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The recommendations of the panel were received at the fourth meeting on 24 January 2022. These minutes and noted recommendations will be published by the end of March 2022.

The Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review Panel 2020-22, with remit to review the use of BS 8414, has met on four separate occasions and the meeting minutes for the first three meetings which include the BS 8414 discussions can be accessed at:

Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review Panel 2021-2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The fourth and final meeting minutes are due to be published by the end of March 2022.

The Scottish Government is closely following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry proceedings and considering any evidence that may impact on building standards, including the role of BS 8414. Working groups for each phase of the Grenfell Inquiry have been set up by the Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety to address emerging evidence and key recommendations.

The Scottish Government cannot currently confirm the outcomes of the review. However, the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 are expected to be laid in the Scottish Parliament soon after Easter recess with a proposed coming into force date of 1 June 2022. Supporting guidance is expected to be published in April 2022.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05600 on 19 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

(a) & (b) The UK and Welsh Governments are both represented on the Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review Panel 2020-22 where the continued referencing of BS 8414 in guidance supporting building regulations in light of any new evidence was one of the main areas of discussion.

Since the late 1990s, an agreed definition of domestic abuse has been used to collate information on domestic abuse incidents within Scotland. This definition was progressed by the then Scottish Office and agreed through consultation with key justice agencies and stakeholders. It is as follows:

‘Domestic abuse is any form of physical, non-physical, or sexual abuse which takes place within the context of a close relationship, committed either in the home or elsewhere. This relationship will be between partners (married, co-habiting or otherwise) or ex-partners.’

The Scottish Government has considered the statutory definition of domestic abuse contained at Part 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 which relates to England and Wales. The principal practical difference between the definition contained in that Act and the Scottish definition above is that domestic abuse does not extend in Scotland so as to include abuse between certain relatives who are not partners or ex-partners.

The Scottish Government recognises that abuse can be committed by people who are not a person's partner or ex-partner, including by other family members. However, in line with the views of the majority of stakeholders who responded to Scottish Government consultations that led to the development of recent legislation concerning domestic abuse, the Scottish Government considers that it is appropriate that this legislation applies specifically to partners and ex-partners. This is because abuse committed by a person's partner or ex-partner typically has a dynamic that differs from violence or abuse more generally, including where this abuse occurs within a family between, for example, siblings or parents and their adult children. There is a range of existing legislation that can be used to address familial abuse.

While the Scottish Government keeps the law under continual review to ensure that it is effective, there are no current plans to amend the definition of domestic abuse in Scotland to cover abuse perpetrated by family members who are not partners or ex-partners.

The Scottish Government will publish its response to the consultation after the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 are laid in the Scottish Parliament soon after Easter recess with a proposed coming into force date of 1 June 2022. Supporting guidance is expected to be published in April 2022.

Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls, acknowledges that men and boys can also be victims of intimate violence. Which is why many of the actions within the Equally Safe delivery plan are intended to help everyone; such as an increased focus on the education of consent and healthy relationships and a focus on tackling negative gender roles and stereotypes that are harmful to men and women alike.

In the 2021-22 Programme for Government, we committed to invest in services and progress work to tackle violence against men and boys. This will build on the funding we already provide for a range of services which support male victims, including the Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline, its National Advocacy Project and the Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline.

Additionally, we are providing £5.6 million to ASSIST between 2017-2023 who provide advocacy support to male survivors of domestic abuse in the West of Scotland and the Lothians; alongside nearly £190,000, between 2017-2023, to help fund the Respect Helpline which signposts male survivors of domestic abuse to support services, and approximately £100,000 to SACRO’s fearfree service which provides individual support for male and LGBT victims of domestic abuse.

Since the late 1990s, an agreed definition of domestic abuse has been used to collate information on domestic abuse incidents within Scotland. This definition was progressed by the then Scottish Office and agreed through consultation with key justice agencies and stakeholders. It is as follows:

‘Domestic abuse is any form of physical, non-physical, or sexual abuse which takes place within the context of a close relationship, committed either in the home or elsewhere. This relationship will be between partners (married, co-habiting or otherwise) or ex-partners.’

The Scottish Government has considered the statutory definition of domestic abuse contained at Part 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 which relates to England and Wales. The principal practical difference between the definition contained in that Act and the Scottish definition above is that domestic abuse does not extend in Scotland so as to include abuse between certain relatives who are not partners or ex-partners.

The Scottish Government recognises that abuse can be committed by people who are not a person's partner or ex-partner, including by other family members. However, in line with the views of the majority of stakeholders who responded to Scottish Government consultations that led to the development of recent legislation concerning domestic abuse, the Scottish Government considers that it is appropriate that this legislation applies specifically to partners and ex-partners. This is because abuse committed by a person's partner or ex-partner typically has a dynamic that differs from violence or abuse more generally, including where this abuse occurs within a family between, for example, siblings or parents and their adult children. There is a range of existing legislation that can be used to address familial abuse.

While the Scottish Government keeps the law under continual review to ensure that it is effective, there are no current plans to amend the definition of domestic abuse in Scotland to cover abuse perpetrated by family members who are not partners or ex-partners.