- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effects of new business before the Outer House of the Court of Session on its judicial resources.
Answer
New Outer House business has stayed fairly constant over the last few years. It is the responsibility of the Lord President to allocate judicial resources in the Court of Session and this takes account of the level of business in the Outer House.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the need for additional judicial resources as a result of the demands made on the High Court of Justiciary.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18633.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of pressures on the judicial resources of the supreme courts.
Answer
The Lord President of the Court of Session has responsibility for planning the programme of business for the Supreme Courts. In 1999 he made a case for an increase in the complement of Judges to 32 to cope with pressure of work and Ministers made the necessary resources available. The Supreme Courts remain under significant pressure and the position is kept under regular review by Ministers.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will show any percentage increase in the number of (a) High Courts indictments, (b) solemn appeals, (c) judge sitting days, (d) judicial time devoted to first instance criminal business and (e) judicial business devoted to criminal appeal work in the year up to 31 August compared with the two previous years.
Answer
The information requested is included in the following table.
| 1999-2000 Actual Full year | 2000-2001 Actual Full year | 01.04.01 to 31.08.01 Actual To date | 01.04.01 to 31.08.01 % change over the same period in 2000 | 01.04.01 to 31.08.01 % change over the same period in 1999 |
| High Court Indictments | 1478 | 1343 | 666 | +7 | +14 |
| Solemn Appeals | 930 | 1038 | 436 | -2 | +15 |
| Judge Sitting Days | 5079 | 5597 | 2144 | -3 | +12 |
| Judge days - First Instance Crime | 2225 | 2802 | 1053 | -13 | +12 |
| Judge days - Criminal Appeal work (including sifting) | 810 | 717 | 391 | +34 | +25 |
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in establishing a College of Justice which is more "reflective of the diversity of society" as set out in Judicial Appointments: An Inclusive Approach and, in particular, in ensuring that there is an increase in the appointment of women and others from non-traditional backgrounds to Senators of the College.
Answer
In March I announced the Executive's plans to establish an independent Judicial Appointments Board to advise the First Minister on the appointment of Judges of the Court of Session, Sheriffs Principal and Sheriffs. The board's remit will include an invitation to encourage more applications from female and ethnic minority candidates at all levels. Public advertisements for the Chairman and the lay membership of the board are being placed this month and the board should start operations early next year.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in increasing the transparency and openness in the process for the appointment of Senators to the College of Justice.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18631. The Judicial Appointments Board will be expected to interview all candidates before recommending people to the First Minister. No individual will be appointed unless the Board have so recommended.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 11 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations have taken place since November 1999 between the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit and the Department of Trade and Industry on removing unnecessary burdens on business and what the results of any such consultations have been.
Answer
The Improving Regulation in Scotland unit has regular discussions with a number of Whitehall departments and in particular with Cabinet Office, which has responsibility for improving regulation at a UK level. Details of official level discussions within government are internal matters for the parties concerned.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 11 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which of its regulatory practices have been audited and evaluated by the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit since November 1999 and what the results were of any such audit and evaluation.
Answer
The Improving Regulation in Scotland unit can make the most telling contribution by ensuring that the Scottish Executive takes fully into account the need for all regulations to be proportionate and fit for purpose. With this aim, the unit has assisted Scottish Executive Departments in the development of over 70 regulations and the drafting of Regulatory Impact Assessments that have been produced for each. The most important evaluation of regulations and regulatory practices, so far as the IRIS Unit is concerned, is that done by businesses themselves. Over 170 enquiries and complaints have been referred to the Unit to date. Of these, 67 related to reserved matters, 40 to devolved matters and 65 did not refer to specific policy areas but rather to regulatory mechanisms and principles for attention by the Scottish Executive and the UK Government. The comments made to the Unit seldom refer to any individual regulation, but the areas which give rise to the greatest number of concerns are: that the development of policy should involve more consideration of the impact on business; and difficulties with employment regulations and trading standards and their application. These comments have been discussed with the departments responsible and progress on these and other issues will be pursued by the IRIS Unit.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 11 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which regulations have been identified by the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit as either (a) being no longer necessary or (b) capable of simplification.
Answer
Further to the answer to S1W-18582, the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit has not identified any regulations as no longer necessary.
The review of planning procedures is one example of the Scottish Executive taking steps to improve and simplify an area of particular relevance to businesses. All regulations introduced since devolution will be subject to formal review within 10 years of introduction through a Review Regulatory Impact Assessment.
- Asked by: Brian Fitzpatrick, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 11 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, for the period since November 1999, the numbers, grades, salaries and career experience of staff appointed to the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit and the annual running costs of the unit.
Answer
Since November 1999, the Improving Regulation in Scotland (IRIS) Unit has been overseen by one member of the senior civil service and run by one C1 and one B2, supported where necessary by further B2, B1 and administrative (Band A) staff. The running costs of the Unit are contained within those of the Enterprise and Industry Division, which for 2001-02 totals £881,921. Before being involved in the running of the Unit, staff must show they have the correct skills and experience for the task to which they are assigned.
Current pay ranges for these posts are:
SCS | £53,534 - £87,598 |
C1 | £34,000 - £43,699 |
B2 | £18,375 - £24,282 |
B1 | £14,178 - £20,647 |
A3 | £11,495 - £14,466 |
A2 | £10,735 - £12,813 |
A1 | £10,000 - £11,625 |
