Chamber and committees

Ministers and Scottish Government Officials regularly meet with companies across the financial services sector including some of those listed. All ministerial engagements are published proactively at https://beta.gov.scot/search/?q=ministerial+engagements .

These discussions cover a range of issues relating to the sector and its workforce. For example, in a recent conversation with Aberdeen Standard Investments I discussed gender inequality in the sector and measures they were taking to address this. The First Minister will take part in their annual Gender Summit in July.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-16407 on 16 May 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Provisions relating to the use of sexual history and character evidence in sexual offence trials are contained in sections 274 and 275 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. The operation of the law in this area was subject to a full and independent evaluation in 2007. The law in this area has not changed substantively since the 2007 evaluation.

In December 2015 a commitment was made to Parliament to undertake a small high level data collection project to review the usage of the provisions in section 274/275 of the 1995 Act. This exercise concluded in June 2016 and the results can be found here:

http://www.parliament.scot/General%20Documents/20160624CSfJtoConvenerILR.pdf .

The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to interrogate this data further. This exercise will inform any future consideration of the operation of the law in this area.

Prosecution policy is a matter for the Lord Advocate.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with key justice partners, including Crown Office, Police Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service, and with third sector organisations such as Rape Crisis Scotland to deliver its key commitments within the Equally Safe Delivery Plan. This includes developing a victim-centred approach to the justice system and encouraging the increased use of pre-recorded evidence to minimise the requirement to give evidence in court.

In an interview with the BBC broadcast on 1 May 2018, Lord Carloway referred to vulnerable witnesses, including rape complainers, not necessarily having to go to court to give evidence as “the ultimate objective”.

The Scottish Government is supportive of a greater use of pre-recorded evidence for vulnerable witnesses. We have committed to introducing primary legislation to add to recent improvements to strengthen and improve the rights and experiences of victims and witnesses and remove any legislative barriers to enable the greater use of pre-recorded evidence. The Bill will be introduced to Parliament before the end of this session.

The Scottish Government recognises that sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and is committed to preventing and eradicating it in Scotland. We agree that it is vital that survivors of rape and sexual assault have early access to crisis services that meet their needs, and we are working with Rape Crisis Scotland to determine the best way to support services to meet demand.

We are also investing over £2m (2017-20) through our Rape Crisis Fund in resources for 16 rape crisis centres across Scotland and in addition, we recently announced £1.7m in funding from Justice Budgets to support advocacy in the justice system for victims to be delivered by local centres. We also provide nearly half a million pounds (2017-2020) to support the operation of the National Rape Crisis Helpline and continue to invest resources in a number of organisations working to tackle all forms of violence against women and support survivors.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) regarding the use of pre-recorded evidence in general and in particular have been engaging with them and other criminal justice stakeholders on the development of primary legislation mentioned in S5W-16360 on 16 May 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

In addition, Scottish Government has had discussions with COPFS (and also with Police Scotland and Rape Crisis Scotland) to explore a pilot for recording a complainer's initial statement to the police.

The Scottish Government welcomes any constructive proposals from oppositions members, including on workforce planning. However, as yet, the Scottish Government has not been approached by the Scottish Labour Party’s Health and Social Care Workforce Commission.

The Scottish Government has produced three comprehensive workforce plans - which involved the input of stakeholders.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting breastfeeding by new mothers through a range of activities which include:

• The publication of the Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition: A Framework for Action (2011). As part of the implementation of the Framework the Scottish Government appointed a National Maternal and Infant Nutrition Co-ordinator to coordinate the breastfeeding improvement activity and to link with other partners across Scotland and the rest of the UK.
• The Scottish Government launched a replacement of the previous Feedgood factor website in June 2016. http://www.feedgood.scot
• The Scottish Government also provides funding to support the National Breastfeeding Helpline. http://www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk/ and other third sector organisations such as the NCT, to offer peer support in the community
• The Scottish Government supported the development of the “Off to a Good Start” booklet http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/120.aspx published by NHS Health Scotland and provided to all new mothers early in their pregnancy.

These activities are monitored through regular reporting with each organisation as well as national statistics. We also recently commissioned a National Maternal and Infant Nutrition Survey and this will be used to identify key areas to focus activity and drive improvement.

The Scottish Government continues to support women to breastfeed as the normal nutrition for babies. That is why we have been working to improve the quality of support through a number of initiatives, including our commitment in the Programme for Government 2017 “to increase resources for breastfeeding to support mothers, particularly in the days immediately following birth, and supporting the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework”.

The Scottish Government’s Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework (2011) outlines the measures that should be taken by all organisations working with families to ensure that every parent is supported to give their baby the very best nutritional start in life and ask NHS Boards to report annually on progress.

It is for each NHS Board to plan services to meet the needs of its population. Most health boards have infant feeding advisors and/or peer support coordinators who will provide support to mothers, regardless of the choices the mothers make in how they feed their infants.