Chamber and committees

The latest authoritative study for the UK on this matter, was the 10th Report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment, published in June 2005, on The incidence of childhood cancer around nuclear installations in Great Britain. This study concluded that there was no evidence of excess numbers of cases in any local 25km area around any of the nuclear power stations.

The first set of national best practice indicators (BPIs) for public procurement in Scotland will be published today. The project is a significant step forward in the procurement reform programme and will be rolled out across the wider public sector.

The BPIs were developed by a working group with representation from all parts of the public sector, including local authorities, health, higher education/further education and government agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The project will encourage procurement teams within public sector organisations to focus on the priority areas of efficiency, collaboration, compliance, skills and e-procurement with a view to delivering improved value for money and supporting more efficient, effective and coordinated service delivery.

Copies are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/BPIprocurementsummary.

The Scottish Government is aware of the recommendations made by the Sentencing Commission in August 2006, in particular that steps should be taken to introduce a procedure that gives effect to a system of sentencing guidelines.

As set out in our manifesto, we believe that such a system would deliver more consistent and transparent sentencing and intend to set up a sentencing council to take this work forward. We plan to consult with key interests and stakeholders, especially the judiciary, on the issues around establishing such a body before coming forward with detailed proposals.

It is currently not possible to provide information on the numbers of adult vulnerable witnesses as defined by the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 that are called to give evidence in courts. However, the Scottish Government together with key partners are reviewing the methods for the collection of information on adult vulnerable witnesses following the completion of the implementation of the 2004 act.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13016 on 27 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Information on the funding provided to the National Piping Centre by the Scottish Arts Council in each of the last nine years is set out in the following table. The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has not received any funding during that period. The National Piping Centre has, since 1998, received grants from the Scottish Government totalling £1 million to help clear debts. The centre also received £300,000 in 2001 to help provide high-quality music tuition. The Royal Pipe Band Association has not received any government grants.

National Piping Centre

1999-2000	Towards the cost of feasibility funding to investigate setting up annual programme to run a National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland	£3,876
2000-01	Towards the cost of an annual programme to run a National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland to bring more public focus to pipes	£69,599
2003-04	Towards the cost of moving the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland into a training and performance phase	£49,997
2003-04	Towards the cost of the National Youth Pipe Band consolidating core operation and activity	£68,548
2005-06	Towards the cost of encouraging creativity, participation and skill through the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland	£70,600
2006-07	Towards the cost of a National Youth Pipe band to encourage creativity, participation and teach new performance skills.	£82,779
2007-08	Towards the cost of the employment of a Development Officer for the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland.	£30,000
2007-08	Towards the cost of developing the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland	£179,494
	Total	£554,893

 

The following is the original answer (published on 27 May 2008); see below.

 

Information on the funding provided to the National Piping Centre by the Scottish Arts Council in each of the last nine years is set out in the following table. The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has not received any funding during that period. No other assistance has been provided to either organisation by the Scottish Government or the Scottish Arts Council.

National Piping Centre

1999-2000	Towards the cost of feasibility funding to investigate setting up annual programme to run a National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland	£3,876
2000-01	Towards the cost of an annual programme to run a National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland to bring more public focus to pipes	£69,599
2003-04	Towards the cost of moving the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland into a training and performance phase	£49,997
2003-04	Towards the cost of the National Youth Pipe Band consolidating core operation and activity	£68,548
2005-06	Towards the cost of encouraging creativity, participation and skill through the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland	£70,600
2006-07	Towards the cost of a National Youth Pipe band to encourage creativity, participation and teach new performance skills.	£82,779
2007-08	Towards the cost of the employment of a Development Officer for the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland.	£30,000
2007-08	Towards the cost of developing the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland	£179,494
	Total	£554,893

 

For criminal proceedings the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) retains information on the number of children who are required to be cited in the event of a not guilty plea. Between 2005 and 2008 the numbers were as follows:

2005-06 - 9,088 children

2006-07 - 9,673 children

2007-08 - 7,364 children.

The COPFS does not hold statistics on the number of children called to give evidence at trials, but this will be less than those marked to be cited or actually cited to give evidence since a number of cases do not proceed to trial for variety of reasons.

Information is not available on the number of child witnesses cited by the defence, but since the vast majority of witnesses are cited by the COPFS these numbers are likely to be very small.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of children called to give evidence in civil proceedings.

The Scottish Government is working with key partners across the justice system to improve the quality of information collected on child and vulnerable witnesses following the completion of the implementation of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 in April this year. We are also considering how best this information can be made publicly available. In undertaking this work we will take into account the findings of the early evaluation of the first phases of implementation of the 2004 act, which is nearing completion and will be published later this summer.

Examples of recent work by agencies in this area include the Scottish Court Service''s (SCS) monitoring system that captures information in relation to the throughput of applications placed before the court. The SCS is also improving the collection of information on how effectively special measures operate when evidence is being led. The police service is rolling out a revised standard police report (SPR2) which will improve the collation of information on witness vulnerability.

The Scottish Government together with key partners are reviewing the methods for the collection of information on vulnerable witnesses following the completion of the implementation of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13016 on 27 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Court Service (SCS) has been developing its recording of information on the numbers of applications for special measures since the beginning of the phased implementation of the 2004 act in April 2005. Figures for special measures actually used are not available, but since many cases involving applications for special measures do not proceed to trial they will be less than the numbers of applications made.

SCS records show that in the sheriff court in 2005, 55 children had applications granted for live television links and 119 applications granted for screens. Between January and September 2006 these figures stood at 99 and 111 respectively. From October 2006 the SCS put in place revised returns to collect details of defence and Scottish Children''s Reporter Administration applications. The figures were as follows:

Children''s Hearing Court Proceedings - October 2006 to March 2007

Measures	Applications Granted Children	Applications Granted Adults
Live TV Link	16
Screens	15
Use of Supporter	7
Use of Prior Statements
Evidence by Commissioner
None
Totals	38	0

 

There are no records of applications being tendered by the Defence in this period.

From April 2007 the Sheriff Courts were asked to include figures on Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) applications and the returns are as follows:

Applications by the COPFS (Sheriff Courts) - April 2007 to December 2007

Measures	Applications Granted Children	Applications Granted Adults
Live TV Link	204	14
Screens	495	29
Use of Supporter	458	12
Use of Prior Statements	1
Evidence by Commissioner
None	68
Totals	1226	57

 

Applications by the Defence (Sheriff Courts) - April 2007 to December 2007

Measures	Applications Granted Children	Applications Granted Adults
Live TV Link	11	2
Screens	5	3
Use of Supporter	10	2
Use of Prior Statements
Evidence by Commissioner
None	13	1
Totals	39	8

 

Applications relating to Children''s Hearing Court Proceedings - April 2007 to December 2007

Measures	Applications Granted Children	Applications Granted Adults
Live TV Link	5
Screens	10
Use of Supporter	13
Use of Prior Statements	5
Evidence by Commissioner
None	1
Totals	34	0

 

The SCS has compiled figures for High Court applications in 2007 as follows:

Applications by the COPFS

Measures	Applications Granted
Live TV Link	163
Screens	152
Use of Supporter	345
Use of Prior Statements	0
Evidence by Commissioner	1
None	47
Total	708

 

Applications by the Defence

Measures	Applications Granted
Live TV Link	0
Screens	0
Use of Supporter	3
Use of Prior Statements	0
Evidence by Commissioner	0
None	0
Total	3

 

It has not been possible to differentiate between those applications involving children and adults in the time available.

Information on the economic benefit to Scotland of golf and of bagpiping is not held centrally. However, recent research on 70 golf courses around Scotland shows that the value of golf tourism to Scotland is estimated to be nearly £97 million from these courses alone. VisitScotland is currently working to determine the total value of golf tourism to Scotland. Estimates from previous Ryder Cup tournaments suggest that it is reasonable to expect that there will be positive economic impacts on Scotland through hosting the 2014 Ryder Cup “ likely to lie in the range of £82 million to £148 million.

The College of Piping does not receive funding or assistance from the Scottish Government.

In 1999, the Scottish Arts Council provided the College of Piping with £18,819 towards the cost of a study and options appraisal for new college premises.