Cabinet (Meetings)

First Minister's Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 3:10 pm on 9 January 2003.

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Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party 3:10, 9 January 2003

I thank the First Minister for the good wishes and sympathy that he has expressed to my dear colleague Winnie Ewing and her family.

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive's Cabinet. (S1F-2377)

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

Cabinet discusses issues of importance to the people of Scotland. In the coming weeks we will discuss health, sea fisheries and higher education and—of course—Cabinet will receive regular reports on preparations by the security authorities and emergency services, given the continuing threat of terrorist activity throughout the United Kingdom.

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

On Sunday, the First Minister boasted about the success of his crime policy when he said that cases cleared up by the police are at the highest level since the war. As a consequence of that record police clear-up rate, are prosecutions and convictions for those crimes up or down?

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

Different prosecution levels in different areas are either up or down, but what is important is that we ensure—as we have been working hard to do, particularly over the past 18 months—that court reforms and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service reforms are in place to secure greater levels of conviction as well as faster and more accurate convictions and a better service for victims. Those are the vital priorities. They are widely recognised throughout Scotland and they are now having an impact.

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

Let me help the First Minister out with the answer, which is clear from what he has just said. In nearly every category, the number of prosecutions and convictions is down. In drugs, in 2001, there were 6,500 more drug offences cleared up by the police than in 1997. However—astonishingly—over the same period, there were 1,500 fewer prosecutions and 1,300 fewer convictions. Does the First Minister agree that to boast about record levels of police clear-up rates when crime is rising and the number of prosecutions and convictions is falling is simply dishonest?

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

I would like to make two points about that. First, I have already said that the reforms since 2001—which are being brought in in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and in the courts—will increase conviction levels, secure a more efficient and effective service and deliver better for victims.

Secondly, it is just not acceptable to come here week after week and selectively quote statistics, whether on crime, on health, on the economy or on education. In the past few weeks, the SNP's education spokesperson has said attainment levels in Scottish schools are going down when they are going up. The SNP health spokesperson said the number of consultants in Scotland is going down when, in fact, it is going up. Today, we have heard Mr Swinney making accusations about crime, and the SNP's accusations this week about health service administrators were, to be frank, shameful, selective and completely misleading. If he is going to come to the chamber and quote statistics, John Swinney should be honest and quote them accurately.

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

I think that we have touched a raw nerve. The First Minister did not know the answer and now he wants me to—[ Interruption. ] I am working my way round the chamber. Do not worry; I will finish Duncan McNeil off in a second.

The First Minister asks me not to be selective about statistics, so I will not be. The Government's own figures show that, since 1997, there have been 25,000 more crimes cleared up by the police, but they also show that there have been 8,000 fewer prosecutions and 7,000 fewer convictions. Those are not selective statistics; they are all the statistics. There are higher levels of crime, fewer criminals going through the courts and fewer criminal convictions. Does the First Minister accept that boasting about cases that have been cleared up when prosecutions and convictions are falling is just another attempt—like the waiting list con—to con the people of Scotland?

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

Yet again, the member uses statistics selectively; that is simply unacceptable. Mr Swinney is trying to hide behind the facts that not only are police numbers at their highest-ever level in Scotland, but clear-up rates are at their highest level since the war and reforms are going through our courts and fiscal service that will deliver not merely the current good rate of convictions, but an even better rate in the future. The Parliament and the Executive have done more to look after victims in Scotland, bring in new laws and put victims first in the prosecution service than any Parliament has done previously. That is a very good record for a young Parliament, and it is a record that will get much better as other reforms come through in the future.