The Solicitor General for Scotland:

I recognise that all families who have lost a loved one rightly expect investigations into the death to be progressed as expeditiously as possible. I offer my sincere apologies to all families who have simply waited too long for FAI proceedings to commence.

We want to do better. To that end, we have been working hard to make changes, and significant modernisation has taken place. For example, criminal investigations and related wider death investigations now proceed in parallel, so that FAIs can begin swiftly after the conclusion of criminal proceedings. We are working with specialists and other partner agencies to reduce the time that it takes to conclude investigations. Every death investigation that is more than two years old and deaths in custody are monitored by senior management through a case-management panel process. We have also instituted a death investigations improvement board.

Death investigations are a difficult, sensitive and hugely important area of work that the COPFS strives to do well. There are inherent challenges in death investigations, which are not unique to Scotland. There are clear indications that the situation is improving. However, neither I nor the Lord Advocate are beyond self reflection. If there is a need for a statement, either of us would be happy to do so.