Parades adviser reviews marches

Sir John Orr will review parades and marches

Former chief constable of Strathclyde Police, Sir John Orr, is to review how contentious marches and parades in Scotland are authorised.

Communities Minister Margaret Curran said Sir John would consider the views of those who wished to march and of the communities affected by parades.

The move follows controversy surrounding a number of Loyalist and Republican parades.

It is expected that Sir John, 58, will make his report by the end of the year.

Ms Curran said: "We fully respect the right of organisations and individuals to have processions, but also believe that councils and march organisers must respect the rights of communities too."

There is a difficult balance to be struck between freedom of speech and the right of communities to be free of fear and intimidation Nicola Sturgeon SNP justice spokeswoman

Sir John said: "I am aware of the high level of interest that this issue generates and know that there will be a great deal of interest in the outcome.

"I will be approaching the review with a completely open mind and I certainly plan to listen to, and take account of, the range and diversity of views which I am sure will be expressed."

The review will consider issues such as the period of notice required for proposed marches and the basis for determining when to restrict, refuse or re-route parades.

It will also consider the number of marches and parades occurring in any particular community and the effects these have.

The system for granting parades will be reviewed

The cost of policing processions and marches will also be reviewed.

The Scottish National Party welcomed Sir John's appointment.

SNP justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon said: "There is a difficult balance to be struck between freedom of speech and the right of communities to be free of fear and intimidation.

"Sir John Orr is a man of huge experience and he will have the SNP's support but getting that balance right makes his new job one of the very toughest around."

Awarded knighthood

Sir John became a police cadet at 15.

He was joint head of Strathclyde Police CID in 1988 when 270 people died in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie.

His ex-colleague John Boyd, then chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway, called him in to handle the investigation.

Sir John spent five years in the hot seat at Strathclyde Police, retiring from the force in 2001.

The father-of-three, who hails from Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, became chairman of the town's football club after his retirement.

He was awarded a knighthood for services to the police in 2001.