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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 27 November 2024
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Displaying 2941 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

Is there anything that Jonathan Campbell would like to add to that?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

I might come back to that. Is there anything that Jamie Foulis would like to add?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

Okay. Thanks for that.

On special measures that are in place for criminal cases in a broader sense, are the current arrangements for special measures adequately used and making a difference? I go back to previous evidence that we have heard, particularly from Children 1st. It had concerns about the effectiveness of special measures in the criminal context, and it did not feel that they were working as well as they should.

Criminal Justice Committee

Forensic Pathology Services

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

Do members have any other comments?

Thank you very much for those comments, which are all absolutely appropriate. From my perspective, I welcome the observations of HM Inspectorate of Prosecution. This has perhaps been a long time coming. From personal experience, I know about some of the challenges that are faced in relation to the provision of pathology services in local areas. I highlight the fact that the challenges that we face in that regard perhaps extend to other organisations, such as Police Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and even education bodies, but that is perhaps a bit further down the line in terms of our wider approach.

With regard to the recommendation that is made in our paper, are members happy for us to pursue that approach now and then to revisit the issue?

Members indicated agreement.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

Is the point that you are making about the mechanism for identifying who might be vulnerable in the context of the bill?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

I am asking about the criminal justice space. Obviously, I am interested in your comments about children in the civil space, but my question was more about the experience of special measures used in criminal cases.

Criminal Justice Committee

Access to Court Transcripts

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

Our next agenda item is consideration of correspondence from the Scottish Government on access to court transcripts. I refer members to paper 3. Members will recall that we have been writing to the Lord President and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs with a view to the process for survivors of rape and sexual offences to access court records being reviewed and any charges being eliminated. As part of that, the cabinet secretary agreed to set up a pilot, and the latest update from Angela Constance is set out in this week’s papers.

Before I open up the discussion to members, I want to highlight a couple of points. First, we might wish to check whether the pilot will be retrospective and open to the survivors who first raised the issue with the committee. The clerks could be asked to check that with Scottish Government officials. Secondly, members are asked to note that copies of the cabinet secretary’s letter have been sent to Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid and Victim Support Scotland.

I invite members to consider whether any further action is needed at this stage, beyond keeping the Scottish Government’s plans under review and taking the action that I have mentioned already.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

I am not sure that anyone is able to comment.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 4 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

I want to bring in Ann Marie Cocozza, who has not yet had an opportunity to comment, by asking a broad question. What are your views on the proposals for a commissioner?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 4 October 2023

Audrey Nicoll

John Swinney and Rona Mackay have follow-up questions. Please be succinct.