§ 24. Mr. GallieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to stop perceived abuse of bail in Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonReducing bail abuse is a high priority for us. We have commissioned major research into bail decision making and the report of the research should be available in the next few weeks. We have also taken steps to improve statistical information on bail abuse so that we have a better understanding of both the nature and the scale of the problem.
We are considering with the Crown office, the police and the courts what further legislative and administrative action may be necessary for Scotland.