The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 808 contributions
Criminal Justice Committee
Meeting date: 27 September 2023
Katy Clark
I am grateful for that.
I have spoken with the cabinet secretary previously about the independent legal representation of victims in other jurisdictions. Obviously, there is very specific and narrow provision in the bill in relation to the independent legal representation of rape victims. Is the Scottish Government willing to further explore a pilot or pilots in relation to the independent legal representation of victims—particularly rape victims—before the court process and during the court process? Might that be considered in the context of the bill or, indeed, as a separate discussion?
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Katy Clark
I think that we will come on to that issue.
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Katy Clark
The witnesses will have had the opportunity to look at the Lord Advocate’s statement. Do you believe that the scope of the Lord Advocate’s recent statement in relation to drug consumption rooms—and, in particular, any potential criminal offences—is sufficient? Do you have any concerns that staff or others might not have the reassurance that they need in order to be involved in such an initiative? Tracey McFall might be interested in commenting on that.
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Katy Clark
Would any other witness like to come in on the specific point about the impact of policies such as decriminalisation on the number of problem drug users in Scotland—whether it is likely to decrease or increase the numbers or to have no impact? What are the implications for organised crime through the drugs trade?
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Katy Clark
Do any other witnesses have concerns about the way in which the Lord Advocate’s statement has been drafted, or does it provide sufficient comfort to enable the plans to go ahead?
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Katy Clark
I am here on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee. I think that the witnesses have very clearly made the case on some of the public health arguments for decriminalisation and other harm-reduction measures. I am interested in the points that Simon Rayner made in relation to the supply side. Could you tell us what the impact of some of the proposals, such as decriminalisation, would be on reducing problem drug use and on the organised drug trade? Perhaps Simon Rayner could answer that.
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Katy Clark
I have a clarification query for Kirsten Horsburgh. A lot of the drugs come from places such as Afghanistan and Colombia. What do you mean by regulation?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Katy Clark
My question is for Emma Congreve. In your submission, in relation to child poverty, you state:
“we need to see much more focus on delivery of policies that have an evidenced route towards realising the targets, rather small allocations in different pockets which will not make a demonstrable difference.”
Will you explain in more detail how the Scottish Government should do this? Is there a danger that that approach might focus on policies that are easy to measure rather than on potentially more impactful policies that are difficult to measure?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Katy Clark
I direct my question to Paul Traynor, in the first instance. Witnesses have argued that eligibility for the young carer grant should be extended to 19-year-olds. I understand that the Scottish Government is considering that. Is that a change that needs to be prioritised? If so, why?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Katy Clark
Will you say more on the first part of the question, about focusing more on an “evidenced route”? What does that mean for the Scottish Government?