§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes are proposed in the investigation of sexual assault cases, in the light of the recent research study by his Department on this subject.
§ Mr. YoungerMy Department has today published the first report of a research study into the processing of sexual assault cases in the Scottish criminal justice system. Copies have been placed in the Library and a copy will be made available by the Scottish Home and Health Department to any Member who requests it.
This report deals with the police investigation of sexual assault cases. A further report on procurator fiscal and court procedures is awaited. It should be stressed that this report is not a statement of Government policy and that the researchers' findings have yet to be considered in depth. Since much of the police approach to the investigation of sexual assaults is dictated by the criminal justice system within which they operate, including the evidential and other requirements of the procurator fiscal and the courts, decisions on certain of the research findings at this stage would be premature pending receipt of the report on the prosecution and court stages of the processing of sexual assault cases, expected next year; but those findings which are not affected by consideration of prosecution and court
Authority 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Allerdale 956,779 1,074,402 1,320,252 1,777,592 2,298,425 1,422,298 487,753 (-1 per cent.) (+11 percent.) (+15 per cent.) (+9 per cent.) (-44 per cent.) (-68 per cent.) Barrow-in-Furness 538,374 605,115 686,038 906,994 1,177,868 497,055 310,998 (-1 percent.) (+3 percent.) (+13 percent.) (+10 per cent.) (-62 per cent. (-42 per cent.) Carlisle 471,137 624,107 772,829 1,016,535 1,417,605 nil nil (+16 per cent.) (+12 per cent.) (+12 percent.) (+18 percent.) (-100 percent.) — Copeland 945,960 956,504 1,026,664 1,193,660 1,385,439 481,861 nil (-11 per cent.) (-3 per cent.) (-1 per cent.) (-2 per cent.) (-69 per cent.) (-100 per cent.) Eden 161,285 235,920 279,812 324,945 405,035 45,626 nil (+28 per cent.) (+7 per cent.) (-1 per cent.) (+5 per cent.) (-90 per cent.) (-100 percent.) South Lakeland 341,514 394,956 470,699 601,127 775,291 nil nil (+2 per cent.) (+8 per cent.) (+9 percent.) (+9 per cent.) (-100 percent.) — Notes:
1. Figures in brackets are comparisons with previous year in constant cost terms, using the GDP deflator.
2. Figures for 1982–83 are estimates and may be subject to adjustment on final audit.
150Wprocedures will be taken into account in the preparation of revised police guidelines on the investigations of complaints of sexual assault.