Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 15 May 2024.
Alexander Burnett
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government when the justice secretary last met with the Lord Advocate. (S6O-03434)
Angela Constance
Scottish National Party
I meet law officers, both formally and informally, on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues. I last met the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General formally on 18 April.
Alexander Burnett
Conservative
For over five years, a constituent of mine who is a victim of domestic abuse has been failed by the Scottish National Party justice system. Across two criminal cases, there have been a total of 24 deferrals because the defendant has failed to turn up, refused to employ legal representation, refused court-appointed solicitors and failed to engage with court-appointed social workers.
I have written numerous times to the procurator fiscal, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and the Lord Advocate, and eight times to the Cabinet secretary. None of them has achieved anything and all are referring me to one another. All this time, my constituent’s suffering has been prolonged.
Defendants should be taken into custody if they repeatedly fail to turn up, and courts should have more powers to appoint solicitors. What action will the cabinet secretary take to prevent such stalling tactics?
Angela Constance
Scottish National Party
I am, indeed, more than aware of Mr Burnett’s correspondence on behalf of his constituent. In previous correspondence, I have referred to the work that we are doing to ensure that additional investment in the courts system can assist in ensuring that our systems are more efficient and effective in holding people to account and getting quicker resolutions. I would be happy to meet Mr Burnett if that would be at all helpful.
As I have said to Mr Burnett previously, I have to be respectful of those independent players in terms of the judiciary, the Lord Advocate and other actors in the system, but I recognise the considerable trauma that his constituent has experienced.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
