Commentary on Sections Section 16: Review of national strategy
27.Section 16 requires the Scottish Ministers to review the national strategy for community justice within 5 years of the publication of the first strategy. Thereafter, they may review the strategy at such time as they see fit but at the latest within five years of the last review. When reviewing or revising the strategy the Scottish Ministers must consult Community Justice Scotland, each of the other community justice planning partners, such third sector bodies involved in community justice and such other persons they consider appropriate. The Scottish Ministers must then either publish a revised strategy or, publish a statement indicating that they consider that the strategy should not be revised. After a revised strategy has been published, the Scottish Ministers must lay a copy before the Scottish Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable. Once published, the revised strategy becomes subject to this section as though it were the original strategy.