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Seòmar agus comataidhean

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 24 November 2024
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Displaying 1639 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee

Online Child Abuse, Grooming and Exploitation

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

We have about 20 minutes left. I will bring in Collette Stevenson, followed by Audrey Nicoll, who is online.

12:00  

Criminal Justice Committee

Online Child Abuse, Grooming and Exploitation

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

Thank you. Joanne Smith would like to come in.

Criminal Justice Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

I am advised by the clerks that we do not know the specific answer to that question, but we can seek to get an answer from the Government and, perhaps, input from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Criminal Justice Committee

Proposed Bail and Release from Custody Bill

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

We can certainly ask Wise Group for more information on that.

Do members agree with the recommendation in paragraph 22 in paper 6, which is on page 4?

Members indicated agreement.

Criminal Justice Committee

Policing and Mental Health

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

I was aware of a cluster not so long ago. I was speaking to a former police officer who is a friend of two officers who took their own lives in quick succession. One did so in a police station. The former police officer believes that the protracted nature of the complaints process to which the officers might have been subject could have been a contributory factor in their deaths. However, without a fatal accident inquiry, we have no way of knowing whether that is the case. Is that something that you are aware of?

Criminal Justice Committee

Policing and Mental Health

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

That picture comes through loud and clear in those 20 submissions. Mr Staff, I wonder whether you might have a different perspective on that issue.

Criminal Justice Committee

Policing and Mental Health

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

Speaking of the SPF, I see that David Hamilton wants to come in on that issue.

Criminal Justice Committee

Policing and Mental Health

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

I think that Audrey Nicoll may have a question for us online.

Criminal Justice Committee

Online Child Abuse, Grooming and Exploitation

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

Our next item of business is a round-table evidence session on online child abuse, grooming and exploitation. I refer members to papers 3 and 4.

It is my pleasure to welcome Stuart Allardyce, the director of Stop It Now! Scotland; Alison Penman of Social Work Scotland; Gina Wilson from the office of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland; Assistant Chief Constable Bex Smith of Police Scotland; and Miles Bonfield from the National Crime Agency. We are also due to be joined by Joanne Smith of the NSPCC in Scotland, who will be with us soon.

I thank the witnesses for providing the committee with written evidence. If they would like to answer a question, they should catch my eye or that of Stephen Imrie, the clerk, and we will do our best to bring them into the discussion.

We have only about 80 minutes for this evidence session and, as the previous evidence session showed members, we often do not have time to cover everything that we would like to cover, so I ask that we keep the questions short and focused and the answers as brief as possible.

I will kick off with a question for Mr Allardyce. Page 4 of the Stop It Now! submission states that the issue of people having a sexual interest in children should be

“beyond one of law enforcement”.

Is the general public with you on that? What work needs to be done to persuade people of that position?

Criminal Justice Committee

Online Child Abuse, Grooming and Exploitation

Meeting date: 18 May 2022

Russell Findlay

Your organisation supports people who come to you but also people who are referred to you by the police, or the criminal justice system. Is your service ever provided as part of sentencing?