- 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 the targets on the progress of cases through the criminal justice system will apply to agencies that report offences, as referred to in target 1 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Andrew Normand, the Crown Agent, has been commissioned by the Justice Minister and the Lord Advocate to propose measures to integrate the aims, objectives and targets of the principal agencies in the criminal justice system, comprising the police, Crown Office and the Scottish Court Service. The intention is to ensure that the organisations work together to ensure that cases pass through the system more quickly than at present, without prejudicing the rights of the accused. New targets will be developed following publication of the report and they will apply to agencies that report offences.
- 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 why the Crown Office target for issue of indictments, abandoned in 2000-01, is now being partially reinstated in target 6 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The target is being partially re-instated as it encourages the earlier indictment of cases and helps contribute to improving the speed at which cases pass through the criminal justice system.
- 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 ensure that resources are not diverted away from meeting statutory time limits for bringing cases to trial in order to meet its targets for the Crown Office, as referred to in target 6 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Improvements in the management of cases and enhancements to our systems that are being made following the Pryce-Dyer Management Review are designed to ensure that the targets can be met without any cases failing to be dealt with within the statutory time limits.
- 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 its present target for issue of indictments will continue to apply, in line with target 6 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The requirement to issue 100% of indictments within the statutory time limits will remain. Target 6 aims to help speed up the progress of cases through the criminal justice system by securing the earlier indictment of cases.
- 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 how it will define victims, as referred to in target 7 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Target 7 is to communicate bail decisions to 90% of victims in cases in which the accused has appeared from custody within 24 hours of the court decision. The target applies only where there is a Victim Information and Advice office (currently Aberdeen (including Stonehaven), Hamilton, Kilmarnock, Glasgow, Peterhead (including Banff), Edinburgh and Dundee). Victims are defined as: victims in all serious cases, where the nature of the charges is indicative of solemn proceedings;the next of kin in cases involving deaths which are reported for consideration of criminal proceedings and death cases where a Fatal Accident Inquiry is to be held;victims in cases of domestic abuse;victims in cases with a racial aggravation and cases where it is known to the Procurator Fiscal that the victim perceives the offences to be racially motivated;victims in cases involving children;victims in cases involving sexual offences, andany other victim, witness or next of kin, where the Victim Information and Advice Service considers that because of particular vulnerability it would be beneficial to provide a service.
- 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 the targets for the progress of cases through the criminal justice system will be in addition to the existing targets for the Crown Office, as referred to in target 1 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Andrew Normand, the Crown Agent, has been commissioned by the Justice Minister and the Lord Advocate to propose measures to integrate the aims, objectives and targets of the principal agencies in the criminal justice system, the police, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service. The intention is to ensure that the organisations work together to ensure that cases pass through the system more quickly than at present, without prejudicing the rights of the accused. New targets will be developed following publication of the report and these will be additional to the targets for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service as set out in Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
- 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 is any maximum time limit for communicating court bail decisions to victims in the 10% of cases in which the accused has appeared from custody, as referred to in target 7 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The target to communicate court bail decisions to victims was set at 90% in recognition of the fact that it may not always be possible to contact the victim within 24 hours. This might be because an incorrect address or no address is held for the victim. The Victim Information and Advice Service aims to contact victims in these instances within 48 hours or as soon as practicable thereafter.
- 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 is any target for serving indictments in the remaining 20% of sheriff and jury cases that involve bail, as referred to in target 6 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The remaining 20% of sheriff and jury cases that involve bail will be the more complex cases, where the time required to serve indictments is likely to vary substantially. No formal target has been set, except that an indictment must be served within the statutory time limit.
- 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 method will be used in the public survey to monitor trends in public confidence in the prosecution service, as referred to in target 3 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
The public survey has yet to be devised. A measure of public confidence and the methodology to be used have yet to be decided.
- 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 differences are between the target for issue of indictments used in 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and the new target for issue of indictments and what the advantages are of the new target, as referred to in target 6 in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service section of Building a Better Scotland - Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys.
Answer
Target 6 is the same as the target for the issue of indictments used in 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
