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This Government is committed to shifting the emphasis from ineffective short-term imprisonment to greater use of robust community sentences, with the aim of reducing reoffending. Our move towards more community sentencing, including the introduction of Community Payback Orders (CPOs), has helped bring Scotland’s reconviction rates to an 18-year low.

The presumption against short prison sentences is not a ban and sentencers retain the discretion to pass the most appropriate sentence based on the facts and circumstances of the case. Therefore it is not possible to give an exact assessment of the impact that the extended presumption will have on the numbers of CPOs, although the expectation is that numbers will increase.

Fiscal work orders are a direct measure available to procurators fiscal as opposed to a sentence passed by a court and so are not impacted by the presumption against short prison sentences.

Responsibility for the financial management of NHS Tayside’s business remains with the Accountable Officer. The discharge of these responsibilities is underpinned by existing systems of internal control within Scottish Government and by internal and external audit processes covering all NHS Boards.

Scottish Government has instigated an independent review of the allocation and transfer of eHealth funds to NHS Tayside and will take any appropriate action indicated by the findings of that review.

Scottish Government officials continue to work closely with NHS Tayside on the implementation of its Transformation Plan, focusing on returning the Board to financial sustainability.

The NHS Tayside Board will take a decision on the Director of Finance role later this month. In the meantime, NHS Tayside has taken a number of interim measures to provide cover for Director of Finance responsibilities:

1. The Director of Finance for NHS Grampian is providing professional advice and support to the Board in his capacity as Regional Finance Director for the North of Scotland Health Boards.

2. There has been a realignment of roles and responsibilities within the NHS Tayside Financial Team.

The nature of the unpaid work placements carried out under the Fiscal Work Order (FWO) and Community Payback Order (CPO) schemes is determined by the local authority Criminal Justice Social Work team responsible for overseeing the case.

However, both the National Guidelines on Fiscal Work Orders and the Community Payback Order practice guidance advise that unpaid work placements should not be used in situations which are likely to deprive others of opportunities for paid employment.

This Government has already made clear its commitment by increasing ring-fenced investment in community sentences from £4 million per annum in each of the last two years to £5.5 million in the 2018-19 budget. This is to help build capacity in advance of extending the presumption against short term sentences.

Funding for community justice services across Scotland remains at record levels. We have allocated around £100m funding to local authorities who work with a range of organisations and partners to help deliver community sentences, support the rehabilitation of people with convictions and reduce re-offending.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland. However the recent HMICS report notes that Police Scotland have indicated social media will be used as a source of information in the future.

Police Scotland and NHS Dumfries and Galloway will evaluate the impact of mental health triage arrangements being piloted across Dumfries and Galloway. The Scottish Government supports initiatives that bring justice and health partners together to improve outcomes for people with mental ill health and vulnerability and is providing strategic leadership at national level through the a new Health and Justice Collaboration Improvement Board.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

Equality and Diversity within Police Scotland are matters for the Chief Constable and the Scottish Police Authority. Police Scotland's latest Equality and Diversity Mainstreaming Progress Report and Equality Outcomes can be found on their web site at: http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/equality-and-diversity . The Scottish Government provides financial support to the Scottish Women’s Development Forum in support of Police Scotland’s gender equality agenda.

Under the auspices of the Joint Programme Board (JPB), Police Scotland and BTPA have established a joint project to deliver the operational aspects of the programme. On 20 February, the JPB was advised that further time is needed to deliver integration most effectively and safely for railway passengers, staff and officers. Their assessment is that the current scheduled integration date of 

‎ 1 April 2019 will not be achieved. Ministers have accepted this advice and a detailed re-planning exercise will now take place over the coming months to ensure robust delivery plans are in place for all of the key elements of the programme, including ICT, and to establish a new delivery date. Resourcing will also feature as part of the re-planning exercise.