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The data showed quite a steady level over two to three years of 30 per cent of such cases not being prosecuted.

Were the various stakeholders asked about working at weekends?

Thank you. I will not hog the questions; I am sure that everyone else wants to come in.

Cabinet secretary, I understand that one of your responsibilities is to consider first grant of temporary release applications for people who are serving life sentences. My question is a two-pronged one. First, how many of those have you had to consider in your tenure? Secondly, how many of those were based on an incorrect risk assessment?

Thank you. I presume that some prisoners will believe that they might have suffered a detriment by being kept in prison for longer than the risk assessment might have suggested that they should be. Are you anticipating any form of legal challenge from prisoners, given how litigious they can sometimes be?

I have a small question about the SCTS’s submission, which talks about virtual trials helping to

“reduce the justice sector’s carbon footprint”.

Is that something that you have measured?

Also in respect of fiscal fines, cases of that nature would have ordinarily been heard in justice of the peace courts and would therefore be public. Do the public have any way of seeing what is happening with such cases?

Sure—thank you.

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery previously told Parliament that rejection of a fiscal fine was treated as a request by the alleged offender to be prosecuted for the offence, yet in July last year, data was released via a freedom of information request that showed that 30 per cent of those who rejected fiscal fines faced no further action. Has that become a bit of a safe bet for criminals or offenders, and a bit of a slap in the face for victims?

I want to pick up on the issue of the reoffending of those prisoners who were released early. We know that the rate was about 40 per cent. I think that you said in answer to Jamie Greene that the regular reoffending rate is about 50 to 60 per cent, but Scottish Government figures from 2018-19 show that the reoffending rate within a year was just under 30 per cent. If that is correct, the reoffending rate for those prisoners who were released early is significantly higher than that.

Could you clarify where the 50 to 60 per cent figure comes from? Does it relate to a different cohort? Could you explain the discrepancies?

In the budget, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service received £10 million less than it requested. Is that consistent with dealing with the backlog with the urgency that is required?