Chamber and committees

The Scottish prison service, court service and Crown all ensure that accused are not remanded in custody beyond the terms of the court''s warrant. Statistics are not maintained on the actual number of days that an accused remains in custody in terms of the court''s warrant or warrants. The criminal justice system in Scotland works within very strict time limits to ensure that accused are brought to trial quickly. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service prioritises the prosecution of serious crime in order to ensure that these limits are complied with and all custody cases are indicted within 80 days.

There are currently no such plans. Funding for the Youth Music Initiative is to remain with the Scottish Arts Council in 2010-11 and pass to Creative Scotland once established. We will look with Creative Scotland and COSLA at the longer term options for funding distribution and how they can maintain successful outcomes from the initiative.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27095 on 6 October 2009 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Policy development work on the National Conversation is carried out by officials as part of their normal duties and is not separately quantified.

All stakeholders, whether they are individuals or organisations, are encouraged to participate in the National Conversation. They can do so by attending public or stakeholder events, through the website or by commenting on National Conversation publications.

The team which manages the National Conversation and Referendum is responsible for the Scottish Government''s policy on developing Scotland''s constitution, and responding to related initiatives such as the UK Government''s Governance of Britain programme, the Commission on Scottish Devolution, the All Wales Convention and the Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales.

There is currently the equivalent of 12.5 full-time staff engaged in these activities.

Scottish Government officials are examining the effects of changes to the constitution on the range of issues currently devolved or reserved in the Scotland Act.

Information about National Conversation events directly organised by the Scottish Government and involving ministers is available on the National Conversation website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/a-national-conversation/nctimeline.

The forthcoming Referendum Bill will confer any necessary powers for the holding of a referendum on Scotland''s constitutional future.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27034 on 6 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.