- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a maximum time limit for completion of those 10% of cases of investigations of complaints of criminal conduct by police officers that are not subject to the target set out in target 10(a) in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Target 10(a) was set at 90% in recognition of the fact that the more complex cases may not be able to be investigated properly within 12 weeks. No formal target has been set but it is intended that the remaining 10% of cases should be completed as soon after the 12 weeks period as possible and that the complainer will be informed of progress.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether anyone responsible for implementing the targets in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys, will receive performance-related pay in connection with meeting these targets and, if so, whether it will list any targets where this is the case.
Answer
In accordance with the Senior Civil Service Pay and Performance Management System, each of the department's senior staff members has an annual Performance Agreement agreed between the officer and the Chief Executive. Each Performance Agreement contains some key individual performance objectives and targets in addition to corporate objectives (on such matters as diversity, team briefing and change management).Senior staff are eligible for annual pay awards in relation to their performance against all their objectives. Staff below the senior civil service also have specific performance objectives against which they are assessed for annual reporting purposes to which a performance related pay system is applied. Individuals' performance objectives are not published.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will retain its existing target for routine death inquiries in addition to its new target for death inquiries requiring further investigation, as referred to in target 9 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
No. The new target differs from the former targets in that there is now a target to conclude investigations in complex, rather than just in routine cases, as previously. Although we are not retaining a formal published target for routine cases, we expect procurators fiscal to conclude these investigations within six weeks and we will continue to monitor that. As part of the Crown Office's commitment to improve the quality of service it provides, there is a new requirement to inform the next of kin of the outcome.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to provide safeguards relating to quality of investigations of deaths that require further investigation to be completed within 12 weeks, as referred to in target 9 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
All such cases are reported to Crown Office and considered by an experienced member of legal staff there and, where appropriate, by Crown Counsel. Where necessary the procurator fiscal will be instructed to carry out further enquiries and re-report. Any inadequacy in reporting will be drawn to the attention of the relevant procurator fiscal or area procurator fiscal.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what body will give approval of the quality of investigation and decision-making for complaints against the police, as referred to in target 10(b) in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The independent inspectorate to be established by the end of 2003 will give approval or otherwise of the quality of investigation and decision-making in cases involving complaints against the police.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with staff unions in the Crown Office with regard to its targets for the Crown Office in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
No formal consultation took place but management and unions are in regular dialogue about the programme of reform and modernisation of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to which achievements of these targets will contribute.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for developing the customer satisfaction survey for the Victim Information and Advice Service, as referred to in target 8 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Staff of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are drawing on external expert assistance as appropriate.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whom it envisages will be surveyed in the customer satisfaction survey for the Victim Information and Advice Service, as referred to in target 8 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The survey will be sent to all victims with whom the Victim Information and Advice Service have had contact after their case is closed.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the definition is of a routine death inquiry, as referred to in target 9 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
A routine death inquiry is one which does not require to be reported to Crown Office for Crown Counsel's instructions.
- Asked by: Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perth, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 7 October 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to audit recorded crime figures supplied by police forces and ensure such figures are recorded correctly following the recommendation in HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland Annual Report 2001-02.
Answer
Audit visits to police forces are made by members of the Scottish Executive crime statistics team to monitor police recording practice and confirm that the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) guidance set out in the Criminal Statistics Handbook is being followed. It is also a regular feature of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Primary Inspections to audit processes and procedures used within forces to record crime.The ACPOS recognise that greater consistency in recording practices could be achieved throughout the country and to progress this the ACPOS Crime Standing Committee established a working group to consider, amongst other matters, the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS), recently introduced in England and Wales and assess its potential for adoption in Scotland.The working group subsequently recommended the development of a similar national standard of recording for Scotland, with some additional elements built in around victimless crime, auditing procedures and circumstances where police officers happen upon a crime or offence.The group also recommended that a project team be established to determine a new set of principles for crime recording, to meet the needs of the Scottish Police Service in the 21st century and that dialogue be initiated with the Scottish Executive to have these agreed as new Scottish Recording Rules.Furthermore, it proposed that forces give consideration to the creation of the post of Crime Registrar, such a postholder being responsible for ensuring each force's compliance with the agreed crime recording principles. Forces are currently in the process of establishing the post of Force Crime Registrar. These individuals will thereafter form the membership of the aforementioned Project Team, which will be tasked with developing the new Scottish Recording Principles.
