That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the report, Rough Justice, commissioned by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which uncovers what it sees as the severe crisis affecting Scotland's Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS); notes with concern the report's findings that 77% of COPFS staff respondents and 57% of SCTS staff respondents felt they had witnessed or experienced mistakes happening due to pressures on staff and as a result of their workload; is further concerned that, according to the report, the research highlights the strain on staff due to outdated IT systems, unmanageable workloads, and insufficient staffing and resources; understands that the report highlights that 90% of COPFS staff and 63% of SCTS staff deem the IT infrastructure unfit for purpose, and over one third of COPFS employees state that their workload is unmanageable, with similar sentiments echoed by SCTS staff; recognises what it sees as the critical role of these workers in ensuring the effective delivery of justice in Scotland; is troubled by the reliance on the goodwill of the workforce to sustain what it considers are essential services, even as staff reportedly face escalating workloads, lost flexitime, recruitment and retention issues, and increasing adjournments that ripple through to impact witnesses, the accused, and families, and calls upon the Scottish Government and senior management within COPFS and SCTS to give urgent attention to the findings and recommendations presented in this report, and to work collaboratively with PCS to address what it sees as these critical issues, including investing in necessary IT improvements, recruiting and retaining sufficient staff, ensuring fair workloads, and prioritising staff well-being.
Supported by:
Jackie Baillie, Maggie Chapman, Foysol Choudhury, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Mark Griffin, Monica Lennon, Pauline McNeill, Mark Ruskell, Colin Smyth, Paul Sweeney, Martin Whitfield