 SNP MSP Sandra White has today written to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini to encourage them to investigate using money collected from fiscal fines in communities affected by crime.
Following questions from Ms White in Parliament yesterday Kenny MacAskill indicated that the government was "sympathetic to the idea".
Calling for fiscal fines to be handed to local communities Glasgow MSP Sandra White said: "We have already seen the huge success of the Scottish Government's Cashback for Communities Scheme which takes the money made by Scotland's criminals and invests in activities for young people across the country.
"Taking money from fiscal fines and funding communities to use that money to improve their area, to invest in community facilities or to fund new activities would allow people to see the impact of instant justice in their community.
"The SNP wants to see communities prosper as crime rates are driven down. People want to see criminals making up for their crimes either through prison or tough community service. Seeing fiscal fines invested in our communities would deliver real improvements to areas and allow those communities blighted by crime to see the direct benefit from the punishment dished out to criminals."
Note:
Official Report, Justice Questions, 2nd October 2008
1. Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of moneys collected through fiscal fines is retained by Her Majesty's Treasury and how much this has amounted to since 2004 in real terms. (S3O-4453)
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill): Prior to 10 March 2008, local authorities collected and retained 100 per cent of all fiscal fines. From 10 March 2008, responsibility for their collection transferred to the Scottish Court Service, with the agreement of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Discussions are currently under way between the Scottish Government and HM Treasury to agree the arrangements for retention from 2008-09 onwards. The SCS collected £400,000 from 1 April 2008 to 31 July 2008.
Sandra White: I am pleased that the figure was 100 per cent, because it had not always been so high. Is the Government considering some way of using the moneys collected through fiscal fines in order to benefit the communities that are suffering from the crimes that incur such fines?
Kenny MacAskill: That is an excellent question. The matter has been raised by the Lord Advocate and we are considering it. Part of our drive for instant justice is that people should realise that, as well as rights, they have responsibilities. If they breach those responsibilities, they will be brought to book and held to account. We also want to ensure that the communities that suffer the most should benefit from those moneys. Those matters are being investigated and I assure Ms White that we are sympathetic to the idea.
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