The Scottish Government

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Draft Budget 2004-05

MISCELLANEOUS

Objective for the two major miscellaneous spending areas

To promote central and local government preparations for emergencies of any kind, taking account of the new emphasis on contingency planning against known threats. This programme also includes provision for residential accommodation for children.

Table 1.07 Spending plans 2003-06 (level 3)

To enable the contracting out of escorting prisoners in both prison and police custody a reduction has been made to the "other miscellaneous" baseline (0/1.5/1m).

What the budget does

The "other miscellaneous" level 3 category covers a wide range of smaller justice-related spending areas. Details on some of these larger spending areas are listed below.

Parole Board for Scotland

Covers the costs of the Parole Board for Scotland in undertaking its statutory functions prescribed in the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993. The Board decides if long-term and life prisoners should be granted early release on licence and whether those who breach the conditions of their licence should be recalled to custody.

Scottish Prisons Complaints Commission

The commission investigates prisoner complaints unresolved by Scottish prisons' internal grievance procedures. The funding provides for the running costs of this service.

Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

The commission reviews and investigates cases of wrongful conviction and/or sentence in Scotland and refers deserving cases to the High Court for determination where it considers that a miscarriage of justice may have occurred and it is in the interests of justice that a reference should be made. The funding provides for the running costs of this service.

Criminal Justice Joint Working Fund

This is a 'spend to save' fund to provide for cross-cutting Scottish criminal justice system initiatives, such as the equality issue of interpretation facilities for ethnic minorities, hard of hearing etc. In addition, this fund is being used to pay for further piloting of postal citations, which will release police officers for other front-line duties.

Risk Management Authority

A new agency, the Risk Management Authority is being established as part of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, with a defined remit and set of roles relating to the risk assessment of offenders whose liberty presents a risk to the public at large and minimising risk in respect of a small number of serious violent and sexual offenders who may be or have been sentenced to the Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR). The numbers are likely to be in single figures initially. The RMA will have three roles: policy setting, standard setting and accreditation.

Community legal services

The Justice Department is developing innovative approaches to the provision of legal information and advice, including in court advisory services.

What the budget does in the two major miscellaneous spending areas

Councils take the leading role in emergency planning at the local level but police forces also have an important role in co-ordinating arrangements.

Spending on secure accommodation for children, which is demand led, meets the costs arising from the policy normally to place children, on sentence, who are ordered to be detained by the courts under sections 205(2) and 208 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, in secure accommodation.

New resources

An additional (0.5/0.5/1.0m) will cover additional costs in connection with post- September 11 increased emergency planning activity.

Performance

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