<p><strong>Main topics of interest</strong></p>
<p>This year the Justice Committee has agreed to focus its budget scrutiny on the police and courts budgets and would welcome your views on either or both of these areas. Views on any of the other budget proposals within the Justice and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service portfolios are also welcome.</p>
<p>Written submissions must be received by <strong>5.00pm on Friday 31 October 2014</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>Scrutiny timetable</strong></p>
<p>The Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2015-16 will be published during the week beginning 6 October 2014.</p>
<p>The Justice Committee will take oral evidence on the budget in November on the following dates:</p>
<ul>
<li>4 November: police budget (witnesses to be confirmed)</li>
<li>11 November: police budget (witnesses to be confirmed)</li>
<li>18 November: courts budget (witnesses to be confirmed)</li>
<li>25 November: Cabinet Secretary for Justice</li>
</ul>
<p>Witnesses will be added to the dates above once finalised.</p>
<p>The Committee expects to consider its report to the Finance Committee on 9 December.</p>
<p><strong>Format of written submissions</strong></p>
<p>Before you write your submission, please read the Parliament’s policy on the treatment of written evidence by subject and mandatory committees. Please also ensure that your submission:</p>
<ul>
<li>is no longer than 4 sides of A4 (if it is longer it should include a short summary of the main issues)</li>
<li>is set out with simple numbered paragraphs</li>
<li>includes hyperlinks or full citations when you are referring to existing published material (rather than quoting extensive extracts)</li>
<li>is provided electronically in work processing format (preferably Microsoft (MS) Word or Apple pages) wherever possible (if you send a PDF file, please also email us an MS Word version of the submission).</li>
</ul>
<p>Your submission will be published on the Committee’s webpages. However, if you would prefer your evidence to be treated confidentially, please contact the justice clerks (at the contact details below) before submitting your evidence. It is for the Committee to take any decisions on whether to accept a submission on the basis that it will not be published (although it would be seen in full by the Committee). The Parliament is however required to consider requests for information under freedom of information legislation and therefore we cannot guarantee that the evidence will never be released.</p>
<p><strong>Submit your evidence:</strong></p>
<p>By email to: <a href="mailto:
[email protected]">
[email protected]</a></p>
<p>or if this is not possible, then in hard copy to:</p>
<blockquote style="margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr">
<p>Justice Committee Clerks <br />
Room T2.60 <br />
The Scottish Parliament <br />
Edinburgh <br />
EH99 1SP</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If you have any queries about written submissions, please contact the justice clerks on 0131 348 5220 or at the contact details above.</p>