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The Scottish Government welcomes the recent publication of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) report “Evidence and Procedure Review: A New Model for Summary Criminal Procedure”, which outlines a model underpinned by a digital case management process. We have been working with the senior judiciary, courts, Crown, and other key partners to consider the recommendations made in the earlier Evidence and Procedure Review and we welcome this paper as the next step in that process. The SCTS report makes a case for change and puts forward ambitious and far-reaching proposals for a new, modernised summary criminal court procedure. Further work is needed to evaluate and develop these proposals before decisions are taken about implementation.

To inform policy development SCTS is planning a programme of public consultation events in relation to the report during spring 2017. SCTS will evaluate the evidence on whether the propositions outlined in the paper are viable, assess the business, resourcing, financial and technological impacts, and what further analysis is necessary to help shape the way forward. Following this further development work SCTS will report back to the Justice Board with recommendations.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07912 on 21 March 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The Scottish Prison Service does not currently hold this information.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The timeline will be dependent on the availability of suitable sites and planning permission being obtained. Community consultation will also form part of the planning process.

The SPS is currently working towards timescales to achieve the opening of community custody units from 2019 onwards and an update will be provided once the sites have been identified.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07792 on 21 March 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

Individuals and organisations can currently access data held under the current electronic monitoring scheme in accordance with, and subject to the provisions of, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Data Protection Act 1998.

"A Consultation on Proposals for Legislation" ends on 19 May. This includes specific questions on about information and data sharing and retentions. We cannot pre-empt responses to these.

The Scottish Government is committed to looking at how electronic monitoring could be used ahead of sentencing in cases where the crime is unlikely to result in a custodial punishment.

To help inform the electronic monitoring working group thinking around the new uses of electronic monitoring, research was carried out by the Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research (SCCJR) ''. Independently, the SCCJR and the University of Stirling were commissioned to undertake research as part of a wider European Project; . The resulting report and its recommendations also informed the work of the working group.

This European Project found that electronic monitoring was used in diverse ways within the 5 jurisdictions involved in the project and therefore the detail in terms of use and volume is recorded differently.

The Scottish Government understands that John Finnie MSP intends to forward a member's Bill on physical punishment of children. The Scottish Government will consider this Bill once it is available.

The Scottish Government will work with key partners across the children's sector to develop the consultation on proposed amendments to section 12 of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 (Cruelty to persons under sixteen).

This Government is committed to action to reduce reoffending and we are taking forward a range of measures to support individuals to break this cycle. These include:

• maintaining record levels of funding of nearly £95 million for Criminal Justice Social Work services to tackle reoffending and the causes of crime;

• investing an additional £4 million in 2016-17 to increase the use of robust community services which evidence shows are more effective at reducing reoffending than short prison sentences, and this funding continues in the budget for this coming financial year; and

• providing £15.5 million over 2012-17 through the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund to support third sector services delivering practical, one to one offender mentoring services to women and prolific young male offenders, a substantial advance in the support previously available across Scotland to those completing short term prison sentences.

From 1 April, our new model for Community Justice will come into effect. Statutory Community Justice Partners will jointly plan and deliver services to prevent further offending and support those who have offended to reintegrate into communities. This approach will strengthen the way services and communities work together to break the cycle of offending, reduce re-offending and ultimately make our communities safer.