Question reference: S6W-05975
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 27 January 2022
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Current status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 7 February 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Lord Advocate’s statement on 22 September 2021, whether guidelines have been issued to Police Scotland on the use of recorded police warnings for simple possession offences involving Class A drugs, and, if not, when these guidelines will be issued.
Answer
Lord Advocate’s guidelines to Police Scotland on the use of Recorded Police Warnings have been in place for a number of years. My statement to the Scottish Parliament on 22 September 2021 was reflected in a corresponding amendment to the guidelines.
The current guidelines permit a police officer to issue a Recorded Police Warning in relation to an offence involving simple possession of all classes of controlled drug.