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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 23 December 2024
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Displaying 816 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 January 2023

Rona Mackay

Will the removal of the exceptions make a lot of difference?

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 January 2023

Rona Mackay

Sure. I understand.

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 January 2023

Rona Mackay

There is a proportionally high number of women on remand. A previous witness said that he thought that, in some cases, sheriffs were remanding women because there was no real alternative and they did not know what to do with them. Is that the case?

What is your opinion on the high number of women who are on remand? Is that because there is no throughcare or nowhere else to send them?

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 January 2023

Rona Mackay

Thank you.

This question is for David Fraser. When we were on our interesting visit to Glasgow, we learned that different courts are being set up. A women’s court is about to come into play. Could you expand on that? There is also a youth court and a drugs court. Are those trial courts? If the youth court and the drugs court are already running, how has it been going? What is the scene for the women’s court?

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 January 2023

Rona Mackay

That would be excellent. Thank you.

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 January 2023

Rona Mackay

Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, I have some questions for you. The number of women on remand is shockingly high—I do not need to tell you that—and the disruption to families that follows is evident. Why do you think that so many women are remanded for low-level offences? Why are they there in the first place? I do not know whether you heard the previous session, but we spoke to a solicitor who had dealt with a case where the person was directed to the 218 project in Glasgow, which is hugely successful. I put it to her that, if that happened more often, fewer women would be remanded. What is your view?

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 January 2023

Rona Mackay

David Mackie, what is your view on the removal of section 23D? Are women’s organisations and victims right to be concerned about that? I presume that you heard the earlier session, where it was unanimously agreed that it should be removed. I still cannot get my head around that, but maybe you can give me your view.

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 January 2023

Rona Mackay

That is fine. Thank you.

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 January 2023

Rona Mackay

Good morning. I have three questions—one for each of you. Professor Loucks, you mentioned your organisation’s excellent and very detailed report on the cost to families of imprisonment and release. We do not have time to delve into the report, obviously, but what is its key message?

Criminal Justice Committee

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 18 January 2023

Rona Mackay

I understand what you are saying, but, if I take that back to perception and to a very simplistic level, that is not how victims of domestic abuse or women’s organisations will see it, because it still gives the impression that it will be easier for alleged perpetrators to get out on bail.