The next item of business is a debate on motion 1-1-2-7 in the name of Siobhan Brown on cashback for communities. I invite members who wish to participate in the debate to press the request to speak buttons now or as soon as possible, and I invite Siobhan Brown to speak to and move the motion Minister for around 11 minutes, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Many members will already be familiar with the cashback for communities programme and the work it delivers in their communities and some may have even visited projects in their area to see the work firsthand. Cashback is unique to Scotland. The programme takes funds recovered from criminals under the proceeds of criminal act 2002 and returns them to the communities. The funding is used to deliver a range of community projects and activities to support children and young people aged between 10 and 25. Since its inception in 2008, the Scottish Government have delivered five phases of the cashback programme, committing up to £130 million over that time. This investment has provided over 2.5 million activities and opportunities and has supported more than 1.3 million young people as it has grown in breadth and diversity over the years. In its early days, the programme funded investment in football facilities and playing fields to divert youth away from antisocial behaviour. It's now developed into a multifaceted programme of activities that range from intensive one-to-one support for young people and their families, including counselling for trauma through the skills development, creative arts development, volunteering and employability work. The diversity and accessibility of the programme is greater than ever, with cashback offering projects to young people in every one of our local authorities. It supports young people of all backgrounds to engage in projects that help to build their confidence, encourage positive life choices and raise their aspirations. Ydyn nhw'n gweithio'r 2022-23 cashback for communities impact report, which is the final annual report from phase 5 of the cashback, which ran from April 2020 to March 2023. Almost all of phase 5 was delivered during the global COVID-19 pandemic period. This was a time of unprecedented upheaval and challenge, where young people's lives faced immense disruption and uncertainty, and all the projects were also impacted. Year 3, which was from April 2022 to March 2023, covers a period where lockdown restrictions finally ended and young people started to rebuild their lives. Against this context, the 22-23 impact report shows that the programme still achieved remarkable outcomes for children and for young people. This is a testament to the dedication of all those involved in delivering the cashback programme. Projects that would traditionally have been delivered face-to-face and inside a venue became very difficult during COVID, and it was a real challenge to find activities that could be offered to young people as access to venues and facilities were unavailable due to the social distancing restrictions. Many organisations piloted online delivery and outdoor approaches to ensure that thousands of potentially isolated young people could be reached and supported during that time. Where this was not possible, for example, projects working with young people in prisons, alternative creative approaches were used to keep in touch with participants, such as broadcasting message to prisoners using prison radio. The impact of the pandemic was far-reaching, and cashback organisations responded to the immediate needs of many children, young people and families, including, for example, by delivering food parcels. Phase 5 organisations are to be commended for their response to the pandemic at a time when their own organisations were also dealing with challenges of sickness and furloughed staff. Up to £19 million was committed to support the Phase 5 cashback programme. The impact report shows us the positive benefits of the project funded during this phase. There were 28,060 young people participated in year 3 activities, with 78% of the participants being from the 30% most deprived communities. Young people achieved a wide range of outcomes. Over 21,000 reported increased confidence and improved their health and wellbeing. Nearly 17,000 reported positive behavioural changes and achieved positive destinations that included staying on at school, further education, training and employment. Nearly 15,000 said that they felt less inclined to take part in antisocial behaviour. Over 4,000 also undertook 115,000 hours of volunteering. We can all celebrate these positive achievements and it is direct from those young people that we get some of the most powerful endorsements for the programme. One reflection from one young person about their time in the programme is, and I quote, I'm just keeping my head down. Since I've got this job, I haven't been hanging about and it's kept me busy. If I hadn't got this job, I'd probably be still kicking about getting into trouble. The feedback from families is also a positive one. For example, one parent observed, I've never seen him so confident. He is quite happy being independent at the session now and getting involved with activities and making friends. In addition, 97% of other stakeholders, such as teachers and project workers, perceived improvements in wellbeing indicators with 92% reporting reduction in risk-taking behaviour. The incredible work of our cashback-funded partners is founded on their total commitment to understanding the needs of the young people that they engage with. Phase 5 partners were the first group of cashback organisations to embed children's rights and wellbeing into the cashback programme. All 24 cashback organisations reviewed their work against the principles of the UNCRC to ensure that the needs and the rights of the children and the young people remain central to the programme. The children and the young people themselves were active participants in that process. They were also involved in shaping phase 5 projects and providing feedback to help frame our next phase. We surveyed over 850 cashback participants during phase 5 and the findings were clear. Most of the proceeds of crime should be reinvested into those communities most impacted and an overwhelming positive response to the value, wide-ranging and easy accessibility of cashback projects, which were viewed by participants as highly inclusive. Young people placed most value on mental health, particularly in relation to confidence, anxiety and social interaction, alongside acquiring new skills and experiencing experiences and improving support networks through one-to-one support and guidance from trusted and experienced mentors and staff. In several instances, young people reported that this enabled them to stop and reduce offending behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse, self-harming and rebuild positive family relationships. Volunteering and community connectivity was also highly valued by the participants. I hope that members will take time to view the 2022-23 impact report in full and will agree that it demonstrates that the cashback is a highly impactful programme and worth every penny invested. A full evaluation of phase 5 will be published before the end of this year. It is important that we do this at the end of each three-year phase to ensure that the work that we fund remains relevant and adds value to our young people and has a positive impact on our communities. The end of phase 5 this year marks the beginning of the next phase of the community cashback programme. Phase 6 will run from April 2023 to March 2026, with a further commitment of up to £20 million. This significant investment from money recovered from the proceeds of crime reflects our confidence in the programme. Each phase is underpinned by a robust application process where organisations are able to submit project proposals. Successful applicants were awarded grant funding for a three-year period. Phase 6 was the most competitive round of funding so far with a programme significantly oversubscribed. Unfortunately we were not able to fund every proposal and so only the very strongest applications were successful and I'm sure they'll be as successful as the previous projects. I recently had the pleasure of meeting all 29 of the phase 6 cashback partners to learn about the range of work that is planned for the next three years and I was really impressed by the strength of the projects on offer and the passion and the professionalism of all these organisations. The focus for phase 6 projects is to support young people most at risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour offending and re-offending towards or into positive destinations. Fund projects will provide support for young people, parents and families impacted by adverse childhood experiences and trauma, support young people to improve their health, mental health and wellbeing and also support people and families and communities most affected by crime. The latest cohort of projects is both strong and diverse. In addition to traditional youth work, sporting activities, employability, culture and arts project, we have strengthened the range of options available to support girls and young women, young carers and also homeless young people. We've also increased our commitment to diversity, investing in key work to promote children's rights, racial equality and disability. The cashback also aims to include support for young people who have been in conflict with the justice system. This morning I was pleased to visit the VAL cashback project delivered by Police Scotland in partnership with the charity Aid and Abet. This intensive support project aims to remove young people from the criminal justice system and support them into positive destinations. The collaboration between police officers and the peer mentors is a fantastic model for building trust with young people and help them make positive choices. It was a real privilege to meet those involved in delivering the project and also meet one of the young people who has really benefited from it in the last few months. Previous feedback from one young person who engaged with the project during phase 5 is testament to the impact of the programme saying, had I not met the VAL project I have no idea where I would be with my drinking but I believe I would have continued to escalate further into criminality and self-destruction. At the cashback project, work to living in these and similar settings across the country is helping young people to rebuild their lives, family connections and relationships with the community. Minister, we are quite tight for time across the rest of the afternoon just to advise you at this stage. It hasn't pressed a button but wanting to speak should do so now and I call on Russell Finlay to speak to a move amendment 127.2 of the seven minutes. I begin by saying that we agree with the Scottish Government motion on cashback for communities and I hope they find agreement with our constructive amendment.  The process of crime act was groundbreaking when it came into force in 2004, the police were excited at the prospect of this powerful new weapon. The crime gangs were in a panic, the rules we were told had changed, crime would no longer pay. Working as a journalist I bought it, dirty fortunes could be seized on the less onerous civil standard of proof on the balance of probabilities. Crucially, a criminal conviction would not be required. In the crosshairs were the besuited bosses who do not get their own manicured hands dirty, those who stay arms length from the drugs that kill countless numbers of our people, those who never personally wield the knife or fire the gun. The first significant Scottish case became a protracted farce, a decade-long quagmire of legal attrition, and in the end the dirty fortune was whittled down to nothing, having only lined the pockets of lawyers. That exposed the limitations of the new law and resulted in a fundamental change of direction. The new focus was instead for proceeds of crime to be pursued after a criminal conviction had been secured. Of course, every single penny snatched from criminals and plowed back into our communities is welcome. There's no question about that. Many young people across Scotland have benefited from the £130 million of dirty money distributed by cash back for communities. Their work makes a positive difference to so many young lives. However, the cost of organised crime in Scotland is not counted in the millions but in the billions. The early optimism of proceeds of crime has become blunted and every passing week we see examples of this in the courts. Cases in which vast criminal fortunes have been generated only for a fraction to be subject to a confiscation order, take the international drug dealer James White from Glasgow. The Crown Office says with confidence, based on the evidence, that he made £126 million, that's £126,241,001, and £29 to be precise, from killing countless Scots.  How much of White's drug money do the authorities hope to get their hands on? The answer is just over £118,000. That represents less than 0.1 per cent. This example, and many others, I hope, will persuade the Government to look again at this legislation. Will there be time? It's up to the member whether he takes the intervention. I'm going to see how I get on first. It's a very brief one. I hope that it's helpful, because I think that you make a very important point. It may be too complicated to answer here and now, but I would like to know what one can do, what's missing in recouping that extra money that you're referred to. What would you suggest this review should do? I'll attempt to come on to that, but there's a lot to say. Criminals now regard proceeds of crime as a form of retrospective taxation, essentially an occupational hazard. Even then, once served with a confiscation order, they often refused to pay up. Last year, £12 million of confiscation orders were unpaid, and unknown sums have been written off. That is wrong and should also form part of any widespread review. A renewed and robust proceeds of crime law could yield even more money for our communities. I have a specific concern relating to cashback for communities and amateur boxing. Many boxing clubs are great forces for good. They are at the heart of communities. They are run by decent people who support young people and help to keep them out of trouble. However, they tell me of significant infiltration by organised crime. We see the same in professional boxing with the Kinnehan cartel and their Scottish associates. Real boxing people despise the contamination of their sport, which brings me back to James White. This £126 million drug dealer sought legitimacy by coaching kids at a Glasgow boxing club. This same club has received money from cashback for communities, which seeks to divert youths from crime. It would be perverse that money seized from drug dealers should end up being returned to drug dealers. Therefore, I urge the Scottish Government to conduct an audit of where this money ends up. Our amendment also calls for the Scottish Government to update its serious organised crime strategy. I have very little time left, but I believe that much more needs to be done to tackle the flow of laundered drugs money into society. One area of particular concern is sport, not just in boxing but also professional football. Just like boxing, good people in football have no time for the exploitation of the national game by drug dealers. Police Scotland previously issued a video warning young players about organised criminals posing as football agents. Prominent lawyers and former players provide a veneer of respectability. That is a significant problem, and there is also evidence that drugs money has seeped into the ownership and control of senior football clubs. In football, much of this is an open secret, but it appears that no one is willing or able to talk about it publicly. In seven minutes it is impossible to go into sufficient level of detail, but we should all be in agreement that in Scotland crime should not pay, and today that is not something that I have any conference in saying. I am pleased to follow Russell Finlay, who makes a powerful case for a review and to open the debate on behalf of Scottish Labour. We support this programme in efforts to work with young people, direct them to positive destinations and reduce re-offending. Cashback for communities is a continuation of a scheme to reinvest the proceeds of crime, first established by Scottish Labour and Government in 2006, and that in turn drew from the framework set out in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, introduced and passed by the Labour Government of that time. Two decades on, with the challenges of Tory austerity and the pandemic, there is absolutely no doubt that youth services are in a sorry state in Scotland. Young people, as we know, still face many challenges, and the diversionary activities that the minister has spoken about are a clear component of any functioning justice system, and indeed providing alternatives to those that might. Be drawn into crime. The anti-social behaviour on display at the weekend testifies to that. Prevention of crime and better outcomes for those at risk of involvement must be a crucial part of addressing criminal behaviour in the first place. There must be greater clarity on what metrics the Scottish Government is using to measure the success of the various activities that are being supported by this scheme. I note that these aren't set out in the latest evaluation report for 2020-23 published on the Cashback for Communities website, and so feedback from the minister on this point would be welcome. Other than assessments of positive destinations, it's not clear whether there's concrete evidence to conclude that these specific projects are reducing crime. I'm also unclear on how organisations are selected, so it would be helpful if the minister perhaps could say more on that. Many of the organisations funded are national charities. However, I think that all of us in our constituencies will know of schemes where there are local groups that receive valuable funding. In North Ayrshire, for example, as well as getting the benefits of national governing bodies for football and rugby, who have received hundreds of thousands of pounds between them, there are a number of local sports projects that are supported. However, it would be good to know whether small or grass brooks organisations, say for example council youth clubs, tend to bid for grants. The sums awarded to a relatively small number of large organisations clearly have benefit. However, almost all of those types of projects are now delivered by the third sector. Of course charities and not-for-profit organisations aren't subject to freedom of information coverage despite receiving public money, albeit that those funds are recovered from criminal activities rather than taxation. It's therefore more important that the Scottish Government provides transparency, as that will not only be of public benefit but also allow us to better guide projects and assess outcomes for the young people that they support. I would also like to make the point that the amount of funds that are recovered to support those projects in the first place are relatively small. I understand that £7 million was recovered in the last financial year measured, which was 2020-21. However, the Scottish Government's own assessment back in 2017 was the organised crime that cost the Scottish economy £2 billion a year. Russell Finlay has already spoken in detail of the fact that one... Keith Brown? Can I thank the member for taking intervention? She will be aware of the cross-border nature of much of this crime, including in particular the supply of drugs to Scotland from road and rail in England. Given that, does she agree that if the UK Government was to take the same approach as the Scottish Government in terms of cash back for communities and apply that to some of the proceeds of crime that they had, that could provide benefit to the people of Scotland? Will she agree to write with me to the UK Government proposing that change? I would be very happy to write with Keith Brown. He clearly has a huge amount of experience to draw upon, and I am sure that he is absolutely correct in what he is saying. As Russell Finlay was saying, one person from an organised crime group in Scotland made more than a reported £126 million, yet only 0.1 per cent of that was confiscated. I am absolutely clear that these organised criminal gangs do not stop at borders, so the more cross-border co-operation, the better. I would welcome clarity on what steps are being taken and what dialogue ministers are having with the UK Government, but also with Police Scotland and the Crown Office to ensure that more money is recovered in cases that could potentially support community projects. If the minister could outline what work is being done to increase the money that is recovered. As I said, I think that Russell Finlay made a powerful case for a review. However, I would like to make it very clear to the minister that Scottish Labour supports this scheme, but I hope that she will address the issues and concerns that are being raised in this debate. Finally, I would like to move the amendment in my name, which speaks of the importance of restorative justice practices, and I ask that the minister also respond on that point. I am pleased to speak on the Cashback for Communities programme today. Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that reducing crime involves a co-ordinated approach across sectors from tackling homelessness and offering more education and training opportunities to more outreach youth services and stronger action to help recovery from and prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. Cashback for Communities supports organisations that are working to help to achieve crime reduction. Money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act has reinvested into organisations working to support young people at risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour, offending or re-offending. The 29 partner organisations in this phase of the programme cover a range of projects across Scotland, as others have highlighted. Examples include Edinburgh young carers providing mental health support, core skills development and respite activities for children and young people caring for a parent affected by alcohol or substance abuse in the most deprived areas of the capital. Starcatchers working with young parents in Fife, living in areas of socioeconomic deprivation to improve mental health and social and emotional wellbeing. Working with young people who have been impacted by adverse childhood experiences from across Scotland, the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland develops young people's confidence, resilience and teamwork skills through outdoor education and sale training, which gives young people the opportunity for personal development through the experience of a lifetime. In my constituency of Shetland, Cashback for Communities funding supported extra curricular programmes focused on road safety. Those are just some examples of the positive impact that funding from Cashback for Communities can have by supporting projects that build capacity, resilience and confidence of young people, reducing crime through working with communities. However, one scheme cannot be looked at in isolation. The reduction of funding of youth services threatens any good work undertaken through this programme. Holistic efforts to tackle crime requires visible and viable youth support services with reliable funding. If I may, I would like to highlight the work of a Shetland charity that I believe fits with the ethos of Cashback for Communities. Dogs Against Drugs works in two ways. Trained dog handlers work with drug detection dogs to seize and prevent illegal drugs and associated cash from entering Shetland. At the same time, the charity works with local schools to deliver education aimed at preventing drug use, reaching 1,800 pupils this year so far. It also works with the Moving On project, supporting vulnerable young people. In 2022, the charity seized almost £30,000 in drugs cash, which was seized as proceeds of crime, and this year to date it seized £14,000. Despite its work with young people, the charity was unable to apply for funding from Cashback for Communities in this phase due to the way the criteria is laid out. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs met me earlier this year to discuss the charity, and I again thank her for her time. I would like to stress the importance of the work of Dogs Against Drugs undertakes in Shetland, disrupting the illegal drug supply chain and delivering crucial awareness raising courses in school. It seems reasonable that, as the charity seizes cash from the illegal drugs trade, it should receive some funding back into their work. I understand the current phase of Cashback for Communities runs until March 2026. When the Scottish Government is determining possible future criteria of the programme, I would ask that consideration might be given as to how an organisation like Dogs Against Drugs might meet any new conditions. We now move to the open debate. Again, we are tight for time, and I call for Christine Grahame to be followed by Megan Gallagher up to four minutes. Frequently we become so accustomed to innovative policies in this Parliament that it is introduced that we forget to reflect on the impact and, in some circumstances, to celebrate the policies that they have on people for the better. The ban on smoking in public places, no prescription charges in Scotland, for example, and of course cashback for communities. While the public will be aware of the smoking ban and free prescriptions, I am sure that most of the public are unaware of cashback for communities, mainly because it does not affect them overtly, although it does have an impact on their communities and the quality of life not only for those communities but for the many individuals who benefit from these programmes. I welcome the debate and the Labour amendment, and I suggest to Russell Finlay that I found a very interesting contribution following the points that he made that he puts forward solutions if he can to better recovery of proceeds. We all want to see that, although I appreciate the cross-border and international aspects raised by my colleague Keith Brown. Now, 15 years old in that time, it has distributed 150 million to good causes. Many are in my own constituency of Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, to which I will come shortly. I was reminded this recently when visiting the YMCA hub in Penicook at the inauguration of RUTs, which is an unfortunate name. It is the Rural and Urban Training Scheme, the project there in partnership with the YMCA. That is one of the partner organisations in the scheme. It has received, for 2023-26, target to reach 400 activities for young people. In the Scottish Borders, a total so far, in 2008-21, of over 2 million was distributed, covering over 100,000 activities. In the Midlothian, in the same period, over 1.5 million for 46,000-plus activities. This is not money that is to be dismissed, but back to RUTs at the YMCA in Penicook. Using the grand facilities there, which had become underused and were in financial difficulties as a consequence, that has been rescued in the right way. I saw the boxing ring and I had a go with the gloves on a punch bag. I will not disclose whose image I mentally projected on it, though I will do if I get the right donation for the YMCA. I went on to look at the motorbikes, where young people from 14 to 24 can learn about maintenance, and there are other projects that they can engage with to give them some sense of direction. Young people may self-refer there, be recommended by social workers schools, and many and most are young people who are disengaged for a range of reasons from the traditional routes through education and so on. It builds self-confidence and a sense of personal achievement, which can lead to apprenticeships, work further education, but most importantly is centred on that individual. In the Borders, we have Tweeddale Youth Action and TD1, both recipients of funds, and in Gorebridge, the Guides and in Gallishields, the Boys Brigade, all receiving funding support. There are many more from large to modest projects. The purpose is always to help young people not to get back on track but to find the track that suits them towards a fulfilling and positive life, whether diverting from prosecution or intervening, we hope, far earlier, helping them to help themselves before that becomes out of reach. What better application of the proceeds of criminal activity? One of the many interesting aspects of our roles as MSPs is learning about incentives that bring cash back to our local communities. For me, I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on a subject that I do not usually voice in this Parliament, and that is how Governments reinvest dirty money obtained through organised crime. I am not the only MSP in this chamber who wants to see this Government get tougher on organised crime. We have already heard from our crime watch champion, Russell Findlay, who, since his election, has made sure that tackling crime is at the forefront of discussions in this chamber. The cash back for communities scheme has the potential to do a lot of good for young people across Scotland. £130 million of reimbursement from the Proceeds of Crime Act is not to be scoffed at, and I know that money goes directly to young people at risk of turning to a life of crime. Prevention is key when trying to protect young people from a life of crime, and I will always support incentives that are youth-led and targeted in areas where crime rates are higher. It is my understanding that the latest round of funding is for projects aimed to deliver a range of trauma-informed and person-centred services, which includes young people more likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour. Given the rise in antisocial behaviour in our town centres and high streets, I am sure that business owners and those concerned about antisocial behaviour will be reassured that funding is being used to reduce this problem that many of us are experiencing in our communities. It is not just those incentives where money is being directed. The Moving Forward Plus project is delivered by the National Autistic Society Scotland's prospects team and is funded by the cash back for communities. It supports disadvantaged autistic young people on a path to becoming more engaged in happier citizens, reducing the chances of either becoming victims or perpetrators of crime by recognising that each autistic young person has individual needs and aspirations. The project has two routes, one for children aged 10 to 15 who are not engaged with school education and another for autistic young adults aged 16 to 25 who are not in training, employment or education. The support involves helping individuals better understand their autism, exploring their strengths and developing suitable strategies to help them to become more resilient. That is a wonderful project that will benefit so many young people. Since 2020, the project has supported more than 93 young autistic people. Going back to my point earlier on, the scheme has the potential to do a lot of good. I think that we can also recognise that the scheme is not perfect. I do hope that the Government will realise that more can be done to increase cash back for our communities. Crime should pay and what better message to send to communities that this Government backs them. As it stands, the money recovered from the proceeds of crime act does not match the wealth accumulated by criminals in Scotland. An example of that has been pointed out. It was reported in 2022 that £11 million worth of dirty money had not been paid back. That is £11 million of money that could be directly invested back into our communities. I appreciate that that is subject to review at this point in time. The Government must think how it can recuperate as much money as possible from organised crime. As Russell Finlay said, the scheme needs an audit to maximise the amount of money that could be reinstated back into our communities. Time is tight today, and I mentioned prevention earlier on. It is key. Investment is needed to ensure that effective programmes are rolled out. My call today is for this Government to get tougher on crime and to make sure that prevention is at the heart of cash back for communities. Scotland has committed to getting it right for every child and creating an equal society where every child and young person in Scotland can reach their full potential. To create an equal society, there must be equal access to opportunity. Cashback for communities funding is allowing organisations to remove barriers to access and strengthen communities. We have heard from the minister about £130 million spent through cashback for communities since its inception supporting around 1.3 million young people. I want to provide a local example from my constituency to highlight the huge difference that even a small proportion of those funds can make at local level. Barry Hughes told me about the impact cashback for communities funding makes for Rapplock Scouts. That group, as well as others in Stirling, including Brayhead, received cashback for communities funding through Scout Scotland. Barry started Rapplock Scouts in 2019, and at the beginning he only had eight beavers, but it has been so successful that he now has over 60. Scouts in groups like it give so much to young people and their communities, and research has found that young people involved in Scouts are learning more skills, volunteering more often and contributing to a kinder, more cohesive society.  Those in areas of deprivation face barriers accessing activities that could build their confidence and their life skills. Cashback for communities funding has allowed Rapplock Scouts to remove barriers for many who otherwise would struggle to participate, especially during this cost of living crisis. Uniform alone is quite expensive at £21 for a Scout shirt, but using cashback for communities funds, Rapplock Scouts have provided all of the uniforms to their members. Many Scout groups ask for parents and caregivers to pay upfront for a term of meetings, to book activities in advance and to purchase materials. Barry told me that the £35 term quickly adds up, especially when families have two or three children attending. Funds from cashback for communities provide a pot of money to be used for upfront bookings and allows Rapplock Scouts to operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. The small change has made a massive difference, and it has also allowed Rapplock Scouts to fund camping trips. Rapplock Scouts has taken two trips this year already to Invertrossach by Loch Vennacar, which is a beautiful area in my constituency. For lots of their members, they are the only trips away that they will get each year. The young people have got so much from this, and without that funding many would not be able to enjoy these opportunities or participate at all. Investment in these experiences for young people is also a preventative spend for our justice system. Scout Scotland is only one of the many partners of cashback for communities making real positive change in my constituency. With nearly £2 million being spent across Stirling since 2008, the proceeds of crime being reinvested is having a transformational impact, and it is really strengthening local communities. This is a real force for good, and I echo the minister's commendation and look forward to what the future will bring for this initiative. The Cashback for Communities programme has reinvested the proceeds of crime in our communities, supporting over a million young people, including many in mid-Scotland and Fife. In Burnt Island, the Shell Twilight initiative with Scottish Sports Futures delivered weekly indoor physical activity sessions alongside wellbeing and mental health advice and speakers. Scottish Sports Futures has also supported young people from Stirling and Fife and a residential trip to Aachen-Gillan outdoor centre, which were many of them with their first time away staying from home. Barnadol has provided the eight-week fit to work employability programme, which has helped to build confidence as well as support participants in securing qualifications and work placements. As others have said, the programme has been running now for 15 years, with the most recent phase receiving over 150 applications, although only 29 organisations will benefit from the round of grants. Clearly, there is a huge demand for government support, particularly in the current circumstances. However, although the programme for government commits to continue to reinvest money through Cashback for Communities, does that have to mean more of the same? Or is this an opportunity to evaluate and expand the process and look at how well it is delivering its aims? Although we welcome the hard work of the partner organisations, that does not mean that there is not room for improvement. It is welcome that there are some organisations new to this phase, including Starcatcher's Productions, which are going to work with Gingerbread and Fife to deliver creative play opportunities for families through the Cashback for Young Parents programme, but many of the organisations funded are national bodies, some of whom are receiving significant proportions of the available finance. We need to be confident that funding is delivering local impact in communities across the whole of Scotland and that it is not just having the unintended consequence of bids from more specialised local organisations from missing out. Perhaps the key to that is increasing the overall funding, but I am also interested to find out more about how the programme is being evaluated and how it could be improved. While there are employment programmes and early intervention programmes, and I recognise that I need them, I feel that we should see greater prioritisation on diversionary schemes and activities to engage those who are most at risk of offending. For a number of years, Kingdom Off-Road Motorcycle Club has been working to reduce illegal and antisocial motorcycling in Fife communities, including through the gear's use initiative, targeting those furthests from mainstream education and most at risk of antisocial behaviour. Fife Council recently agreed to put funding towards the project, which has not been able to attract money from the Cashback Communities Fund this year. I have worked with Kingdom Off-Road for a number of years, and I have seen how their activity has grown and how they can have a meaningful impact. On a recent visit where I even got on an off-road bike, we discussed how processes of crime, aside from cash, can be used to benefit those types of programmes, for example where bikes are confiscated by police. Can we look at more systematic ways to ensure that they can be then utilised by organisations such as Kingdom Off-Road rather than being auctioned or destroyed? While cashback for communities is deemed unique to Scotland, there are similar schemes elsewhere. Merthyside police have a community cashback fund that is used to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour, offering diversion from criminal gangs. Essex police work with a local community foundation to provide grants to charities and voluntary organisations. In north Wales, the Police and Community Trust has supported initiatives across the regions since 1998 that improve people's quality of life by reducing crime and fear of crime using cash that is seized from criminals and recycled for the public good. There are opportunities to share knowledge and good practice across the UK, and I encourage the minister to engage in those discussions. I am pleased to be speaking in this debate as I believe that the Cashback for Communities programme is something that this Parliament should be proud of in its 15th year. The programme is unique to Scotland, demonstrating the Scottish Government's commitment to supporting our young people to live full, healthy lives and to address some of the underlying causes of crime. As for the motion in front of us today, the Cashback for Communities re-invests money recovered from the proceeds of CRIMAC 2002 into positive activity, which supports young people's wellbeing, which also helps to build their confidence and skills. Since its inception, the programme has committed £130 million to support around 1.3 million young people across Scotland, including in my Gynon Cynonverclyde constituency. The Cashback for Communities delivers many things for young people, including diversionary activities and community-led opportunities. Two projects in particular in my Gynon Cynonverclyde constituency that I want to touch upon are the Gynon Cynonverclyde community trust and the Ocean Youth Trust for Scotland. I want to thank Beatrice Wishart for her comments regarding OIT Scotland earlier. I am proud of both organisations and the outstanding work that they do. They engage with a wide range of young people, including those requiring diversionary activities, carers, younger people, younger children getting active, to name just three examples. Inverclyde is extremely fortunate to have both of those organisations and they enrich my community. I have sponsored events for both of them in the Parliament before to help more people to realise what they do and their excellence remains high. The Cashback for Communities has shown that diversionary work helps to reduce anti-social behaviour by focusing on prevention, early intervention and improving the life chances of young people. Sadly, children and young people from deprived backgrounds are at a greater risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour. That does not preclude it from occurring in affluent neighbourhoods or children and young people from more privileged backgrounds being involved. However, that highlights the flexibility of the approach with the Cashback programme that is deployed. However, particularly in areas of deprivation, it is important that projects that are funded by the programme focus on delivering a range of trauma-informed and person-centred services and activities. That demonstrates why the programme is so valuable as it provides vulnerable and disadvantaged young people with access to opportunities to help them achieve their potential. Many of those activities are things that those younger people would never have ever jumped off doing before. Those opportunities are sometimes not afforded elsewhere, either. This is where the Almighty Scotland, in particular, excel. They support young people from across Scotland to take part in life-changing residential voyages with the aim of helping them to develop new skills and move them on to positive destinations. In 2018, I touched upon the point that I raised earlier, which I spoke about earlier, that I highlighted with OIT. It has been in the Parliament before. In 2018, the event was celebrating its on-course with Cashback programme. That involved the Cashback programme for communities, groups, embarking and sailing voyages, including people from the Inverclyde Academy and the young people from the Polk Glasgow Eye Zone. It was certainly a pleasure and a privilege to invite the charity, its partners and some of the young people involved in the programme to come to the Scottish Parliament to showcase the wonderful work of OIT Scotland. OIT Scotland has been a cashback for communities' partners for three phases. I am delighted that, from 2023-26, they will receive £475,000 for their on-board with Cashback project, which expects to work with 248 young people. I could go on and no time is short and I am about to close, so thank you very much. With the Cashback programme, it certainly helps to change lives for many people across the country. I welcome this motion and share its commendation of the Cashback for Communities programme. Over its 15-year history, it has developed to become more sensitive to the needs of young people, families and communities across Scotland, including those in the north-east. It acknowledges that there aren't two watertight compartments of people, one criminals and one victims. Injustices, inequalities and experiences of trauma impact on individuals in ways that can leave them harmed or harming, and often both. It recognises that crime of all kinds has the most devastating effects on the most marginalised communities, on people living in poverty and in areas of multiple deprivation. It realises that intergenerational trauma and adverse childhood experiences have a huge impact on who is most vulnerable to the behaviours and situations that we commonly describe as crime. Some of the most inspiring projects are those which share the creative arts to build young people's confidence, imagination, communication and other skills. They include Cashback for Change, delivered by Why Dance in Angus and D and the Move Forward project, delivered by Station House Media Unit or SHMU in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, developing skills in radio, film and music. Other activities support people to develop skills that may help them find employment, projects like Binardo's Fit for Work, which operates in Aberdeen, Dundee and now also in Murray. While many of these projects focus on those at risk of being brought into the criminal justice system, others address the needs of those already caught within its structures. That means supporting young people who have been incarcerated, helping them to build their wellbeing and develop essential skills in preparation for their release. The Cashback Passport project working in Pullment has helped young people in readiness for their lives after incarceration. The Keeping Families Together project, delivered by the Serenians in Montrose, helps young people in secure care to rebuild relationships and return to their family homes. While much of this work is delivered by large and well-known partners, it is equally important that the fund supports smaller grassroots initiatives, too. I was pleased to see that the Youth Work Fund, redistributed through YouthLink Scotland, has benefited local providers, including the Ciri Youth project, Rock Solid Dundee and Aberdeen Foyer, as well as enabling the Give Us a Break partnership pilot project in Dundee. I hope that this local aspect can be expanded in years to come, especially supporting those projects led or co-produced by young people themselves. Cashback for communities is an encouraging example of what Scotland can do well within out-of-old powers, but it is not a complete answer to the deep-rooted problems that it tackles. It works, as it should, with individual young people, their families and communities, but that work needs to be complemented by policies that address the structural causes of adverse childhood experiences and intergenerational trauma, causes that include child poverty, inequality, service and resource shortfalls. It needs to be underpinned by robust and enforceable children's rights and by continued reform of a criminal justice system, which too often punishes young people for their economic and social situations. Finally, its funding source sanctions certain kinds of crime, but does absolutely nothing to redress some of the most damaging harms, environmental, corporate and institutional injustices that destroy health, happiness and hope. I commend the programme, but I urge us also to look further and deeper to a shared future where, as well as giving back to communities, we can better protect them all, including the young people, in the first place. I commend the work of Cashback for Communities, an organisation that uses money collected from the proceeds of crime to fund projects to support young people. The motion rightly recognises the positive work of the organisation, as have many of the speeches in the chamber so far today. I would like to address the underlying rationale behind the creation of Cashback for Communities. It is just one of a raft of Scottish Government measures that takes a preventative approach to crime by seeking to address the root causes of crime, in this case by addressing issues such as social isolation, loneliness and peer pressure among young people. The point is particularly pertinent, given the scenes of irresponsible firework use, for example, that we have seen across Scotland over the past week. I urge all members, when we address these incidents, not to think only about the rules and regulations on the sale of fireworks, much of which lie with Westminster, but also about the underlying social factors that cause this behaviour of young people. I do not disagree with some of the points that Maggie Chapman made, but I do think that the things, the greater harm that she is talking about, have to be addressed in the context of the austerity years that we are going through. Cashback for Communities has spent £130 million supporting around 1.3 million young people across Scotland since its creation of 15 million young people across Scotland. I do not spoil my constituency. We have the funding of supported organisations such as Play Allaw or Lancer Academy's School of Football. It has also worked closely with local groups such as Connect Allaw or local youth community improvement to deliver homelessness, awareness projects, art sessions, sessions on alcohol and drugs awareness and I do not need to be in the shoes of the community.  That was an opportunity to celebrate what Cashback for communities offers our young people. An opportunity to come together and to learn from each other at a young person-led environment. Of course, as the chief officer of Clutmanusure's third sector interface, Anthea Coulter often makes the case, Clutmanusure could always benefit from further support, as could Dumblayne and Bridget Vallon from the programme, to address local challenges that arise. I know that she would welcome the opportunity to meet with myself and the minister, and I'll write to the minister on this, to discuss our local context. It would be wrong though to highlight the success that Cashback for communities has had in achieving its dual goals of financial investment in our communities and preventing crime before it happens, without also highlighting the significant challenges that both of those goals face. I'll refer again to the 14 years now of Westminster austerity, which has changed our communities beyond all recognition, and I'd suggest that it's very likely that that austerity has been a significant contributor to the very issues of loneliness, isolation and peer pressure among young people, despite the immense work of organisations supported by Cashback for communities that work so hard to support our charities, social enterprise and voluntary groups as they support our young people. While Cashback for communities has made a significant difference to our society, not least in my constituency, much of that hard work, both from the view of financial investment and from the viewpoint of addressing the root causes of crime, is under threat by the unwanted Westminster austerity that is forced on Scotland. In closing, I'll just reiterate the point that I made, and I'm very grateful to Katie Clark for agreeing to write with me to the UK Government. The scope of that could be substantially expanded as could its effect on families and communities in Scotland if Westminster were to follow the same approach by bringing back some of the proceeds of crime to help communities, including those in Scotland that are affected by, for example, the drug trade coming through road and rail routes from England and the rest of the UK to Scotland. Notwithstanding that point, I would conclude by saying that I quite agree that there should be a review in people who should satisfy themselves that the right criteria are being used for the awards, but just to say that I'm well aware, there's very limited scope for ministers to direct these awards, but there's no harm at all in having a review, and I support the motion in the name of Shwylun Brown. Thank you, and I call Rose McCall to be followed by Carol Mocken. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I want to add my support to the cash back for communities programme and for the Scottish Conservative amendment. I commend the scheme and recognise that it has managed since 2008 to reinvest up to £130 million worth of money obtained through the proceeds of crime back into community projects. I also want to highlight the most recent round of cash back funding from March of this year, when £20 million has been pledged to be invested into projects that support young people into employment. I note that this funding aims to deliver a range of trauma informed and person centric services with a cash back of communities website stating that services and activities will be delivered for young people at risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour, young people impacted by adverse childhood experiences, for young people's health and mental health, and to support communities affected by crime. I also note my colleague Megan Gallacher highlighted moving forward plus programme delivered by the National Autistic Society, but I think it's worth repeating that it supports disadvantaged autistic young people on the path to becoming more engaged citizens. This in turn reduces their chances of becoming victims or perpetrators of crime, so it will be no surprise to everyone that I applaud the focus of this round of funding and I'll be very interested in any information as to the outcomes of phase six of this programme. Imagine what could be done if the full amount of confiscation orders were collected and if we could remove more dirty money from organised crime gangs. The latest data from the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service states that currently there's more than £1.5 million pounds worth of confiscation orders that are in arrears. Of the £19 million pounds worth of orders being imposed over the last five years, £14 million has been paid off leaving a staggering £5 million left outstanding and uncollected, and in 2022 it was also reported that over £11 million worth of dirty money had not been paid back. When you consider the good that this money can do and the fact that this money is obtained by criminal processes, it should be imperative that we ensure that the orders imposed are paid in full. It is also necessary that the confiscation orders are robust and fitting to the amount earned from the crime committed. I was shocked to hear of a case where a person, after selling fake luxury items such as watches, sunglasses, clothing and aftershave totaling over £1 million, was only requested to repay £31,000, which is utterly ridiculous, and that the Crown Office has no issues with reducing the amount to be repaid after an appeal. Unfortunately, this sort of narrative makes a mockery of the system and it only perpetuates a soft-touch approach to breaking the law, to swindling people out of their hard-earned money, and it seems to underscore that crime does pay and it shouldn't. Surely it would be sensible to review the proceeds of the crime act so that we can look to recover more cash back from organised crime gangs and cunning petty swindlers. Too many times organised crime makes substantial sums of money, but authorities are unable to recover these ill-gotten gains or simply don't have the resources to fulfil the task. More powers should be afforded so that our justice system can go after the criminal gangs, apply appropriate penalties and force payment in full. I will always stand up for trauma-experienced children and young people. If there is a way we can redistribute funds to actively support positive change in the lives of our young people and help them to thrive on to achieve their potential, then it will have my full support. Let's review the proceeds of the crime act, update the serious organised crime strategy and properly fund cash back into our communities. It is right that consensus has been found in the chamber today in so far as that the cash back for communities programme has been beneficial to our communities and that it must be continued in years to come to allow that impact to be felt and seen in our communities. The proceeds of crime act, delivered by a Labour Government in 2002, paved the way for initiatives such as the cash back for communities programme to be introduced. It is heartening to hear the impacts today from members. Those funds are aimed at delivering positive futures for our young people, a legacy of a Labour Government. It is appropriate that the scheme continues to deliver for young people and that the scheme seeks to ensure positive destinations for young people. It is important, however, that we note the role of restorative justice in this debate today. Although the funds collected are reinvested in tackling anti-social behaviour initiatives, sporting activities and other positive programmes that we have heard, it should be highlighted that access to restorative justice practices can prevent crime and anti-social behaviour as well as reducing re-offending. Therefore, I would hope that the Scottish Government would support Labour's amendment this evening as one that makes an important addition to a motion rightly recognising the success of the programme. Communities themselves tell us of the fear that they have that young people can turn to crime if investment opportunity and activity is lacking for our young people. I am sure that many members in the chamber today have discussed their worry with parents, carers and the wider community. I have attended many community councils or surgeries with local councillors on countless occasions, and that has brought to my attention time and time again. Yes, the programme has had success. As other members have said, we should dig deep into that, and anything that we can do in addition with the fund would be helpful. However, we need further investment in our communities to act upon the real and serious concerns of those in our communities in the south of Scotland and beyond. Preparing for this debate, I noted several initiatives in my own region of what other members have, providing support to locally established groups such as the Scouts and the Girls' Guides, helping with digital work, badges and general sport of culture activities, things that can seem small. However, as other members have said, those resources can be scarce for some families, but it is very impactful to be able to do some of those trips or aways or activities. Some of our small Ayrshire communities, which are often isolated, these small steps can be a big help encouraging young people to participate in groups and clubs and engage with the wider family. We are all aware that communities, particularly rural and isolated communities, often talk about the lack of activities and facilities for young people in villages and how they feel that this is linked to antisocial behaviour. Strengthening already existing groups in those communities can be helpful. I think that other members across the benches mentioned about those community groups. Perhaps we could look at how they can be supported. I am sure that the minister would be able to comment on that. I note with interest that organisations such as Aberlour have received some of the sums. Those groups are working at very grass-roots levels, and they will be receiving funds in phase 6, which I am pleased about. The local interest in supporting our young people and preventing crime exists. The benefits of the programme are clear, however, it needs to be matched with strong funding for local services to ensure that communities work for those who are most at risk of being caught up in the criminal justice system, and others have mentioned that. More needs to be done with regard to organised crime. People involved in organised crime can take millions of pounds in cash and assets, and we need to ensure that cash is seized and moved. Other members have spoken quite clearly about that. I support that reinvestment in our communities. Over the past 15 years, the cashback for communities programme has played a crucial role in the lives of countless young people and communities across Scotland. I welcome that over the next three years, phase 6 of the programme is expected to reach around 34,000 young people. In East Dunbartonshire, part of my constituency, over a million pounds has been spent on over 40,000 activities from 2008 until now. In West Dunbartonshire, approximately 2.5 million has been spent on 44,000 activities. One of those who received funding was Includum, a Scottish charity that works with young people and families. In 2020, they were granted funding for cashback for a three-year project to provide an early intervention service in West Dunbartonshire for children and young people who were felt to be at risk of offending. In a recent report written by Matter of Focus, they discussed their findings after three years. I think that some of the figures reported by the young people speak for themselves. 91 per cent of children and young people moving on from the project reported increased confidence. 94 per cent said that they felt more resilient, and 89 per cent felt they maintained or improved their attendance in school. That is valuable in helping us to understand the impact, but to add to that, here is a rather powerful statement from a police representative from year 1. They stated that the majority of young people who have been referred are no longer coming to my attention for negative things. That is where the pattern of behaviour that they were displaying previously in the professional experience would have suggested the risk of escalation. As MSP covering part of West Dunbartonshire, I know that fire setting continues to be an on-going issue. It is also something that was brought to the attention of Includum. To tackle that issue, they set up meetings between young people, the Includum worker and the fire service. The young people gained a new understanding of the potential seriousness of fire-raising, the consequences of their actions and what that could mean for their future. The workers have observed that those involved in the work appear to stop fire setting. That is hugely significant and very welcome. The impact of cash back extends well beyond just the individual's support. It extends to the families too. Evidence from the project in West Dunbartonshire has helped parents and carers to be in a better place for supporting the child in their care, but it does not stop there. It also extends to the wider community. One of the most compelling aspects of cash back is that it allows communities to get involved and express the change that they want to see. Includum's fire setting project was a key example of responding to something local residents were concerned about. For the families of young people who had been involved in fire-raising, that will contribute to reduced pressure and worry, and overall to a safer community in West Dunbartonshire. That is just one case study among the vast amount of positive work being done, but it illustrates the success of the programme. The Scottish Government's cash back programme shows the power of effective governance, one that understands the importance of investing in our vulnerable young people. It underlines the Scottish Government's commitment to support young people to live full, healthy lives and to address some of the underlying causes of crime. Young people are the future of our country, so cash back is not just an investment in our local community but an investment in our future. Thank you. Thank you. We move to winding up speeches. I call on Pauline McNeill up to six minutes, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I do welcome this debate. It is some time, I think, since the Parliament actually discussed the cash back for communities programme. I think it is really important, perhaps, maybe to start off with Russell Findlay's amendment, because, of course, the source of it is the money, whatever you want to call it, that is recouped from criminals and to do something useful with that communities. An observation that I would make is that it has been some time since we used to get almost an annual report from what was the former Scottish Crime Drugs Enforcement Agency who used to talk about what they had captured, but since it was amalgamated into the Gatcwash campus, I kind of feel that the visibility of the capture of crime has almost disappeared. I would make some pleadings to ministers that perhaps we should ask Police Scotland to think about doing that again. I have no idea how successful Police Scotland has been, but I would say maybe five, six years ago I was much clearer. The cash back for communities programme, I agree with all members here, is a brilliant concept introduced by a Labour Government, as Karamalkan points out, but continued by the current Scottish Government, unique to Scotland. We should all be proud of that returning money gain through criminal activity back to communities that are targeted investment for the purpose of preventing antisocial behaviour, supporting wellbeing, building confidence and skills for young people and restorative justice programmes. We all agree that it has been beneficial to communities and Mary McNeill addressed this in her contribution about how important that actually can be. However, as Claire Baker said, and I agree with this, perhaps it is time for a refocus on where the money is going and particularly on evaluation, because some of the figures I am going to quote as others have done, I am not really sure overall whether or not that sounds like a lot of investment and I am not really sure what it is achieving, which I know it is achieving a lot, but I think that to get some evaluation is really, really important. We know that the programme has provided 2.5 million activities for people since its inception. 75 per cent of young people are involved with those activities from the most deprived communities in Scotland and in my own region of Glasgow. Over a quarter of a million activities since 2008, and in this year alone 2022-23, we have seen £1.5 million provided to 4.5 thousand types of activity. The programme brings invaluable opportunities, benefits to children, young people and families and communities as part of its aims and the positive impact that is undeniable should be evaluated. With phase 6 of the programme under way until March 2026, we must ensure that the greatest amount of the revenue from criminal activity is seized and we must ensure that it is reinvested. I think that the minister said in an opening statement that we won't see the details of phase 5 until the end of the year. I was wondering to myself maybe we should have been debating after we get a chance to see that, but perhaps there could be some focus in that when that's available. We do certainly need a justice system that ensures the prevention of crime and better outcomes for those at risk of involvement in crucial parts of addressing criminal behaviour. As with that in mind, I want to stress the need for making sure that some of this money goes into youth offending services. If I could just mention that Dix Stuart services, which works across Scotland, has recently had its funding threatened, but it has a tremendous record of supporting young male offenders leaving prison, and they have had top marks for the care inspectorate, but yet we may see the closure of the service. There is one example of where there may be a broadening out of investment to ensure that we are not losing existing services. A new grant recipient for phase 6, which is the Ventures Trust, is a prime example of the work that we should be investing in. Last year, 47 per cent of the Venture Trust's 688 participants were at the time involved in the Scottish justice system. Their living wild programme supports both men and women on community payback, while their inspiring young futures programme supports young people struggling with unemployment who are involved in offending anti-social behaviour, among other things. Through activities aiming to build aspirations and self-confidence to develop employability skills and improve health and wellbeing, among a quarter of those participants have reported at least one positive outcome in their life. Whether that could be educational achievements, getting volunteer work experience, referral to another service or even something more personal at gaining access to their own children, ultimately reducing their risk of anti-social and criminal behaviour is what we are aiming for here. For young women, in particular, strong relationships, self-confidence and financial security are all key to avoiding taking part in anti-social and criminal behaviour. Receiving funds this year is strengthening community and race equality Scotland, who work with ethnic minority young people aged from 11 to 24, and a significant number of their activities centre on reducing anti-social and criminal behaviour in approximately 450 young people. For example, working with Police Scotland to establish trust between communities and law enforcement. Just in my conclusion, it struck me that, when Ross McCall was speaking earlier, is that perhaps a review of the Proceeds of Crime Act might be something that is in order, because some of the figures quoted lead to questions. I understand that it is a matter of evidence what cannot be proved, but we should be complacent about a really important act, Proceeds of Crime Act. We need to make sure that prosecutors in court have the necessary tools in law to ensure that they can get the maximum amount of people who break the law and ensure that they return on that. It relates to the amount of money in the first place in which they vote below. Today's debate has been interesting and worthwhile. This Parliament doesn't spend enough time debating the justice system or how to tackle the crime that is rife in so many communities, so I welcome any opportunity we get to focus on the important issues. Today's Government motion raises the positives of the cashback for community scheme. I would also like to use that opportunity to discuss some of the issues with the scheme and the wider justice system, which have also been highlighted in some of the contributions that we have heard today. Turning to the motion, we agree with it. The Scottish Conservatives want to thank all those involved in the cashback for community scheme for their commitment and hard work. It is a successful programme that delivers benefits for many young people and families across the country, and we have heard that in lots of contributions this afternoon. We firmly believe that the money that criminals gain by inflicting pain on communities and vulnerable people should be reinvested back into the communities so that it can finally do some good. We welcome that £130 million has been reinvested from the proceeds of crime so far. We believe that the vast majority of that funding has gone towards great projects and causes that help communities that are most affected by crime. However, although we all support the principle behind the scheme, we would be doing communities a disservice if we did not look at improving it, and that scheme could be stronger. We would support a review into the Proceeds of Crime Act, which was mentioned by Ros McAul, so that more dirty money can be recovered from organised crime gangs. The law needs more teeth to go after illegally obtained money, particularly since nearly £5 million of money ordered to be confiscated. It is still outstanding over the past five years. Sharon Doe for taking intervention. Given what she said about trying to increase the money that is taken into this, would she be willing to write with herself and Katie Clark to the UK Government to say that, for crimes perpetrated down south that have an impact in Scotland, the UK Government could usefully introduce the same cashback for communities initiative, and that would raise money for communities in Scotland? Would she support that letter? Mr Brown and Ms Clark have been in the justice section for a lot longer than I have, so I would want to see more details on that. However, the moment all the money from proceeds of crime in Scotland comes back into Scotland, so I would want to look at it in more detail first. They managed to hold on to a great deal of the money that they accumulated while committing crimes. They exploit loopholes in the system. They hide money effectively. Most of us could point to examples in our communities where a crime gang continues to control major businesses even after the police have made convictions. If you speak to experts on crime, especially front-line officers, they can point out large homes and expensive properties owned by individuals with clear connections to organised crime. We believe that Scotland's police force needs more resources so that it can target operations at the worst gangsters who reap the rewards of their offences. Front-line officers want to go after those criminals, but they simply do not have the funding and support from the Government to do so as it stands. The SNP's planned cuts to police Scotland will undoubtedly make the situation worse. It is unacceptable for the Government to come here today and speak about the benefits of tackling organised crime while not mentioning police cuts. Can I make some more progress, because there are a lot of contributions that I want to get through, thanks? Crime gangs have already been emboldened by weaknesses in the SNP's justice system, which so often puts the rights of criminals before victims. However, if the SNP continues with its plans to cut more of police budgets, criminals will get away with even more. The Proceeds of Crime Act will recoup less money. The cashback for communities programme will not be as successful as it has been, and in turn more vulnerable young people will be preyed on by criminals. It is a vicious circle that the SNP Government can prevent. Our police force needs investment. To go even further, the Government needs to give organised crime the attention it deserves. At the moment, the Government spends far too much time and resources on its own political priorities, not on the issues that really matter to working people, such as how we stop the damage caused to communities by drug dealers and criminals, and how we prevent disgusting attacks on emergency workers like we saw this week. In Edinburgh, officers made clear that while those attacks were carried out by young people, police believed that they were encouraged by adults with a violent history. The Government talks to talk on organised crime. In their most recent organised crime strategy, the four words said, and I quote, "...organised crime remains a serious threat to us all and we pay for it every day either directly as victims or indirectly by paying for the services such as police, prosecution, the health services that are required to respond to it." We could not agree more, but the SNP does not back up those words with action. Its weak approach to justice lets criminals away with crimes. I am just going to touch on some of the contributions, so Russell Finlay raised the case of a single drug dealer who made nearly the same amount as the entire 15-year spending cashback for communities. I think that we need to look at the Proceeds of Crime Act to see how we can get more money from people who are committing these crimes. Rose McAll also touched on that as well. Megan Gallacher spoke of moving forward plus the National Autistic Society, how it is helping people to get on a path and making them more resilient. Katie Clark mentioned the need for greater clarity on the matrix for evaluating the scheme. It is unclear how organisations are chosen for the scheme and we all want better outcomes for young people. I agree with Katie Clark on that when we need to support more clarity on how this is measured and welcomed. I am afraid that lots of good contributions from other members will be made. Finally, although we do not always agree on the Government's overall approach to justice, I thank the minister for bringing forward this debate so that we can look at how to improve the system. I hope that she will keep an open mind about improvements, because if we want the Proceeds of Crime Act to continue taking money from criminals, if we want the cashback for communities programme to continue to help good local projects, then the justice system must be tougher. I thank everyone who has taken part in today's debate and shared their positive experiences of the Cashback for Communities programme. It is 15 years of benefiting young people, families and communities. As I said at the start, the cashback for communities is unique to Scotland and demonstrates innovation, partnership and the importance on why we must invest in our young people. We should acknowledge that most young people are not involved in antisocial behaviour and involvement in the justice system. However, we should also recognise that some young people sadly do not get the opportunities of a good start in life that we would want them to. The Cashback programme helps to address their inequality by making high value and early interventions to provide a wide range of support, activities and opportunities for children and young people, all of whom should be given the same chances to thrive. If I may, I want to address quite a few of the comments that have come up today, because I know that there is quite a bit to cover. First of all, I think Russell Finlay and your contribution across the chamber, I think every single person would want to see an increase in the crime funds go into initiatives such as the cashback, and I don't think anyone would disagree with that. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 provides a criminal confiscation of civil recovery of the financial benefit derived from criminal activity, but it also contains the principal money laundering legislation throughout the UK, which is reserved. So the Proceeds of Crime Act is a complex mix of both reserved and devolved matters, so it's something that we're not going to be able to resolve today. So the Scottish Government has responsibility for leading on the proceeds of crime and the legislative matters, but due to the complex area of it being reserved and devolved competence, but we will continue to monitor the need to strengthen the legislation to further detect, defer and also disrupt organised crimes so that we can increase criminal funds to go into initiatives like the cashback. But if I could also just go back to Russell Finlay's wanting to know about serious organised crime. Disrupting organised crime and diverting individuals away from organised crimes remains a priority for the Scottish Government. A refreshed serious organised crime strategy was published in February 2022, and while the aims and the objectives remain broadly the same, options for change has focused on strengthening its links between intelligence and tasking, making better use of data and supporting efforts to improve collaboration across all sectors to combat the constantly evolving challenges that serious crime organisations do pose. The Serious Crime Organised Task Force Progress Report is due to be published later this month. I'll move on to, if I may, Katie Clark's contributions just about, and I know that Carol Mocken bought this up as well about restorative justice. We remain committed to having restorative justice services available throughout Scotland. The needs and voices of persons harmed must be central to the process and services must be safe, consistent and evidence-led, trauma-informed and of a high standard. The pandemic obviously slowed things down and with progress and initial development work was identified the complexities and we'll need to do further exploration of that, but we are committed to taking the time to resolve these issues and develop a safe and robust system and work is underway with partners across the justice system to do this. One of the things that Katie Clark also asked is the criteria for phase six. There had four main aims and for the diversion was for the diversion away from antisocial behaviour, the provision for positive activity and support for wellbeing and building confidence and skills. I know that there was an exceptionally high number of applicants with 157 bids which were received seeking over £80 million in funding and these bids had to be subject to a robust panel assessment process and in the end there was only 29 that were successful partner organisations. Due to evaluation which I think Claire Baker, Pauline McNeill and Katie Clark did raise, as I said in my opening speech the full evaluation will be due this year and it'll be out for members to have a look at that from the last phase. The cashback programme, yes? Could I be so bold as to ask the minister to make her own personal evaluation by visiting the ruts programme at Penicourt YMCA referred to in my speech? Minister. I'd be happy to. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The cashback programme also provides opportunities for young people who have engaged with the justice system to develop the skills needed to make a more positive life choice and to turn their lives around. The Scottish Government's justice analytical service evidence-based report published in 2018 on understanding childhood adversity, resilience and crime sites, building resilience into children and young people, their families and communities as crucial to reducing crime and victimisation. Direct feedback from cashback participants has shown that one-to-one support and guidance from trusted and experienced mentors and staff working in cashback projects is highly valued. Young people have told us that this approach has helped them to make better life choices that have changed their lives and changed all their relationships. A targeted approach that cashback projects takes to improve the outcomes for young people who have experienced poverty and disadvantage has endured the test of time. The cashback programme has contributed to support and grow the evidence base around resilience and protective interventions. The programme continues to support young people to develop pro-social behaviour and good social skills, be positive about the future and develop good self-esteem, develop positive engagement with learning, with school and improve and develop positive connections with their peers, be involved with positive organisations, activities, sport and build positive attachments and role models. It has been a truly remarkable 15 years of progress. Since 2008, the programme has supported over 1.3 million young people in Scotland, and no-one could have foreseen the intense challenges of the pandemic and what would mean interrupted lives of our young people. Despite all of this, the Phase 5 cashback partners were able to overcome the multiple challenges to ensure that they could continue to support young people during some really dark days. I commend them and I thank them for that, and they continue dedication to support the young people in their projects. The Cashback for Communities programme, since it started 15 years ago, has gone from strength to strength. Phase 6 has a stronger evidence-based focus on providing targeted support and helping to address some of the underlying causes of anti-social behaviour and crime. The evidence continues to show the correlation between the areas of deprivation, adverse childhood experiences, unhappy experiences of school and poor mental health as reasons why children and young people may fail to reach their full potential. Our learnings from Phase 5 show that poor mental health amongst children and young people has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and that demand for support through the cashback programmes has increased. Our cashback partners have taken steps to ensure that they have the trauma-informed workforce needed to deal with the often most complex needs of the young people who they seek to support. That is why Phase 6 has a stronger focus on helping participants to improve their health, mental health and wellbeing, and that is why the support on offer through Cashback Phase 6 includes provision of trauma-informed and person-centred support for children, young people and their families. Crosscutting policies are needed to identify and support children and their families at risk of early adversity at the earliest stage possible, and I look forward to seeing how we can better those connections. For example, the cashback programme directly supports one of the First Minister's key missions of tackling poverty and protecting people from harm. Young people and their families who live and have grown up in poverty are the main target group for cashback projects. Phase 6 projects are also asked to identify families that may need further support and link them up to local support services such as assessing social security benefits, free school meals and school clothing grants or food banks. Our vision for justice remains to deliver a just, safe, resilient Scotland and commits to working with our partners to ensure that people are less likely to be victims of crime, especially from deprived communities, and this involves community-based project work with young people to prevent harmful behaviour. Earlier this week, we published a three-year delivery plan setting out the key areas of work within the justice sector, a line to the aim set out with the vision of justice, which includes the work on cashback, which I have been talking about today. Presiding Officer, I hope members will join with me in congratulating all the Phase 5 partners who work and reflected in the 2022-23 impact report. That concludes the debate on cashback for communities. It is now time to move on to the next item for business.


Hi everyone, I'm at the State Control Centre where I join with my colleagues from a number of the other agencies today for the launch of the Bushfire Natural Hazard CRC, Seasonal Outlook. What that's telling us is that we will see potential for a wetter-than-average spring with that significant growth both in their cropping and grassland countries but also perhaps damper forests particularly in the east which is pleasing after a significant fire season particularly in East Gippsland and up in the upper north-east last year. So it's early days, too hard to really tell right now exactly how that will play out but what we do know is that the Lanina is likely to bring above-average rainfall. That should bring bigger crops and heavier grassland fuels which could see fast and large open plains fires as we run into the summer. So with that possible wetter-than-average forecast coming at us it still doesn't mean that it's not time to think about how you're going to clean up your property and make it safe for this summer. Have a plan, get on with that plan now and be ready for the summer season when it hits.