Chamber and committees

The act has not long been in force and still to be tested in the court. The priority at this time is to ensure the legislation is used effectively and the Scottish Government has no plans to conduct a review. If the legislation were found to be wanting in the future, we would consider what further steps should be taken.

Previous proposals to legislate on corporate homicide in Scotland have been considered to be outwith the competence of the Scottish Parliament. The UK Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, which came into force in April 2008, created a new offence of corporate homicide in Scotland. We consider that this act sends a robust message to organisations that failures to meet their duty of care to employees and the public will not be tolerated. The act has not long been in force and still to be tested in the court. The priority at this time is to ensure the legislation is used effectively. If the legislation were found to be wanting in the future, we would consider what further steps should be taken.

Since the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 came into force, no prosecutions have taken place in Scotland. The Act has not long been in force and still to be tested in the court. Where there is sufficient credible and reliable evidence to bring such a charge it will be brought. The Health and Safety Division, a specialist division within the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service, is currently considering a number of cases under the corporate homicide legislation.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is made by the Secretary of State for Justice under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995. The UK Government retains the power to legislate for Scotland in this matter under section 88 of the Scotland Act 1998 as the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is a cross-border public authority. There is no requirement for the Scottish Government to approve changes to the scheme.

The Scottish Government does not routinely collect this information. However, I understand there may be at least one example of where a post office and community pharmacy operate from shared premises. In addition, I understand that some NHS boards with remote and rural populations may have arrangements in place for a post office to act as an NHS-funded collection and delivery point for prescriptions, dispensed from a distant pharmacy.

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice at the end of the consultation on proposed changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The Scottish Government is content to place a copy of that letter in SPICe (Bib. number 54017) and my officials are currently seeking the agreement of the Ministry of Justice to do so.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information in the form requested.

Information is held about the mail items processed though Royal Mail at 7 of the SG’s main buildings: Victoria Quay, St Andrews House and Saughton House in Edinburgh, Atlantic Quay, Europa Building and Highlander House in Glasgow, and the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen. During the financial year 2011-12 the Scottish Government processed 299,736 items of mail through Royal Mail services from these buildings. The items comprised 1st and 2nd class mail, special deliveries and small packages.

During the same period, the Scottish Government processed 10,487 items (almost exclusively packages and parcels) through private sector contracts across all the buildings on its estate.

We recognise the importance of providing welfare rights advice to promote such matters. Local authorities, in line with the principles of Achieving our Potential, are ideally placed to assess local needs for advice services and put in place appropriate provision.

The Scottish Government does however fund a number of innovative projects aimed at improving the take up of benefits, including the Macmillan Cancer Support Benefit and Advice services and the Healthier, Wealthier Children project in Glasgow, as well as including benefits advice within wider household support services such as the Energy Assistance Programme.

We are also working with COSLA and other stakeholders to better understand the potential impact of the UK Government welfare reforms on our devolved services and budgets. This will help to inform changes in how services might need to be delivered in the future.

We are currently completing the analysis of the consultation responses. We will respond to the consultation after the analysis has been completed.

The Scottish Government received Barnett consequentials in financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15 (£1.679 million in both years) in respect of support for free advice services as part of the £3.2 million allocated in 2013-14 and 2014-15 by the UK Government to the devolved administrations.

Barnett consequentials accrue to Scotland as a whole and it is for Scottish Ministers to decide collectively how they should be deployed in light of the overall financial position and strategic priorities. Scottish Ministers will take decisions on the deployment of the small amount of consequentials flowing from the UK Budget 2012 at the appropriate point.