Contact Justice reporter Rory Cahill on
rory@holyrood.com or call 0131 270 7093 Portfolio: Justice
“And I’ve absolutely no doubt that “The birth of any new organisation But with the well-documented his-
the things we are learning are lessons the will inevitably highlight areas that have tory of large-scale public sector IT proj-
review will focus on in terms of making to be understood in order that the ser- ects and their associated cost overruns –
recommendations for the future.” vice can be improved. We are clearly such as the multi-billion-pound attempts
Bearing in mind the well publicised going through a period of understand- to overhaul the NHS computer systems
difficulties SPSA has had with other IT ing how will a new entity deliver core – is there not a danger that this reform
projects, notably the refusal of Strath- services like ICT and forensic services could end up taking far longer and cost-
clyde Police to sign off on handing over into the police service. What I’m abso- ing much more than anticipated?
their system to the new authority, how lutely confident about is that we are now Convener of the Justice Committee
has Halpin found his relationship with establishing very sound relationships Bill Aitken, a man with a keen eye for
the body? based on business principles that are any wastage of public money or time,
Choosing his words carefully, Halpin focused on improving the efficiency and says he is confident the project is sound:
says: actually identifying and implementing “I’m reasonably relaxed that the
“We are working with SPSA. If you better ways to do business across ICT.” new system is one which is workable and
think of the Scottish police services in Given the commercial sensitivity should see an improvement in police
terms of the business lead and the ICT at this stage of the project, Halpin is service. There’s a considerable amount
services within SPSA as the supplier unwilling to put a pounds and pennies of investment going into this and obvi-
lead, that’s fundamental to the strategy figure on the cost, saying only: ously, the proof of this particular pud-
of gaining the efficiencies of SPSA but “This is a multi-million-pound jour- ding will be in the eating. But if we end
maximising the business benefits that ney and what we are creating here is a up not getting value for money then seri-
working together with the police organi- legacy for those that are coming after ous questions will be asked by the Justice
sations can achieve. us.” Committee.” HM
Calling time
Is restricting the advertising of alcohol an effective way of tackling Scotland’s problematic relationship with
drink? Rory Cahill asks the regulator
T
he Scottish Government’s proposal ducers to advertise their products around
to ban all alcohol advertising be- those programmes is more effective.
fore the 9pm watershed would not work “The rules that we enforce in so far
and can be considered naïve, according as television that appeals to under-age
to the industry watchdog. drinkers goes, identifies programmes
Christopher Graham, director- disproportionately popular with under-
general of the Advertising Standards 18s. A good example would be Ugly Betty
Authority, says that the changing nature or some of The Simpsons reruns and of
of the way in which young people watch course, they’re on well after the water-
television means that such a blunt instru- shed but they’re of disproportionate
ment would be largely ineffective. appeal to youngsters.
The proliferation of children watch- “Now under our rules, you can’t
ing television unmonitored in bedrooms, advertise any alcohol products around
and the ability to use ‘on demand’ fea- [those programmes]. But if you said
tures to watch programmes at any time, we are not going to have any ads before
means the traditional watershed is los- 9pm but after that it’s fine, you would get
ing its efficacy as a means of controlling alcohol ads around those programmes
what programmes and advertising chil- where presently they don’t exist.”
dren are exposed to. The Department for Culture, Media
“One of the ideas that’s being and Sport has indicated it is opposed to
floated is a ban on alcohol ads before such a ban being introduced in England
the 9pm watershed. I would say that’s a and Wales.
bad idea whether it’s north or south of solution to all our problems when young Graham has also questioned whether
the border. To deal with the substance people have TVs in their bedrooms and the Scottish Government’s plans are
of the matter, the rules that we enforce programmes are watched after being largely politically motivated, especially
are rather more subtle and they catch a time shifted,” says Graham. given that broadcasting remains a
lot of programmes that are popular with Rather than simply banning all reserved issue:
under-age drinkers that run after the advertising before a certain time, Gra- “Could something be done by the
9pm watershed. ham says the ASA’s approach of identi- Scottish Government that’s not being
“I think we have placed a rather fying programmes popular with young done by Westminster? Broadcasting is
naïve trust in the watershed being the people and then forbidding alcohol pro- not a devolved power. It is up to Ofcom
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