15 November 2010

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart has criticised the SNP Government for not spending enough on victims and witnesses of crime.

His comments came after he received a reply from Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill to his Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of Scotland’s criminal justice budget had been spent on (a) victims and (b) witnesses in each of the last three years.

The figures show that out of the nearly £1.9billion Scottish Government Justice budget in 2010-11 only £5.6million was spent on victims and witnesses of crime and only just over £28million on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
Mr Stewart, who is trying to introduce a Bill to establish a Commissioner for victims of crime in Scotland, said: "Mr MacAskill’s reply shows just how little is spent on the victims of crime in Scotland. It seems absurd that the vast majority of the Scottish Justice budget is spent on dealing with the perpetrators of crime rather than their victims.

" If my Bill is passed we will have a Commissioner who will be responsible for championing the rights of victims, raising awareness of their plight and for working with politicians, police, civil servants and voluntary organisations to build a fairer and just system that puts victims’ needs first. "

Parliamentary Question tabled by David Stewart

8 November 2010

David Stewart : To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the criminal justice budget has been spent on (a) victims and (b) witnesses in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: Expenditure on victims and witnesses is incurred across a range of criminal justice agencies. For example, engagement with victims and witnesses is a core part of the functions of the police, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Scottish Court Service. However, spending on such work is not separately identified within their budgets, and it is therefore not possible to disaggregate total expenditure on victims and witnesses within the Scottish justice budget. In addition, a number of services are delivered to both victims and witnesses as there is an overlap between the two categories.

Support and services for victims and witnesses are also provided by agencies funded by other parts of the Scottish Government, and include over £44 million over the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 to combat violence against women including funding for Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, and the Rape Crisis Helpline.

Expenditure that is specifically earmarked solely for victims and witnesses within the Scottish justice budget is listed in the following table:-