Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is taking forward the recommendations of Lord Gill’s review as part of a planned and managed programme of reform, called “Making Justice Work”.

Lord Gill’s recommendations will require a mix of primary and secondary legislation and administrative measures to fully implement properly. Implementation will also need to be phased in over time, taking into account both future pressures on budgets, and other reforms being taken forward under the Making Justice Work programme (for example reforms to the tribunal system, considering how we might make better use of mediation and alternative dispute resolution methods and reforms to the processes for dealing with summary crime).

The broad intention is to phase in a series of measures, including legislation, beginning in the early years of the Parliament, to implement the recommendations.

The Road to Recovery is a long-term strategy and its impact and success requires review from both within and outwith government.

In order to do this effectively and sustainably the Scottish Government established the Drugs Strategy Delivery Commission (DSDC) in 2009 to give expert advice on the impact and progress of the strategy.

In addition to the work of the DSDC we recognise that the Strategy is a product of political consensus and so it was right that the Scottish Government requested and led a parliamentary debate in September 2010 to hear the challenge and consensus of all political parties. Additionally briefing in parliament from the then Minister for Community Safety, Fergus Ewing MSP, was offered to all MSPs, as well as individual briefings for all party leaders, in March 2011.

The Scottish Government also has a national indicator to decrease the number of estimated problem drug users in Scotland by 2011, and 2009-10 prevalence estimates which will be reported on December this year.

In 2009 we committed to a HEAT target that states by March 2013, 90 per cent of clients will wait no longer than 3 weeks from referral received to appropriate drug or alcohol treatment that supports their recovery. We are well on our way to achieving this target, and in December 2010, we reported that 92.1 per cent of clients offered an appointment for assessment were offered a date that was within 4 weeks of their referral. And that 97.1 per cent of clients who were offered an appointment for their first treatment intervention were offered a date that was within 4 weeks of their care plan being agreed.

The Scottish Government has invested significant resources to enhance the Scottish Drugs Misuse Database (SDMD) to include the collection of follow-up and outcomes based information from clients as they progress through their treatment pathway.

The analysis and reporting of this information (expected by December 2012) will provide us with some key answers to the numbers of people in drug treatment in Scotland (by treatment type); and provide an opportunity for additional analysis which will inform our understandings of people’s journeys through drug treatment (for particular cohort groups), the effectiveness of different types of treatment (including length of time) and the outcomes that individuals are achieving (for example around accommodation, family, employment/training, drug use and offending).

So far from the SDMD we note that since 2007 more and more people are coming in to treatment (35,430 recorded entries into treatment, 2007-08 to 2009-10).

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing the Parliament with regular updates on the implementation and impact of The Road to Recovery for the review and challenge of MSPs. We want to continue to work with parties across the Parliament to build on and reinforce the consensus this important approach.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The Scottish Prison Service is taking forward investment in the prison estate in line with the spending plans set out by the Scottish Government in its budget for 2011-12, approved by the Parliament in February 2011. Work is progressing apace on the completion of HMP Low Moss and has started on the second phase of HMP Shotts, the first phase of which is now occupied by prisoners. Preparations are also well in hand for the construction of HMP Grampian. Plans for future spending will be published in the draft Budget and Spending Review document later in 2011.

A full European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) audit was carried out during the first session of the Parliament and compatibility with the Convention is considered when any legislation is introduced. Specific areas of law have been reviewed to assess compatibility with ECHR and a major review of criminal procedure in relation to ECHR is underway, led by Lord Carloway. The proposal for a wider audit will be considered in the light of the report of the Carloway Review.

Further to the answer to question S3W-40153 on 4 March 2011, the review of the expenses and funding of civil litigation in Scotland announced by the then Minister for Community Safety, Fergus Ewing MSP, has now begun work under the leadership of Sheriff Principal James Taylor.

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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Scottish Arbitration Centre was launched in March 2011. Its purpose is to promote arbitration as a means of cost effective and efficient dispute resolution to Scottish business and to promote Scotland and Scottish arbitration to the world. The centre will encourage the use of arbitration domestically, but will also seek to attract international arbitration business to Scotland.

The centre is based in Dolphin House, Hunter Square, just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, close to the supreme courts. Although the premises will be suitable to host small to medium arbitrations, it is intended that arbitrations can be held anywhere in Scotland at the convenience of the parties to the dispute.

The centre is a non-profit company limited by guarantee. The Scottish Government, the Law Society of Scotland, the Faculty of Advocates, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators are the members of the company.

Carpet fitting and flooring fall within the Floorcovering Occupations pathway in both the level 2 and level 3 Construction Modern Apprenticeship frameworks.

In Scotland, all apprentices aged 16 to 19, and those aged 20 and above following an approved construction framework are eligible for support from the Scottish Government. The funding represents a contribution towards the cost of training the apprentice, with the employer retaining responsibility for paying the apprentice’s wages, as well as any balance of training costs.

The textile industry may have benefited from the use of generic frameworks such as Management or Business Admin.

There is currently no approved modern apprenticeship framework in place specifically for the textile industry. However, Skillset is the sector skills council with responsibility for developing qualifications pathways and modern apprenticeship frameworks for the creative media, fashion and textile sectors. Skillset have undertaken a recent consultation with employers in the sector, and have established sufficient demand for the development of apprenticeship frameworks at SVQ levels 2 and 3 covering textiles, apparel, footwear/leather and laundry and dry-cleaning.

I understand that Skillset hope to submit these frameworks to the Modern Apprenticeship Group in July 2011 for approval.

As in the rest of Scotland, the Scottish Government offers a range of interventions to support skills development across sectors. As well as national training programmes such as Modern Apprenticeships, Training for Work and Get Ready for Work, employers can also benefit from flexible training opportunities to address identified skills needs within their workforce. All of these schemes are promoted through the relevant sector skills councils, Skills Development Scotland and their partners, including business organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, CBI and chambers of commerce.