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Asked by:
Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged:
7 October 2002
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Current status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Lord Advocate's Working Group on Child Witness Support.
The Child Witness Support Implementation Group was set up in September 2001 to take forward implementation, and established three multi-agency sub groups to develop different aspects of the work. In the light of their reports we are today launching a package for consultation. The package comprises papers on the following:
- The Establishment of a Child Witness Support Service
- Interviewing Child Witnesses in Scotland
- Code of Practice on the Provision of Therapy to Child Witnesses prior to Criminal Trials and Children's Hearing Court Proceedings
- Conduct of Child Witness Court Familiarisation Visits
- Information about Young Witnesses to Inform Decision-making in the Legal Process
- Questioning of Children in Court
The implementation group aims to review these documents in the light of responses, which are requested by 31 January 2003, and to complete its work by spring 2003.Copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 24508).