Chamber and committees

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information requested is given in the following table:

(a)			287
(b)	(i)		9
	(ii)	1	14
		2	38
		3	72
		4	70
		5	42

At 28 August 2002, 1,816 registered sex offenders were recorded by the Scottish Criminal Record Office as being administered by Scottish Police Forces.

The recording of crimes and offences is a matter for local police forces. The member may be referring to police reports of crimes and offences to the procurator fiscal which are now being handled electronically as part of the Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems programme. This involves a range of criminal justice organisations, not only the police, but includes the use of a Scottish Criminal Records Office reference number. While implementation of the programme may create additional local pressures initially, I have not been advised of any circumstances in which police officers have not recorded crimes or offences or have not reported to procurators fiscal because of systems failure.

Lord Bonomy is expected to submit the report of his review of the High Court to ministers during the autumn.

Materials for the new Parliament building are included in Trade Contracts which are let under normal competitive tender procedures. The bids made by the competing Trade Contractors for each individual works package include the costs of labour and materials, but do not give a breakdown identifying the costs of each item of material involved. The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group is therefore unable to provide information on the cost of materials over the entire project, as it is not held in the detailed format requested. He has confirmed however, that Scottish timber and stone are being widely used across the site, and that a substantial number of contracts include other materials sourced in Scotland.

The provisional number of prison receptions for fine default in the first six months of 2002 was 3,631.

In terms of both the civil and criminal courts, the only persons who are generally permitted to appear and conduct cases are members of the Faculty of Advocates, solicitor advocates or solicitors and parties who are natural persons (party litigants). In general solicitors are only able to appear before the district court and the sheriff court, except for solicitor advocates who have acquired rights of audience in the supreme courts. There are some exceptions. As regards civil proceedings:

• In respect of small claims actions an authorised lay representative may in representing a party do everything for the preparation and conduct of a small claim as may be done by an individual conducting his own claim. (Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971, section 36 and related rules of court).

• Section 97 of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 and related rules of court entitles a party to any proceedings under the act to be represented by a person other than an advocate or a solicitor, if the sheriff is satisfied that such a person is a suitable representative and is duly authorised to represent the party.

As regards criminal proceedings:

• At the first diet in summary proceedings where the accused is not present, a person (who is not an advocate or solicitor) who satisfies the court that he is authorised by the accused may tender a plea of guilty or not guilty on behalf of the accused (section 144(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995)

In addition, under section 4(2) of the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 any person entitled to appear at an inquiry may appear on his own behalf or be represented by an advocate or a solicitor or, with the leave of the sheriff by any other person.

The Executive funded a study by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health which estimates the national and local prevalence of problem drug misuse in Scotland. The study estimates that there are 7,187 drug injectors in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area.

Information from Glasgow City Council, supported by Greater Glasgow NHS Board, indicates that the annual direct costs of the methadone programme are £1.6 million per 1000 patients. This cost rises to £1.9 million per 1,000 patients if onward rehabilitation costs are included.

Greater Glasgow NHS Board has informed us that there are approximately 5,000 patients on the methadone programme in the NHS board area.