Details of the next steps in developing the ideas on the SCTS’ Report of the Evidence and Procedure Review have been released.
In March this year, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service published the Report of its Evidence and Procedure Review. This review, chaired by Lord Carloway, Lord Justice Clerk, aimed to identify the best methods to discover the truth in criminal trials in the modern era, and focused on the greater use of pre-recorded evidence. The Review’s Report covered the scope for pre-recording of the evidence of children and vulnerable witnesses, and of witness statements in general.
When the Report was published, the Justice Board, which is the forum that brings together all the main justice agencies agreed that these ideas should be developed further, and has put its weight behind a process to see proposals being worked up. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice has expressed his keen interest in this work.
The Scottish Court and Tribunals Service is therefore leading a programme of events over the next few months to bring together the Scottish Government, other justice agencies, the legal professions, victims groups, academics and others with an interest in criminal justice to explore the implications of the report’s propositions and develop proposals for change for the Government’s consideration.
The programme will be overseen by a Reference Group with representation from a range of organisations, including Police Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Scottish Government, Scottish Legal Aid board, the Law Society, the Faculty of Advocates, the Scottish Criminal Bar Association, Children First, Victim Support Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland and others. This Group will help design and supervise a series of workshops which will look into the Report’s propositions in more detail, and will consider the output from those workshops.
The programme will be initiated by two launch events, one at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday 5 May and one at Parliament House in Edinburgh on Thursday 7 May. At each event Lord Carloway will outline the thinking that informed the Review, and there will be further details of the plans for the workshops. Attached to this notice is a draft schedule for those workshops, which will be open to all those with an interest, on application to the email address below.
If you have any questions about this programme, would like to attend any of the the launch events or subsequent workshops or would like to suggest further workshops or areas for discussion, please email the Review team at: evidenceandprocedurereview@scotcourts.gov.uk
Evidence and Procedure Review – proposed Schedule of Workshops
| Date | Time | Venue | Location | Event Title |
| 5 May | 16.30 – 18.00 | Glasgow High Court | Glasgow | Evidence and Procedure Review – Information Session |
| 7 May | 16.30 – 18.00 | Parliament House | Edinburgh | Evidence and Procedure Review – Information Session |
| Children and Vulnerable Witnesses Workshops |
| 27 May | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 1: Model and Scope |
| 28 May | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 1: Model and Scope |
| 4 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 1: Model and Scope |
| 5 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 1: Model and Scope |
| 8 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 2: Facilities and infrastructure |
| 9 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 2: Facilities and infrastructure |
| 15 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 3: Training and Accreditation |
| 16 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 3: Training and Accreditation |
| 29 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 4: Business Case and Evaluation |
| 30 June | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 4: Business Case and Evaluation |
| General Witness Statements |
| 11 August | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 5: Taking Statements - practicalities |
| 13 August | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 5: Taking Statements - practicalities |
| 17 August | 14.00 – 16.00 | Teacher Building | Glasgow | Workshop 6: Ensuring a fair trial - procedures |
| 19 August | 14.00 – 16.00 | City Chambers | Edinburgh | Workshop 6: Ensuring a fair trial - procedures |
Venue Addresses
IET Glasgow: Teacher Building, 14 St. Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4DB
Edinburgh City Chambers, 253 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ