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Scottish Office

Answer

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes his Department has made to (a) the amount of information provided to and (b) the protection by law for victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses since May 1997. [55015] Mr. McLeish: At the end of February we produced a general information leaflet for victims of crime, which explains the criminal justice process in simple terms and provides information about getting help. The leaflet is distributed mainly by the police, who are the first contact a victim or witness who reports a crime has with the criminal justice system. It is also available through Victim Support Scotland and Citizens Advice Bureaux. I am advised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that, in January, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in conjunction with the Scottish Court Service launched a Joint Statement on Crown Witnesses, outlining the joint and individual responsibilities of procurators and clerks of court in relation to Crown Witnesses cited in court. The document introduced an undertaking that witnesses at court would be provided with an update on the progress of their case at least once every two hours. The Lord Advocate's Department also refined and improved the information that is provided to child witnesses and, in March 1998, he launched two new information leaflets for child witnesses who are cited to court. One leaflet is aimed at children under 12 and one is for use by children between 12 and 16. The leaflets provide information about what the child can expect when coming to court to give evidence. A Scottish Office-led inter-departmental Working Group was set up in late 1997 to examine the issue of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. The Group's report will be issued as a consultative document on 2 November.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

317 c951-2W; 55015

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Children Crime Information Intimidation Scotland Witnesses Victims