Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05194 on 15 December 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05194 on 15 December 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05194 on 15 December 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05194 on 15 December 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05194 on 15 December 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

This Government has made it clear that we will maintain the dedicated support including HIE’s strengthening communities remit which is locally based, managed and directed by HIE and protects the unique services that HIE delivers for our Highlands and Islands economy.

HIE will retain its Chief Executive based at its headquarters in Inverness, staff will also continue to operate from the Headquarters in Inverness and HIE’s area-based locations across the area from Lerwick to Lochgilphead.

Businesses and communities will continue to access services across the Highlands and Islands area.

Similarly HIE will continue to engage with local authorities and Business Gateway to deliver effective support to businesses.

As part of the work being taken forward in Phase two of the Enterprise and Skills Review we will consider the formation, format and remit of the new Scotland-wide Statutory board. This will include what needs to be put in place in relation to budgets, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation of a range of areas including performance measures of HIE and their operational plans to ensure that HIE continues to be able to deliver an excellent service to the Highlands and Islands.

In addition we will consider areas including remuneration, risk and assurance currently carried out by current Board committees.

HIE senior management will continue to work in the same way as they do now but will benefit from the coordination provided by the new Scotland-wide Statutory board.

This Government wants to see the strongest possible links between the work of HIE, Skills Development Scotland and the Funding Council to ensure that the support we are providing to train our young people, improve the skills of our workforce, support our businesses and communities is aligned with the economic needs of the Highlands and Islands and of Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing guidance relating to restorative justice as soon as possible. We are developing this guidance in collaboration with restorative justice experts and those with expertise in dealing with victims issues to ensure that the interests of all those participating in the restorative justice process are reflected.

A revised draft of the guidance was circulated to the Scottish Restorative Justice Forum (whose membership includes Sacro, Rape Crisis Scotland, Victim Support Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid) prior to its recent meeting in December 2016. The latest comments from that meeting are currently being considered.

The trade in endangered species, including ivory and ivory products, is controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). CITES aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Although matters relating to the environment are largely devolved, CITES is reserved.

The UK Government has proposed a ban on sales of worked ivory less than 70 years old. This will complement the existing UK ban on the trade in raw ivory of any age. The UK Government intends to consult on their proposal early in 2017.

The closure of domestic ivory markets was discussed at the Conference of Parties to CITES that took place in Johannesburg from 24 September to 5 October 2016. This was attended by Thérèse Coffey MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities. The issue has also been discussed at a number of EU-level CITES meetings. We understand that Thérèse Coffey’s predecessor, Rory Stewart MP, and his officials held discussions with representatives of the arts and antique sectors to discuss issues surrounding the sale of ivory in the UK.

As regards information on the trade in ivory in Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has considered 4 cases relating to the trade of ivory in the past ten years. No action was taken in one case due to the absence of sufficient evidence, two cases are under investigation and, most recently, a South Lanarkshire auction house was convicted and fined £1,500. Police Scotland have confirmed that since 2012 there has been a significant quantity of intelligence related to the online trade in ivory.

The Summit focused discussion around 4 high level themes of Law Enforcement and Criminal Law; Civil Law and its impact on participation in the Single Market; EU law and the Role of the Court of Justice of the EU; and engagement with the UK government as opposed to risks in any particular area. It was clear that ‘Brexit’ poses risks that Scotland’s justice systems, police service and ability to help justice systems in other countries could be hindered. Contributions were welcomed from the wide range of experts in attendance from both a civil and criminal perspective, including Police Scotland, The Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society of Scotland, the Crown Office and the Scottish Human Rights Commission. It was highlighted that 80% of the UK contacts through the European Judicial Network on criminal matters are from Scotland. Loss of access to this network poses a considerable risk to our intelligence sharing capacity. There is also a risk that Scotland may be ‘left behind’ by not participating in the on-going process of improvements in justice co-operation across the EU.

A summary of the discussion will be produced and published online later this month.

The discussion followed 4 high level themes of Law Enforcement and Criminal Law; Civil Law and its impact on participation in the Single Market; EU law and the Role of the Court of Justice of the EU; and engagement with the UK government.

Contributions were welcomed from the wide range of experts in attendance from both a civil and criminal perspective, including Police Scotland, The Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society of Scotland, the Crown Office and the Scottish Human Rights Commission. It was suggested that losing access to the European Arrest Warrant and law enforcement co-operation measures would require the Scotland’s justice system to fall back on international agreements from the late 1950s. There was uncertainty about whether such arrangements could be effective in modern times. Arrangements for the mutual recognition of judgments, provisions to prevent multiple cases in different countries, and other civil law arrangements are currently vital to the effective operation of the Single Market. There was discussion of the need to maintain security and stability in the law and consistent concerns about the risk of Scotland’s justice system being ‘left behind’ across all of the themes.

A summary of the discussion will be produced and published later this month.