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As stated in the Programme for Government 2019-2020, the Victims Taskforce will be directly informed by a Victims Sounding Board and victim reference groups.

Rape Crisis Scotland has established a survivor reference group, which met for the first time in April, and published an initial report on their website. Victim Support Scotland has also established a victim reference group, via a series of one to one meetings and conversations with individual victims and family members. Some members of this group would prefer to continue to be involved on a one to one or virtual basis. Those members who wish to meet in person did so for the first time in August. Victim support organisations are working together to identify individuals from these reference groups and other existing networks to form a sounding board.

Updates on the Victims Taskforce engagement mechanisms can be found amongst the Taskforce papers at https://www.gov.scot/groups/victims-taskforce/ .

We are working with Young Scot and third sector partners to co-design an online resource for young people on gender-based violence. Young Scot hosts up to date material on a range of subjects, developed for and by young people aged 11 to 25.

The online resource will complement other work we are undertaking to improve young people’s knowledge and awareness of gender-based violence. These include the Equally Safe at School project which works with pupils and staff to address issues of gender inequality in their school. We are also funding the increased coverage of the Rape Crisis Scotland national sexual violence prevention programme to each local authority.

In 2016 the Scottish Government announced £24 million for the design and construction of a new grade-separated junction at Laurencekirk as part of a package of additional investment alongside, but separate to, the Aberdeen City Region Deal, as such the scheme is being progressed through the Scottish Government’s Motorways and Trunk Roads Capital Land and Works budget.

We are working with all of the criminal justice bodies and the Victims Organisation Collaboration Forum Scotland (VOCFS) which is chaired by Victim Support Scotland, to facilitate engagement on the development of the annual standards of service for victims and witnesses.

This work is overseen by the Victims Taskforce and includes attendance of the justice bodies at VOCFS meetings to discuss progress against the current standards and seek suggestions directly from VOCFS members on key issues the standards should focus on in the following year.

As the First Minister set out in Programme for Government we will introduce a Defamation and Malicious Publication Bill this parliamentary year. The Bill will take forward the recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission and will simplify and modernise the law of defamation. The reforms will ensure that a more appropriate balance is struck between protecting reputation and freedom of expression. Amongst other changes, the Bill will recognise a defence of publication on a matter of public interest and ensure that no proceedings can be brought where a defamatory statement is made only to the person who is the subject of it.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-24741 on 6 September 2019. 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 .

The Scottish Government has included sustainability as one of its draft Strategic Police Priorities. These are the subject of a current consultation, and will set the long term strategic direction for the policing of Scotland and the carrying out of the Scottish Police Authority's (SPA) functions.

The Scottish Government continues to support the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland to deliver financial sustainability. This includes protecting the police revenue budget for the lifetime of this parliament, continuing reform funding to support transformation, and a 52% uplift in the police capital budget in this financial year.

We have also ensured that policing will benefit from being able to reclaim VAT of around £25 million a year, previously paid to the UK Government, bringing Police Scotland into line with every other police service in the UK. We will continue to press the UK Government to repay the £125 million of VAT paid by Police Scotland between 2013 and 2018. The SPA has a three year financial plan in place which outlines how it will eliminate its budget deficit to reach a financially sustainable position.

The Scottish Government has recently agreed to provide an additional £17 million to cover the policing costs of EU exit.

We continue to support and work closely with the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland, including through the spending review process, to ensure we have a modern and responsive police service which supports its workforce and shapes its services around the needs of individuals and communities.

Ring-fenced Criminal Justice Social Work funding is in addition to increases to revenue funding of local authorities and has increased by 7.3% compared with 2015-16 while the number of Community Payback Orders has reduced by 8.3% nationally, broadly reflecting reductions in court volumes.

The £9.5 million additional funding invested in community justice services, such as community sentences and electronic monitoring, takes the total allocation to over £100 million.

The impact of the extended presumption against short sentences and related evidence will inform budget considerations and discussions with COSLA around Criminal Justice Social Work funding.

The Management of Offenders Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 25 June 2019 and received Royal Assent on 30 July 2019. The Scottish Government are currently in discussion with stakeholders, including criminal justice social work, the Police and the Scottish Prison Service, about commencement of the Act. The precise timescale for commencement will be informed by stakeholder readiness. Our intention is that provisions in the Act in relation to Home Detention Curfew (HDC) are likely to be amongst the first provisions commenced. On current planning we would expect commencement of the provisions in relation to HDC before the end of 2019.

The Justice in Scotland: Vision and Priorities document was published in July 2017. It provides a framework for a more progressive, evidence-based approach to justice. It was developed in collaboration with the Justice Board and other key stakeholders and set priorities to help shape collective effort from 2017 to 2020.

‘ Protecting Scotland’s Future ’, our Programme for Government for 2019-20, includes our commitment to set out our next long-term vision for our justice system, including how we respond to the changing nature of offending in ways which are proportionate, just, effective and promote rehabilitation, as well as keeping our communities safe and responding to the needs of victims.

This will be progressed in the year ahead and will be informed by work with justice agencies, local government, the third sector and others to identify and further progress the whole system changes we need to make, including to respond to Scotland’s internationally high rate of imprisonment. Our approach will be informed by public health responses to issues such as the misuse of drugs and the impact of adversity, trauma and multiple disadvantage. It will also draw on the work of our Victims Taskforce, reflecting our continuing commitment to put victims at the heart of justice system reforms.