Seòmar agus comataidhean

That is really helpful, thank you. I might come back in later if there is time.

Should criminal justice social work be part of the national care service?

I do not know whether we have time to hear from anyone else, convener.

The latest remand figures for Scotland show that almost 30 per cent of people in prison are on remand—the figure is in the region of 1,862 of a population of 7,500. The rate is much higher than rates elsewhere in the United Kingdom and in most other comparable western European countries, and nobody can explain to us why that is the case. Yesterday, the governor of HMP Edinburgh, David Abernethy, was quoted on the BBC as saying that it is a “mystery”. Can you explain the mystery? Why is that the case?

Anyone can go first, if they feel like it. If nobody wants to, I will pick someone.

In the final page of your submission, Keith, you talk about the expanded role of criminal justice social work. Its workload will increase hugely if the bill goes through as is, in terms of bail, pre-trial, pre-release, release and, indeed, onwards. You go on to say that it is not yet known whether criminal justice social work will be part of the proposed new national care service, which is already mired in a significant amount of controversy.

I have two questions. First, does anyone know how much all the additional work for criminal justice social work will cost? Secondly, should the changes be given time to bed in and develop before we even think about incorporating criminal justice social work into a national care service, or should the national care service come first and should these needs be factored into it?

Would Charlie Martin or Lynne Thornhill like to come in on that?

So there is nothing distinctly different about Scotland that makes our numbers higher.

You mentioned Finland and its commission. Obviously, we do not want to talk about lifting things wholesale, but did that result in new legislation in Finland, or was it just a question of taking a good look at the existing systems and making them better? The question is whether we really need yet more legislation. Can the issue not be fixed with the right intent from all the agencies that are involved?

Good morning. In your submission, you talk about the “historic high” that remand is at—it is up to 30 per cent—but you concede that remanding people is sometimes necessary. Have you given any thought to what level would be comfortable or reasonable for your organisation?

Do the other two witnesses have a view on that?