Minutes: 04 June 2025

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 5 and 6 in private.

2. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Restitution Fund (Scotland) Order 2025 [draft] from—

Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Scottish Government.

3. Subordinate legislation:

Angela Constance (Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs) moved—

S6M-17003—That the Criminal Justice Committee recommends that the Restitution Fund (Scotland) Order 2025 [draft] be approved.

The motion was agreed to.

4. Inquiry into the harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish Prisons:

The Committee took evidence from—

Kevin Neary, Co-founder and Coordinator, Aid & Abet;

Dr Sarah Rodgers, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Families Outside;

Tracey McFall, Chief Executive, Scottish Recovery Consortium;

Gemma Muir, Senior Manager, Sustainable Interventions Supporting Change Outside (SISCO);

Professor Susanna Galea-Singer, Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychiatrist, NHS Fife Addiction Services.

5. Inquiry into the harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish Prisons (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 4.

6. Member's Bills (In Private):

The Committee considered its initial approach to forthcoming legislation. The Committee agreed to—

• write to the Scottish Government to ask it to set out its initial views on each of the Bills;

• hold, separately, initial evidence sessions with both Members in charge of the Bills, in public, in advance of summer recess;

• issue a Call for Views on the two Bills over the summer recess;

• consider any further approach to the Bills, any further Call for Views, and consideration of any evidence heard and any draft Stage 1 reports on the Bills in private, at all future meetings;

• delegate responsibility to the Convener and the clerks, for approving any claims made for witness expenses under the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body witness expenses scheme.