Part 1

Victims and Witnesses Commissioner for Scotland

Annual report

Annual Report
18
1
The Commissioner must, in respect of each financial year—
a
prepare and publish a report on the Commissioner’s functions, and
b
lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of that year.
2
The Commissioner must give a copy of the draft report to—
a
each criminal justice body, and
b
any person providing victim support services who is named in the report,
not less than 5 days before publishing the report under subsection (1)(a).
3
The report must include—
a
a review of issues identified by the Commissioner in the financial year as being relevant to victims and witnesses,
b
a review of the Commissioner’s activity in that year, including the steps taken to fulfil each of the Commissioner’s functions,
c
any recommendations by the Commissioner arising out of that activity,
d
a summary of any review and revision of the Victims’ Charter under subsection (1) of section 9 that has completed in the financial year,
e
an overview of the activity the Commissioner intends to undertake in the financial year following the year to which the report relates.
4
Recommendations under subsection (3)(c) may include recommendations in relation to—
a
the provision of training to the members and employees of a criminal justice body,
b
a person’s standards of service set and published under section 2 of the 2014 Act,
c
the Victims’ Code for Scotland prepared and published under section 3B of that Act,
d
trauma-informed practice,
e
the provision of information to victims and witnesses,
f
any other matter relating to the Commissioner’s functions.
5
The Commissioner must—
a
comply with any direction given to the Commissioner by the Parliamentary corporation in relation to the form and content of the report,
b
ensure that a report does not include any information that would or might disclose the identity of an individual.
6
The first report under this section is to relate to the period beginning on the day that this section comes into force and ending—
a
if the financial year ends not less than 6 months after the day that this section comes into force, on the last day of that financial year, or
b
otherwise, on the last day of the next financial year.
S. 18 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 116(2)