Seòmar agus comataidhean

The report on Phase 1 of the Scottish Government's Enterprise and Skills Review, which outlined Ministers' decisions to create closer alignment between enterprise and skills support services was published on 25 October.

Fergus Ewing MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, met with the Chair and Board of Highlands and Island Enterprise on 2 December 2016.

This Government has made it clear that we will maintain the dedicated support including HIE’s strengthening communities remit which is locally based, managed and directed by HIE and protects the unique services that HIE delivers for our Highlands and Islands economy.

HIE will retain its Chief Executive based at its headquarters in Inverness, staff will also continue to operate from the Headquarters in Inverness and HIE’s area-based locations across the area from Lerwick to Lochgilphead. Businesses and communities will continue to access services across the Highlands and Islands area.

Similarly HIE will continue to engage with local authorities and Business Gateway to deliver effective support to businesses.

As part of the work being taken forward in Phase two of the Enterprise and Skills Review we will consider the formation, format and remit of the new Scotland-wide Statutory Board. This will include what needs to be put in place in relation to budgets, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation of a range of areas including performance measures of HIE and their operational plans to ensure that HIE continues to be able to deliver an excellent service to the Highlands and Islands.

In addition we will consider areas including remuneration, risk and assurance currently carried out by current Board committees.

HIE senior management will continue to work in the same way as they do now but will benefit from the coordination provided by the new Scotland-wide Statutory Board.

This Government wants to see the strongest possible links between the work of HIE, Skills Development Scotland and the Funding Council to ensure that the support we are providing to train our young people, improve the skills of our workforce, support our businesses and communities is aligned with the economic needs of the Highlands and Islands and of Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to using its new powers on consumer advocacy and advice to ensure the interests of Scotland's consumers are protected, and we welcome Which's continued work to champion and protect those interests.

Earlier this year, Ofcom - which has responsibility for telecoms regulation in the UK - announced a range of measures designed to ensure that telecoms providers provide a quality of service that customers rightfully expect. These measures include automatic compensation when things go wrong, tougher performance rules for Openreach, and the introduction of performance tables on quality of service.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with Ofcom on the detail of how they test user experience in Scotland, across both mobile and fixed broadband, and we are currently developing options for how this can be enhanced. Ofcom is also currently conducting research which asks consumers if they have had reason to complain to their supplier in the last 12 months, with the results expected in March.

No charges have been reported to COPFS under s122 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and there has therefore been no prosecutions.

Police Scotland has advised that since 28 March 2012 there have been 16 applications for Forced Marriage Protection Orders. There have been no prosecutions for breach of an order.

The Scottish Government believes that everyone in Scotland who can marry or enter into a civil partnership has the right to do so freely and without coercion and the legislation in Scotland is there to ensure choice, safety and protection.

Section 122 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 is providing an additional layer of protection to people who may be affected by forced marriage. There have been no prosecutions under the Act. The 2014 legislation does not replace the Forced Marriage etc (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Act 2011 but sits alongside it. The protection provided by and FMPO continues to exist alongside a new criminal offence. This means that a person could choose to take the civil route, or to go to the police (as they can now).

Note that if a person chooses to go to the police, and the police refer the case to COPFS, it will then be for the COPFS to decide whether or not to take any criminal proceedings against those involved in forcing a person into marriage.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05385 on 16 December 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.

Work continues to finalise arrangements for the establishment and administration of the victim surcharge fund. This work has included further detailed consideration of viable options for delivery and the potential role of third sector or other organisations in this process.

It is the Scottish Government’s intention to establish the fund in 2017 and to initially impose the surcharge on offenders given a court fine. Further details of how the fund will operate will be set out in subordinate legislation, which will be subject to parliamentary approval in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05385 on 16 December 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 Scottish Government is committed to publishing guidance relating to restorative justice as soon as possible. We are developing this guidance in collaboration with restorative justice experts and those with expertise in dealing with victims issues to ensure that the interests of all those participating in the restorative justice process are reflected.

A revised draft of the guidance was circulated to the Scottish Restorative Justice Forum (whose membership includes Sacro, Rape Crisis Scotland, Victim Support Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid) prior to its recent meeting in December 2016. The latest comments from that meeting are currently being considered.