VULNERABLE WITNESSES ACT IMPLEMENTATION
STEERING GROUP
This document is also available in
pdf
format (79.8KB)
VWISG/1/04 -DRAFT REMIT
1
. The proposed remit for the Steering
Group is reproduced below. Members are invited to consider
it in advance of the meeting with a view to agreement being
reached on the remit at the meeting itself.
Aim
To bring together key partners to work with the Scottish
Executive in developing and taking forward the practical
measures required to ensure the effective implementation of
the Vulnerable Witnesses Act.
Objectives
- To oversee the development of appropriate
procedures, training materials, advice and guidance to
ensure the effective implementation of the Act;
- To advise on any secondary legislation required to
implement the Act to ensure that it is fit for
purpose;
- To oversee the piloting of the Vulnerable Witness
Service;
- To advise on the establishment of a system for
monitoring, evaluating and reviewing periodically the
impact and effectiveness of the Act, including the
setting of performance indicators and the collection of
information and specific research;
- To oversee a communications strategy at various
levels, including the production of publicity and
information material and to raise awareness amongst
stakeholders, including witnesses themselves, of the
Act's provisions.
Timescales
2. The Group will begin its work in May 2004. We
envisage that initially it will meet every 4 to 6 weeks.
The frequency of meetings will be subject to review after 6
months. Under the Executive's public appointments
procedures the need for the Group will be reviewed not
later than 18 months after its inauguration and if
necessary, a new group established to assist with the next
phase of implementation.
3. It is expected that the implementation of the Act
will be phased over a period of at least three years from
April 2005. Organisations should therefore be prepared to
make a commitment of at least 4 years from may 2004, though
each phase of implementation may require a new steering
group to assist in taking the work forward..
Managing Work Streams
4. It is likely that the work of the Group will need to
delegate particular streams of work to sub groups to ensure
that tasks are completed to time. The Group will, as an
early priority, need to identify those tasks that could
best be progressed through short-life sub- groups (see
Paper VWISG/6/04, item 7 of the Agenda).
5. The Group will also in due course subsume the work of
the Child Witness Support Implementation Group which would
itself continue as a sub-group of the Vulnerable Witnesses
Act Implementation Steering Group
Wider reference Group
6. In implementing phase 1 of the Vulnerable Witnesses
Act it will be important to keep all stakeholders involved
in the process. It is therefore proposed to create a wider
reference group comprising as many interested parties as is
possible which would meet twice a year and act as a
sounding board for the direction implementation is taking.
This is considered at item 5 on the agenda and in paper
VWISG/4/04.
Scottish Executive Justice Department
Victims and Witnesses Unit
April 2004