Chamber and committees

The Law Society of Scotland drew up the initial proposals, following wide consultation with the legal profession and with the assistance of an outside academic. The Scottish Legal Aid Board provided technical assistance in evaluating the detailed structure and effect of the proposals and in costing them. These proposals were then the subject of detailed negotiation with the Executive, during which significant changes were made. A more detailed fee structure was considered at an early stage in the discussions, and was rejected on the basis that it would be both unacceptably costly and that it would not create the improvement in efficiency of the system that the Scottish Executive sought.

Since 1999, we have announced a Sociable Neighbourhood Initiative, the Quality of Life Initiative, the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund and Community Safety Partnership Awards, designed in whole or in part to tackle anti-social behaviour. A more detailed note with details of funding for these initiatives and of arrangements for evaluation has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. Number 25927).

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Executive is funding the Zero Tolerance Trust to amend the "Respect" materials in the light of the pilot evaluation, print 100 copies of the packs and arrange seminars for education specialists to promote the "Respect" materials. This work is to be carried out by the end of March 2003.

The proposed new block fee system - which will replace one that is already in existence - will provide for a fee in respect of each major stage in a case. The relevant fees have been designed to cover both work in court and other work undertaken to progress the case.

The research specification is almost complete and will shortly be issued to the research community for tendering.

The Executive is funding a National Office for the Rape Crisis Network. Its objectives include raising public awareness about the reality of sexual violence for women and girls.The "Respect" package, which should be available to schools shortly, aims to challenge attitudes which condone violence against women and promote relationships based on equality and mutual respect.

All Scottish police forces use unique references to track incidents. These then form part of standard ISCJIS (Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems) tracking numbers which can be used throughout the Scottish Criminal Justice System.All solemn and summary sheriff court cases and civil cases in the Court of Session and sheriff courts are allocated a unique reference number when the case is first lodged. The progress of a case can be tracked using the unique reference number.

The proposals will require a solicitor in a defended action in the sheriff court to report to the Scottish Legal Aid Board when a particular procedural stage passes (for example, options hearing and closing the record); whenever a significant development occurs (such as when an opponent makes a tender), and in any event, where a case runs for a long time, to submit a report every 12 months.At the different stages, solicitors may be entitled to a payment to account, if appropriate, for fees for work done to the date of the relevant report. Any such payments would, of course, be deducted from the final account submitted at the conclusion of the case or where the civil legal aid certificate was terminated.

The new system will reward the efficient processing of business from the client's and taxpayer's point of view by paying for measurable blocks of work completed, rather than time spent or letters written. The current system does not do that effectively. In addition, the introduction of a binding quality assurance system will ensure that clients get the high quality service they are entitled to expect. The Executive will monitor the new system very closely and propose to carry out a thorough review after two years; this will provide an opportunity to assess the impact on clients, solicitors, and the wider justice system.