Chamber and committees

Unless I have missed it, I am not sure, from the correspondence, when the pilot starts and how long it will last.

I welcome the cabinet secretary and the minister to their new posts.

Cabinet secretary, you talked earlier about the need for intensive support to be given to young people who are going into secure care. During our private session, we heard a care-experienced person’s opinion that there should permanently be a mental health professional in every secure care setting. Can I have your view on that? Do you envisage that that will happen? Staff training will be needed for that, so can I have your view on that, too?

There are changing priorities, which I fully support, but the change will mean that children who have committed more serious crimes will be placed in secure care. Is that a cause for concern? They will be in with younger and more vulnerable children. How will that be managed? Will suitable risk assessments be done? I presume that staff training will be required to allow them to deal with such situations.

I totally welcome it. It is definitely a step in the right direction. We should let Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid and Victim Support Scotland know, because they have been quite concerned about the issue and the information will be important for them.

That is reassuring. Thank you. Do you want to say anything, minister?

Good morning. I will address my questions to Jim Shields and Lorraine Johnstone. St Mary’s Kenmure is in my constituency, and I have visited it many times over the past seven years. I am always impressed by its ethos and caring aspect. I think that the work that is done there is fantastic. That said, do you think that it is a place for young offenders who have committed very serious crimes?

What is the average—if there is an average—length of time that a child would spend in your secure care?

That is interesting. As you say, it is very rare. I think that Kate Wallace intimated some concerns about that in the earlier evidence session. Jim Shields, do you have anything to add to that?

Good morning. The provisions in the bill will ensure that no child under the age of 18 can be held in a young offenders institution or prison, either on remand, while awaiting sentence or having been sentenced. Linda Allan, what is your view on that?

Are you saying that children under the age of 19 who have committed serious crimes such as murder or rape should be held in young offenders institutions?