Chamber and committees

Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.

Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.

Information is collected centrally on sexual assaults in the recorded crime statistics, which are collected as an aggregate quarterly return from the eight police forces in Scotland. The returns give the total number of crimes recorded and cleared up by the police within each council area and police force area in Scotland.Information is not collected centrally on the circumstances of the crime or on the victims of crime.The crime group of sexual assault is formed from the crime categories of rape, assault with intent to rape and indecent assault.

Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.

Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.

Information at the level of detail requested is not collected centrally.

The report of the Review Group on the Future Management of Sex Offenders (the Spencer Report) was received at the end of June 2002. I will wish to take the opportunity to read the fairly substantial report and consider its conclusions. It is my intention to make the report available for wider circulation in due course.

Recommendation 16 of the Macpherson Report into the Murder of Stephen Lawrence stated: "That all possible steps should be taken by police services at local level in consultation with local government and other agencies and local communities to encourage the reporting of racist incidents and crimes. This should include: the ability to report at locations other than police stations". This recommendation has been accepted by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and local arrangements are now being developed. These or other facilities could in principle be extended to include other types of crime but that would be a matter for the police, in consultation with the relevant agencies.

The main thrust of the recommendations is to build on existing best practice. Many of them can be taken forward as part of the existing or planned initiatives of the key agencies which are involved. There are no major changes envisaged, rather a series of smaller changes which together can have a significant impact on practice.The following costs have been identified for taking forward the recommendations that are included in the Criminal Justice Bill:There will be minor annual costs from additional requirements for social enquiry reports and psychological assessments of £50,000. The Scottish Executive will meet these costs. There will also be an annual cost of £270,000 for transcribing the Crown's narrative of the facts following a guilty plea, and an additional one off cost of £50,000 for the installation of recording equipment. These costs will be met from the Scottish Court Service budget. There will also be additional costs in judicial time for the preparation of notes by trial judges, which can be met from planned resources.

Many of the materials will be produced as part of on-going initiatives and some have been produced already, for instance:The Scottish Executive has produced a leaflet that provides parents with information on which to base decisions about child safety in groups. It will be widely circulated to parents and carers in the school year 02-03 (recommendation 8).Disclosure Scotland has produced detailed guidance and advice in the form of a Guide to the Code of Practice, and in the Disclosure Scotland Website. Information will be issued in due course on the links between the Index of adults unsuitable to work with children and the Scottish Criminal Records Office (recommendation 11).Other materials are still being developed:A review of guidance issued to local authorities regarding child protection in schools is about to commence and will result in updated guidance being produced during 2003. Resources currently exist in schools regarding child protection and personal safety, however, following the updated guidance, the Scottish Executive will consider whether there are any significant gaps in provision which need to be addressed (recommendation 2).The Association of Directors of Social Work and the Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare will jointly develop supporting materials on safe and healthy relationships and assertiveness skills for children and young people looked after by local authorities, those with special educational needs or in special schools, and those identified as living with or affected by domestic violence. They will also provide information and about sexual health for vulnerable young people in care. This will be done by autumn 2003 (recommendations 4-6).The Risk Management Authority, which will be established by the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, will be responsible for issuing guidance about assessing and minimising risk (recommendation 19)."Information for Sentencers" will be developed to provide information on the available provision of community based programmes, including those for sex offenders. It will be piloted in Edinburgh and the Lothians in autumn 2002. This could also be made available to the Parole Board (recommendation 25).The Justice Department steering group, announced along with the response to the expert panel, will produce protocols to provide a framework for information sharing and joint working (recommendation 64).The Judicial Studies Committee will decide on the timing and content of advice to the Judiciary to increase understanding of the nature and special features of sex offending and its prosecution. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will develop their training to include this information (recommendation 71). The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service already provide good practice guidance to prosecutors, as this is the responsibility of the Lord Advocate (recommendation 73).