Criminal Justice Committee
Meeting Minutes
4th Meeting, 2021
- Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021
- Session: 6
- Location: T4.60-CR6 The Livingstone Room
- Meeting opened at: 10:00
- Meeting closed at: 13:07
- Published: Monday, September 27, 2021 01:10pm
Committee Members Attendees
- Audrey Nicoll (Convener)
- Russell Findlay (Deputy Convener)
- Jamie Greene (Member)
- Fulton MacGregor (Member)
- Rona Mackay (Member)
- Pauline McNeill (Member)
- Collette Stevenson (Member)
Apologies received from
1 Decision on taking business in private:
The Committee agreed to take item 6 in private.
2 Subordinate legislation:
The Committee took evidence on the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Immunities and Privileges) (Scotland) Order 2021 [draft] and the European Union and European Atomic Energy Community (Immunities and Privileges) (Scotland) Order 2021 [draft] from—
Ash Denham, Minister for Community Safety
3 Subordinate legislation:
Ash Denham (Minister for Community Safety) moved—
S6M-00926—That the Criminal Justice Committee recommends that the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Immunities and Privileges) (Scotland) Order 2021 [draft] be approved.
S6M-00931—That the Criminal Justice Committee recommends that the European Union and European Atomic Energy Community (Immunities and Privileges) (Scotland) Order 2021 [draft] be approved.
The motions were agreed to.
4 Prisons and prison policy:
The Committee took evidence in a round-table discussion from—
Alan Staff, Chief Executive, Apex Scotland;
Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner;
Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland;
Dr Katrina Morrison, Howard League Scotland Committee Secretary, Howard League Scotland;
John Watt, Chair, Parole Board for Scotland;
Phil Fairlie, Assistant General Secretary of the POA in Scotland, Prison Officers Association;
Professor Fergus McNeill, Professor of Criminology and Social Work, University of Glasgow, Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research;
Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive and Allister Purdie, Interim Director of Operations, Scottish Prison Service .
Russell Findlay indicated that he has submitted objections to the Parole Board for Scotland in relation to the release of a prisoner.
5 Reducing youth offending, offering community justice solutions and alternatives to custody:
The Committee took evidence in a round-table discussion from—
Ashley Cameron, The Promise Scotland Oversight Board member, The Care Review;
Professor Lesley McAra, University of Edinburgh;
Dr Hannah Graham, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Stirling;
Fiona Dyer, Interim Director, Children’s and Young People’s Centre for Justice;
Gemma Fraser, Senior Reporting Officer Recovery, Renewal & Transform, Community Justice Scotland;
Niven Rennie, Director, Scottish Violence Reduction Unit;
Diane Dobbie, Justice Standing Committee, Social Work Scotland;
Superintendent Colin Convery, Partnerships, Prevention and Community Wellbeing, Police Scotland.
6 Evidence Sessions (in private):
The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda items 4 and 5.