Chamber and committees

A full breakdown of Scottish Government Equality Budget funding for violence against women is available online at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Equality/violence-women/VAWFund2012-15 (for years 2012-15)

https://beta.gov.scot/publications/vaw-funding-15-16/ (for years 2015-16)

https://beta.gov.scot/publications/equality-funding-2016-17-violence-women-and-girls-fund/ (for years 2016-17)

The Scottish Government (SG) had discussions with the UK Government during 2014-15 regarding amendments to the Computer Misuse Act 1990 (CMA 1990) which were introduced under the UK Government’s Serious Crime Act 2015.

SG liaised with the UK Home Office on the development of the draft clauses for the amendments to the CMA 1990, as it was proposed for such amendments to extend to Scotland and so the discussions were to ensure there would be no unintended implications for Scotland.

On 6 January 2015, the Scottish Parliament agreed to Legislative Consent Motion S4M-11986 for the Serious Crime Bill, the Bill which became the Serious Crime Act 2015.

The Scottish Government launched its Public Wireless Programme in August 2015 with a remit to engage and collaborate with Scottish public bodies to develop best practice guidance on deploying wireless connectivity as well as making investment available for new infrastructure in the form of grants.

During 2015-16, just under £1 million in grants were committed. This enabled local authorities across Scotland to modernise and extend existing Wi-Fi provision in public places like libraries but also to introduce services in other publicly accessible buildings such as sports facilities and community centres. Applicants were asked to demonstrate how proposals would underpin digital participation initiatives. All 32 local authorities were invited to bid.

The following table summarises the successful applications.

In 2013-14 and 14-15 the Scottish Government allocated grant funding totalling £3.22 million to support the development of specific projects providing community justice services for women, in response to the recommendations of the Commission on Women Offenders (CWO). These grants were made in response to proposals submitted by local community justice bodies. Three proposals were to establish Community Justice Centres, with other projects seeking to implement the CWO’s recommendations for gender specific, holistic and multi-agency services in other forms that suited local need and resources. A further £640k was provided in 2015-16 to a number of these projects (and Centres) which requested additional support.

These grants were agreed as one-off payments, where ongoing services would be sustained by local resources at the conclusion of the grant funding.

Grant funding to the three Community Justice Centre projects was as follows:

NOTES:

Details of SG’s grant funding in 2013-17 to support local community justice services for women (apart from Community Justice Centres) have been reported separately, in response to your question S5W-03901 on 17 November 2016.

It is not possible to provide details on the full funding issued by Scottish Government in respect of community justice activity specifically for women. A total of £99.3m of funding is distributed annually through Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work (CJSW) services and programmes to reduce reoffending. It is not possible to break this funding down by gender, as much of the expenditure and resources are applicable to both genders.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

In line with our commitment to improve support for women offenders, between 2013-17, the Scottish Government has provided development funding to assist local partners to enhance the delivery of community justice services for women.

In 2013-14 and 2014-15, in response to the recommendations of the Commission on Women Offenders, the Scottish Government allocated grant funding totalling £3.2 million to support the development of specific projects providing community justice services for women. These grants were made in response to proposals submitted by local community justice bodies which they considered would meet the needs of women in the local population. Of the total funding provided £1.5 million was invested in Women’s Community Justice Centres, and £1.7 million in wider community justice projects for women. A further £640k was provided in 2015-16 to a number of these projects (and Centres) which requested additional support. This included £230k for the Community Justice Centres, and £410k for the wider community justice projects.

These grants were agreed as one-off payments, where ongoing services would be sustained by local resources at the conclusion of the grant funding.

The table below provides an overview of the projects for women offenders funded directly by Scottish Government between 2013-2016 (Not including Community Justice Centres):

In addition to the funding listed above, a further £860k (2015-16) and £1.5 million (2016-17) has been distributed equally amongst the eight Community Justice Authorities (CJAs), to support increasing the use of diversion and supervised bail for women.

In addition, the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund, supported by the Scottish Government and other funding partners (the Scottish Government has contributed £7.5 million over 2012-17), has issued grant funding to support a third sector-led mentoring service for women with convictions, both in the community and on release from custody. The Shine PSP for women offenders received £1.1 million in 2013-14, and £1.4 million in 2014-15, 15-16 and 16-17.

The 218 Centre in Glasgow has also been funded separately from mainstream community justice budgets. The Centre opened in December 2003, and the Scottish Government has provided £1.7 million each financial year since then.

This funding is in addition to the £99.3 million p.a. which is distributed through the CJAs for the delivery of Criminal Justice Social Work (CJSW) services and programmes to reduce reoffending. Each CJA is responsible for determining what funding goes to each Local Authority or other service within their area, in order to deliver statutory CJSW services and respond to local priorities, this will include the delivery of services to support women offenders.

The Scottish Government has no plans to change the existing plant and machinery exemptions relating to power generation relying on a solar power source.

The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with the UK Government on the existing plant and machinery exemptions relating to power generation relying on a solar power source.

Plant and machinery for generation relying on a solar power source is excluded from rating valuation where the power is mainly for distribution for sale to consumers or where the generation comprises micro-generation (as defined in the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006). Subject to that, as with all rateable property, valuation is for the independent Assessors and the applicable rates poundage is set at a competitive and sustainable level by Scottish Ministers.