Seòmar agus comataidhean

Members will be aware that we are coming to the end of the current 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Our next item is consideration of evidence on efforts to improve the ways in which we prosecute violence against women and girls and to support survivors of such crimes. I refer members to papers 1 to 4.

The committee is carrying out this work to shine a light on an important subject. This is the first of three evidence sessions. In later weeks, we will hear from Police Scotland, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans and the Lord Advocate. We want to know what our police service, courts, prosecution service and Government are doing to tackle violence against women and girls.

I welcome two senior representatives of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service: David Fraser, executive director of court operations; and Danielle McLaughlin, head of implementation of the Lord Justice Clerk’s review.

I thank all the people we have spoken to about this subject. We recognise that it takes immense courage to talk about this and I pay tribute to everyone who has done so. It really helps to inform our views. I also thank Danielle and David for joining us today. I expect the session to last for 60 to 90 minutes. I make my usual plea for succinct questions and answers.

I will open the questioning. As we are aware, Lady Dorrian’s review of the management of sexual offence cases was published earlier in the year. Given that we are nearly a year on from its publication, I would like to begin with a general question about the progress that has been made on the recommendations that were made in that report. What steps are being taken to implement some of the recommendations?

I will hand over to Danielle McLaughlin to pick up on that.

Diane Barr, one of our clerks, has helpfully checked and the video appears to be on the Rape Crisis Scotland website.

I am watching the clock. I will move towards closing this evidence session with a couple of final questions, the first of which is about the follow-up process for survivors in the aftermath of a case or trial. During our evidence sessions, a survivor spoke about the difficulties that she experienced in accessing court reports and documents that she felt might have been a helpful part of her healing process. There was a cost involved in sourcing the documents. Would that be the case and, if so, why? Is there an opportunity to ensure that materials are accessible, given the positive role that access to them might play?

I will bring in Fulton MacGregor and then pick up on a final question before we move on.

Thank you—that was helpful. We have some outstanding questions on support for victims. Jamie Greene, would you like to come in on that issue?

Does Rona Mackay have any further questions in that area?

On the point that the domestic abuse court would be neither the High Court nor a sheriff court, you talked about sentencing powers. In the High Court, sentencing powers are unlimited, but what sort of sentencing approach would fit with a specialist domestic abuse court?

On that note, I bring this part of the meeting to a close. Thank you both very much for your participation today.

Next week, we will be joined by a senior representative of Police Scotland and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans.

Thank you. I am interested in your comments about taking evidence by commission, which we know is under way already, albeit on a limited basis.

It was helpful to receive that update. In my introductory remarks, I mentioned the evidence sessions that we have had. I think that it is safe to say that some of the witnesses we have spoken to were less than complimentary about a range of aspects of their court experiences. I would like to pick up on your comments about some changes that could be made in early course, such as expanding the taking of evidence by commission. In light of the evidence that we have been given, it seems pressing to us to deal with many aspects of the court system. What could be done soon to begin addressing some of those challenges?

We now move into private session. Our next meeting will be announced in the Business Bulletin in due course.