Chamber and committees

It is the role of the Scottish Government to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS Boards so they can deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. The actual provision of healthcare services, including in prisons, is the responsibility of local Boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment.

 

The Scottish Prison Service and NHS Boards are carrying out a study to seek to identify the prevalence of head injury in prisoners in Scotland. A second study, beginning later this year, will investigate the usefulness of two screening tools, which will be piloted in two prisons and two police custody sites. This will also estimate the number of prisoners with a disability arising from brain injury.

The National Prisoner Healthcare Network’s Brain Injury and Offending report recommendation to carry out a training needs analysis will be taken forward by the Network in collaboration with relevant organisations, such as the School of Forensic Mental Health, the Scottish Prison Service and NHS Education for Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to keeping people out of the criminal justice system whenever possible. Diversionary schemes are designed to prevent the re-occurrence of offending through early or intensive intervention outwith court. Decisions to refer an accused to a diversion scheme are taken by prosecutors after full consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case reported by the Police.

The Scottish Government supported Sacro Anti-Sectarian Services (SASS) diversion from prosecution programme was developed in late 2013 and began working with referrals in May 2014. The service is open to a wide range of organisations to make referrals although participation is voluntary, and if the client decides against participation the matter is returned to the referring body. If this is a Procurator Fiscal, Sheriff or Early and Effective Intervention team then the client may face prosecution or another disposal. I will be seeking a meeting with the Lord Advocate in the near future to further discuss the diversionary approach.

Data provided to the Scottish Government by Sacro shows the number of people that have accessed and completed the diversion programme. 

2014 - 2015

Age of participant	Accessed Sacro programme	Completed Sacro programme
<16	1	1
16-20	4	2
21-30	3	3
31-40	2	2
41-50	1	1
>50	1	1
Totals	12	10

 

2015 - 2016

Age of participant	Accessed Sacro programme	Completed Sacro programme
<16	1	1
16-20	4	4
21-30	1	1
31-40	5	4
41-50	-	-
>50	2	2
Totals	13	12

 

2016 - Present date

Age of participant	Accessed Sacro programme	Completed Sacro programme
<16	5	5
16-20	2	(1 on-going)
21-30	1	(1 on-going)
31-40	1	(1 on-going)
41-50	-	-
>50	-	-
Totals	9	5

 

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01428 on 27 July 2016. 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

The information requested is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority. I have alerted the Chief Executive to your question and I have asked him to write to you.

The Scottish Government is exploring all options to protect Scotland’s relationship with the European Union, which includes the right of all EU citizens resident here to continue to live and work freely in this country.

The First Minister has made representations to the UK Government, seeking assurances that the immigration status and rights of EU nationals currently living in Scotland will not change in the future.

The Scottish Government welcomes those EU nationals who have chosen to make Scotland their home and who make an important and valuable contribution to our economy and society. The First Minister wrote an open letter to EU nationals living in Scotland, reiterating her belief that EU citizens’ treaty rights should be upheld and guaranteed for the longer term. Universities Scotland and the Scottish Government have published a joint statement reassuring EU students already studying in Scotland or commencing their studies in the coming months, that they will continue to benefit from free tuition and associated support for the duration of their course.

The Right Honourable Lord Bracadale accepted appointment as a Surveillance Commissioner, in accordance with the terms of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act, on 20 June 2016.

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice met the Chief Surveillance Commissioner once, on 19 January 2016. This was an introductory meeting at which a number of general investigatory powers issues, such as appointment of commissioners and the Investigatory Powers Bill, were discussed.

A process for authorising the acquisition of communications data in accordance with the requirements of the Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data Code of Practice has been agreed between the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Police Scotland.