crime and where those with facial disfigurements are very unfortunately on the receiving end of abuse, we would expect that funded organisations will be able to provide practical and emotional support but also that they will refer to more specialist support, including through health services, where that is available. We will continue to work with funded organisations as a community of interest to ensure that those issues are recognised. We would welcome any specific suggestions from Natalie Don as to how that might be done most effectively, including on how we might build a better understanding and evidence base around those concerns.

I have written to the commissioner thanking him for advance sight of the report on veterans’ health and wellbeing. Over the coming weeks, we will consider carefully its recommendations. In due course, I will write to the commissioner again, although it will be the new commissioner at that point, to provide a more detailed response, and our action plan for taking forward the recommendations will be included in that response.

I again take the opportunity to thank Charlie Wallace for all his hard work and dedication to the veterans community, and I wish him all the best for the future.

We are establishing a veteran-led action plan implementation board, which will be led by Charles Winstanley. I am not sure whether that information was in the public domain. The first meeting of the board is scheduled for 19 May.

In the meantime, we continue to fund Combat Stress and Veterans First Point, which will allow existing services to continue over the next few years as a Scotland-wide implementation plan is developed. Support for the board is currently being reviewed by the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care.

In addition, we have commissioned See Me Scotland to run a veterans anti-stigma campaign this year. Veterans Scotland and other third sector partners will contribute to the work to ensure that the experience of veterans can help to shape and influence the campaign.

Given Sandesh Gulhane’s question, it would be useful if he were able to support the Scottish Government’s call for the United Kingdom Government to pay some money towards the establishment of the commissioner’s office. It has done so in Wales, so I do not know what the logic is for the Tory UK Government to say that it will not fund veterans’ activity or the commissioner in Scotland. If he is willing to say that he will support that, that would be most welcome.

The Government is committed to ensuring that veterans have access to the right support and help when they need it. The Government works with a wide range of organisations and provides funding for the provision of mental health services for veterans. I mentioned in my previous answer that we have continued to fund Combat Stress by providing £1.4 million to it this year. As the member knows, it provides a range of specialist and community-based services for veterans who are resident in Scotland.

We, along with six health boards, continue to provide joint funding for the Veterans First Point Network, which will offer a one-stop shop for veterans, no matter what their need is. The future funding of veterans mental health services will be determined by the implementation of the “Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Action Plan”, which was published late last year.