§ 26. Mr. Brewisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the maximum amount that a sheriff's court may order a convicted person to pay in restitution of malicious damage to private property; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NobleThere are no general statutory provisions which bear directly on the ordering of restitution of damage additionally to any penalties which the court may impose on conviction. This is in accordance with the view generally accepted in Scotland that restitution is a civil matter.
§ Mr. BrewisHas my right hon. Friend seen the articles which appeared recently in the Scotsman, which showed that vandalism is costing about £1 million in Scotland? Is he satisfied that the sheriff courts have sufficient powers to deter people who commit this malicious damage?
§ Mr. NobleI have seen the articles to which my hon. Friend has referred, but the increase in senseless vandalism in recent years has not been peculiar to Scotland. I agree that it must be a matter of concern, but I doubt whether it would be useful to examine it from the point of view of changes in the law in isolation from other aspects of delinquency. The law of Scotland relating to juvenile delinquency is at present being reviewed by a committee under the chairmanship of Lord Kilbrandon.