Chamber and committees

Grampian Police were alerted in advance to Mr Beech's intention to move to Aberdeen. Subsequently there has been very close co-operation between the relevant statutory agencies and the voluntary sector over the appropriate arrangements for him.

The measures proposed would be to enable the police, if they become aware that such an offender is in the UK, to apply to a court for an Order to Register as a Sex Offender. The intention is to impose the same requirements on an individual and have the same penalties as apply under the Sex Offenders Act 1997, as if they had been convicted in the UK.

I announced on 19 February grant of £120,000 over the next three years to the Moira Anderson Foundation, to help raise awareness of the needs of survivors and to expand local self help groups, and £53,000 over the next two years to the Edinburgh Association for Mental Health, to evaluate operation of a national telephone helpline service for survivors of sexual abuse.

All new members of the judiciary have participated in induction courses. There have also been refresher courses for serving sheriffs and a number of special events, for all the judiciary in particular on Human Rights legislation. All Supreme Court Judges and sheriffs have taken part in training at different times.

Sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary and ministers do not issue sentencing guidelines. Sentencing in cases involving domestic abuse or sexual assault will depend on all the circumstances of the case, including any previous convictions of the accused.

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) funded a research project in 1995-97, to evaluate the effectiveness of open learning training on sexual abuse in services to people with learning disabilities: Universities of Dundee, Keele and St Andrews; costing £89,998, Principal Investigator Prof. C Cullen. The research concluded that the open learning course was successful in improving student's knowledge of abuse, and enhanced attitudes to its causes. The Scottish Executive part-funded Beyond Trauma: Mental Health Care Needs Of Women Who Survived Childhood Sexual Abuse, a summary copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 14287).The CSO is currently funding one project on child sexual abuse. This is a pilot study evaluating an early intervention service, for non-abusing parents of victims of child sexual abuse: Edinburgh University, costing £17,230, Principal Investigator Dr Fiona Forbes. A report on its effectiveness is due soon, and will be considered by the Health Services Research Committee in due course.

Training is in the hands of the independent Judicial Studies Committee. I am satisfied that the committee have arrangements to tackle the subjects to which the question refers.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The legal requirement to notify the police is placed on the offender. It has nevertheless been agreed following discussion with the other Criminal Justice Agencies, that the SPS will issue reminders about notification, to relevant prisoners, as part of the discharge process, and inform the police when relevant offenders are released.When a prisoner is liberated, a notice that summarises the notification requirements under the Sex Offenders Act is given to the prisoner. A second copy is filed, a third copy is sent to the Chief Constable for the area to which the prisoner is to be discharged and a fourth to the Prison Social Work Unit for onward transmission to the relevant Community Social Work Department.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The requirement to notify the police is placed on the offender. It has, nevertheless, been agreed following discussion with the other Criminal Justice Agencies, that the SPS will issue reminders about notification as part of the discharge process, and inform the police when relevant offenders are released.When a prisoner is liberated a notice summarising the notification requirements under the Sex Offenders Act is given to the prisoner. Copies are sent to the police in the area to which the prisoner is to be discharged, and to the relevant local authority social work department.These processes were put in place on 1 September 1997.Prisoners who are subject to post-release supervision, are allocated to a prison-based social worker on reception. An initial Risk Assessment is carried out in line with National Standards, and pre-release arrangements are in place for co-ordination between the prison and the community-based team, responsible for post-release supervision of the prisoner.

These subjects have been, and are, covered in training exercises which have been attended by all the judiciary.