Chamber and committees

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the increase in inflation to 10.4 per cent will have on the delivery of the priority outcomes set out in the Covid recovery strategy. (S6O-02064)

I thank Liam Kerr for securing the debate on court maintenance backlogs. For the record, although I am convener of the Criminal Justice Committee, I am not speaking in that capacity, but I will refer to some aspects of the committee’s work.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many public services were reduced or halted, but our court staff and staff in the wider criminal justice system continued to deliver functioning court and other services under the most challenging circumstances.

As a north-east constituency MSP, I know that that commitment was evident in courts in Grampian and the Highlands and Islands.

The pandemic created an opportunity to introduce new ways of working using technology to support remote jury centres and virtual trials, which were introduced at short notice and are, for the most part, working well.

The introduction of technology and other adaptations was set against the backdrop of a courts estate that comprises a broad range of assets from the comparatively new Glasgow sheriff court to the Court of Session here in Edinburgh.

Scotland has a long tradition of justice often being delivered in buildings of historical significance that perhaps reflect the solemnity of the proceedings taking place within them and are considered part and parcel of our criminal justice system. However, there is no escaping the fact that that comes at a significant cost in terms of adaptations, maintenance, heating, repairs and so on—I know that the maintenance backlog is the focus of Mr Kerr’s motion. As we know, the prioritisation of court buildings maintenance work is an operational matter for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, with—not unusually—capital works undertaken on a priority basis. I also note that it is also the case that what is spent south of the border on justice has a direct consequence for what is available here in Scotland.

I note that the motion refers to the disruption caused to court business due to maintenance work. Specifically, it says that

“repairs to Scotland’s courts often require closures which can add to the already large number of outstanding criminal trials”.

I recognise the point that the member is making, but I would be interested to know more about that claim, as it is not one that I am particularly aware of, and I do not recall it being raised previously, either with local SCTS colleagues in the north-east, or, indeed, in the Criminal Justice Committee. Maintenance is inevitable in the function of any public building and, given the proficiency with which court staff already manage court business, I am confident that disruption to court business is kept to an absolute minimum.

I welcome the efforts that are being made to tackle the backlog of cases, but, as Mr Kerr said, there is much more to do. At the time of its most recent pre-budget report, the Criminal Justice Committee highlighted that the Scottish Government should find extra resources in its budget to provide a better settlement for organisations in the criminal justice sector than that proposed in the resource spending review.

In his evidence to the committee, the chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service highlighted the progress that has been made over the past two to three years to tackle the backlog of cases, but also highlighted the impact on that progress if additional budget is not forthcoming. I am pleased that, despite the difficult financial climate for public spending, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice was able to find additional and much-needed funding for the system.

I welcome this debate highlighting the issue of maintenance backlogs in our courts and thank Liam Kerr for bringing it to the chamber this afternoon.

Will the member take an intervention?

One priority of the Covid recovery strategy is financial security for low-income households, but recent Department for Work and Pensions figures reveal that poverty has risen in the UK, with the number of people on a relative low income having increased by 1 million, from 13.4 million in March 2021 to 14.4 million a year later. What assessment has the Scottish Government made of the impact of the continued obsession with Brexit of the Tory Government and Labour Party on its ability to deliver on the strategy’s priorities?

I, too, am pleased to speak in this afternoon’s debate, which acknowledges the significant contribution that veterans make on their return to civilian life following service in our military.

Men and women leave the military for different reasons, including injury, ill health, personal circumstances and completion of their service. For many, their circumstances are such that they can consider and embark on a new work life. By virtue of their training, job roles and experiences, many service leavers return with invaluable skills, qualifications and knowledge, including as mechanics, engineers, doctors, plumbers and lawyers. Leavers also have highly developed personal skills in areas such as effective communication, problem solving, team working and leadership, all of which are transferable into new and fulfilling work roles that will benefit not only them and their families but their communities and the local economy.

Underpinning a successful transition are the people who stand beside service leavers—their families, who have also, essentially, served their country. Partners are an important protective factor as they can provide emotional, practical and financial help while service leavers consider their next steps.

However, we know that, for some, transition can be very difficult. Compromised mental and physical health, alcohol use, domestic abuse, personal debt and even grievance are well-documented vulnerability factors that can take their toll at a time of great change. An added vulnerability factor for many is the current cost of living crisis, as members have mentioned. I am pleased that the Scottish Government veterans fund, which has supported a range of fantastic projects for veterans over a number of years, has been doubled this year to ensure that veterans and their families have the support that they need.

The extent to which employment support has developed in recent years is welcome. I am pleased that the veterans employability strategic group now has membership from the private sector. That is an important step in recognising the benefits of employing veterans, not least as we grapple with labour shortages across Scotland.

The energy sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors in our economy and it already offers many employment opportunities that are suited to former and transitioning military personnel. According to Dr Alix Thom, workforce engagement and skills manager for Offshore Energies UK, the energy sector provides highly skilled and well-rewarded employment opportunities. To meet its future commitments, the sector is already working to match industry job profiles with military roles, identifying transferable positions and training and conversion opportunities.

Energy firms are increasingly recognising the benefits of recruiting men and women from the armed forces. Team leadership qualities, organisational skills and technical knowledge are all highly prized by the sector, and career opportunities exist in the fields of engineering, project management, health and safety, and the skilled trades.

In my constituency in the north-east, I regularly speak to energy sector businesses that are actively recruiting a broad range of talent and skills in an extremely competitive labour market, and our veteran community has a strong contribution to make to our Scottish renewables industry. Earlier this week, when I visited the newly-constructed south harbour in my constituency, I heard that the Port of Aberdeen proactively promotes employment opportunities to groups that represent military veterans.

Another sector that is actively recruiting veterans is the cyber space. Cybersecurity is a growing industry, with cyberattacks becoming a growing concern for businesses in all sectors, and Scotland is not exempt from that. The security training, experience and skills that service leavers have make them ideal candidates for a range of cyber and information security roles. There are clear parallels given that cybersecurity requires analysis of threats and vulnerabilities. Veterans live and breathe security, and they may also have personal and professional qualities that lend themselves to such roles.

I absolutely agree with Mr Dey that veterans bring with them not only professional experience but many personal attributes, such as those that he has highlighted.

Some veterans will also have existing security clearances and leave the military with information technology and cybersecurity qualifications that mean that they can literally walk into a new role.

Those are only two examples of sectors that benefit from our veteran community, and I am acutely aware that pathways to employment can still be challenging for many service leavers. I was pleased to hear about the range of employment support that was outlined by the cabinet secretary earlier. I am proud of Scotland’s long tradition of supporting a place for veterans across education, housing, healthcare and employment. However, we all know that there is much more to do.

We owe our veterans a huge debt of gratitude. As such, it is incumbent on us to do everything that we can to ensure that they can access the support, training and education that they need. As a member of a military family, I will certainly do my bit within that.

Thanks very much, convener.

I have some questions about throughcare support on leaving prison. You may be aware that, recently, the Criminal Justice Committee has been considering the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill. That process is on-going. The bill seeks, among other things, to reduce our remand population and therefore our overall prison population in Scotland. It also aims to improve the release process from prison, with a particular focus on reintegration.

As part of the submissions for today’s meeting, we received a case study from Aberlour on Sarah’s story and the support that she has been receiving at Cowan Grove in Dundee. There is reference to a period of time in prison when she was abstinent but, following that, she went into a long period of instability. I am sure that, sadly, that is not unusual. The bail and release bill also places a duty on ministers to publish throughcare standards for both remand and sentenced prisoners so that the level of consistency in support is improved. We have spoken about the postcode lottery across Scotland.

I will start with Justina Murray. Thinking about this as an opportunity to develop good law and robust throughcare provision, from your experience, what do you think throughcare should look like, particularly for women coming out of prison?

Thanks. I will bring in Liz Nolan and Karen Reynolds next. I am very interested in the challenges that women in particular face. Given the new women’s unit in Dundee and the way it is supporting women, I will bring in Liz on that point.

Thanks, convener, although much of what I wanted to cover has been covered by Russell Findlay.

We still work within the context of 50-year-old misuse of drugs legislation that might have been fit for purpose back in 1971 but most people agree is less relevant now, particularly in Scotland, where we are looking to develop a public health approach. A justice approach to drug use and possession is appropriate at the higher end where it is more about supply and possession, but we are talking only about possession. I fail to see the benefit of criminalising an individual who, because of their circumstances, experience and environment, is living with a drug harm problem. They would not choose that but circumstances have taken them to that place.

It might be helpful to open that question up to the other witnesses. Kirsten Horsburgh responded to the questions that Russell Findlay asked, but do Liz Nolan or Karen Reynolds have any comments about drug law in the context of what we are trying to achieve in Scotland?

In the Criminal Justice Committee’s evidence-taking sessions, we have discussed release from prison, and particularly the challenges with unplanned release from remand. That can create difficulties for individuals whose release has not been anticipated but who nonetheless walk out of court.

How can we ensure that those people are supported, given that the support that they require will not necessarily look the same as the support for people who are released from a completed sentence? How do we ensure that that point of vulnerability does not take them back into a problematic situation where services and key worker support are not in place? I am interested in your views on that, because it is something that the committee has grappled with.