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Chamber and committees

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 14 August 2025
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Displaying 1131 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

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

Meeting date: 11 January 2023

Rona Mackay

Do you want any changes to be made to the current exemptions? Should those exceptions be strengthened, or are you happy that they are in place?

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

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

Meeting date: 11 January 2023

Rona Mackay

I go back to a point that Professor McNeill made at the start of the session, about gravity of risk. If I understood him correctly, he said that he did not believe that the bill is for serious or solemn offences per se. If that is the case, does the fact that there is only one public safety test for all offences not send out the wrong message—for example, to victims? Should the current exceptions on domestic abuse and sexual offences not still stand? Could I have his opinion on the specific nature of individual risk and public safety in relation to the bill?

Criminal Justice Committee

National Care Service (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 21 December 2022

Rona Mackay

That is very reassuring.

We have also heard from witnesses that the status quo is not an option. Pretty much across the board, people realise that they want something to be done. I am very reassured that you have been listening to people with lived experience, and I am sure that other stakeholders will be similarly reassured.

Are you confident that, if local authorities put pressure on you not to include justice social work in the bill and that pressure is mainly based on local authorities’ financial fears, you can answer those concerns?

Criminal Justice Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill

Meeting date: 21 December 2022

Rona Mackay

There are two aspects to the bill. If we leave aside the constitutional question, the first issue is that the bill is, I believe, a very bad one. It shuts the door on justice for people who are looking for justice for what happened decades ago in Northern Ireland. The bill is in no one’s interest—its premise is very bad.

Constitutionally, it is a no-brainer. For example, the response from the Lord Advocate states:

“The Bill, in its current form, engages a number of areas over which I have constitutional responsibility and does so in a manner novel to Scots criminal law.”

Therefore, the bill would represent new ground and not good new ground, so I strongly recommend that we do not consent to the LCM.

Criminal Justice Committee

National Care Service (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 21 December 2022

Rona Mackay

Good morning, minister. This morning’s session has been very reassuring on a number of counts. We have heard from witnesses who do not want to think that the service is being rushed through without their having a chance to be listened to or to be part of the co-design. From what you have said to my colleague Russell Findlay about the timescale, you are giving that time.

Criminal Justice Committee

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

Meeting date: 14 December 2022

Rona Mackay

Thank you, convener. This is for Gillian. It is a brief question about the pilot in South Lanarkshire that she mentioned.

Will you elaborate on the similarities between what you are doing and what the bill proposes to do? How successful has the pilot been? Has it finished? If not, how long has it got to run? What have the cost implications been for you so far? I think that you said that you could not possibly roll it out permanently. It would be good to get an idea of the level of that.

Criminal Justice Committee

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

Meeting date: 14 December 2022

Rona Mackay

That is really helpful.

Criminal Justice Committee

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

Meeting date: 14 December 2022

Rona Mackay

Going back to the issue of women in custody, which is an area on which I am particularly focused, I have what I know is a very broad question for Suzanne, Sharon and Keith. Nevertheless, I am interested in hearing their responses to it.

Do you think that the bill will bring about the necessary changes? As has been said, most women who are on remand or in custody should not be anywhere near prison, and it would be a fantastic outcome if the bill were to facilitate keeping them out of it. Do you think that there is a possibility, albeit with the necessary resources and interagency management, of the bill helping to keep women out of custody or remand?

Suzanne, could you answer that first, please?

Criminal Justice Committee

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

Meeting date: 14 December 2022

Rona Mackay

That is really helpful. Lynne, would you like to provide some input?

Criminal Justice Committee

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

Meeting date: 14 December 2022

Rona Mackay

If multiple agencies were inputting information, would there be implications for how long it would take to get a decision made?