General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 6 February 2025.
Colin Smyth
Labour
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average timescale is for non-criminal complaints against the police to be allocated for investigation by Police Scotland. (S6O-04305)
Angela Constance
Scottish National Party
The Dame Elish Angiolini review recommended that the complaints and conduct committee of the Scottish Police Authority should hold Police Scotland to account for delays in investigations into complaints and misconduct.
Police Scotland reports on the average timescales for completion of complaints and the proportion of complaints that are completed within 56 days. It does not break those figures down to measure the time that is taken for the allocation of a complaint.
The Police Scotland professional standards department provides a quarterly report to the complaints and conduct committee and Mr Smyth can access a full breakdown of its performance on the Scottish Police Authority website.
Colin Smyth
Labour
It is now routine that, when I write to Police Scotland on behalf of a growing number of constituents who have made complaints about Police Scotland but have heard little or nothing about that complaint—often after months and, in some cases, more than a year—the response is not only that there is no timescale for dealing with the complaint, but that Police Scotland cannot give a timescale for when a complaint will even be allocated for investigation.
When will that growing level of unacceptable waits be tackled? How can the public have confidence in the police if, when something goes wrong, the police do not seem interested in investigating that on time?
Angela Constance
Scottish National Party
The statutory guidance is very clear that complaint inquiries need to be completed with a letter explaining the outcome. That has to be done within 56 days. I have listened very carefully to the member’s comments. I have also given a commitment to other MSP colleagues that I will raise the issue with the chair of the SPA when we next meet, as the SPA has responsibility for holding Police Scotland to account on such matters.
The most recent data that went to the SPA has shown a decrease in complaints year to year and in the five-year average. I will pick up the specific issues that the member has raised when I next meet the chair of the SPA.
Alison Johnstone
Green
That concludes general Question Time.
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.
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.
