Chamber and committees

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 2

In relation to the reporting of domestic abuse cases, COPFS should work with Police Scotland to:

[...]

(b) ensure that Standard Prosecution Reports fully address the victim’s views on court proceedings, bail conditions and non-harassment orders. Reasons for victims’ views should be fully explored and should be described, by both COPFS and Police Scotland, in appropriate and accurate language [...]

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the recommendations in partnership with COSLA. It is important that appropriate consideration and deliberation is applied and a response will be published in due course.

Local authorities are responsible for the provision of local waste services and are, therefore, best placed to comment on readiness to comply with the ban on sending biodegradable municipal waste to landfill in 2025.

The Scottish Government continues to provide procurement support to local authorities to secure contracts in preparation for the forthcoming ban. As part of this support, Zero Waste Scotland is working with local authorities to provide technical, legal and procurement advice.

Through this support, we understand that 28 local authorities have contracts in place for 2025 that comply with the landfill ban, covering over 90% of household residual waste, these are: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, City of Glasgow, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, and West Lothian.

NHS Scotland uses the internationally accepted categories for BMI to categorise people’s weight in relation to their health. BMI should not be used as a single defining measurement but as part of a holistic assessment alongside other criteria to help inform best treatment options for patients.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken specific assessments of use of BMI in diagnosing eating disorders. However, clinicians are aware of its limitations in relation to eating disorders diagnosis and this is reflected in the National Specification for the Care and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Scotland.

In the National Specification, it is stated that assessment of an eating disorder should not be based on single measures such as BMI. Instead the full set of symptoms and individual circumstances should be considered. The National Specification was consulted on earlier this year and the consultation results are currently being analysed with the aim to publish the final National Specification document later this year. The implementation of the National Specification will be supported by the National Eating Disorders Network.

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 2

In relation to the reporting of domestic abuse cases, COPFS should work with Police Scotland to:

[...]

(c) ensure that the approach to counter allegations set out in the joint protocol on challenging domestic abuse is followed in practice by both reporting officers and marking deputes. Managing counter allegations should form part of training

[…]

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course.

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 12

With regard to bail in domestic abuse cases, COPFS should:

[...]

(c) ensure that victims are informed of bail review applications, their views are sought and put before the court, and they are informed of the outcome timeously.

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course.

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 offers legal protections to workers. Workers are defined in the Act where they have a contract or other arrangement to do work or services personally for a reward; their reward is for money or a benefit in kind, for example the promise of a contract or future work; they only have a limited right to send someone else to do the work (subcontract); their employer has to have work for them to do as long as the contract or arrangement lasts; they are not doing the work as part of their own limited company in an arrangement where the ‘employer’ is a customer or client.

Panel members within Scotland’s children’s hearings system are volunteers. The inclusion of volunteers within the Act is a matter for the UK government. By virtue of Schedule 2 Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 the Panel members are appointed by the National Convener rather than Scottish Ministers.

Ministers and Scottish Government officials have clearly and comprehensively explained the Scottish Government’s position in relation to the matters raised by the group of former panel members and their representatives on numerous occasions dating back several years.

Scottish Ministers are satisfied that there are appropriate safeguards and procedures in place for any panel member to raise a concern or complaint via the Children’s Hearing Scotland (CHS) complaints procedure, with appropriate recourse to appeal to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. As such, Scottish Ministers do not feel it is appropriate to raise this subject with the UK Government

The parameters set out by the UK Government for offshore wind in AR6 were a step in the right direction but the subsequent budget announcement was disappointing and more must be done to ensure lost ground is regained.

We have regular engagement with the UK Government and have been clear they must also provide clarity on the longer-term approach that will be taken to support the renewables sector, both onshore and offshore, in order to provide the certainty needed to secure investment in the Scottish supply chain. To secure project delivery as well as investor and supply chain confidence, we have also stressed that the UK Government must provide timely grid connections and strengthened grid infrastructure.

Our commitment to invest up to £500 million of public sector funding over the next 5 years demonstrates that the Scottish Government is already doing what it can within our limited budget to support market certainty and support the delivery of our tremendous offshore wind ambitions.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

The location of critical policing facilities is an operational decision for the Chief Constable. Police Scotland is currently in discussions with a number of partners around possible co-location options, to ensure it can continue to provide a policing service that continues to meet the needs of communities across Edinburgh, in the event that functions move away from Fettes. Police Scotland will undertake a public consultation in advance of any decisions being reached.