Chamber and committees

Criminal Justice Committee

The Committee was established in June 2026. It focuses on matters relating to criminal justice in Scotland including:

criminal law
Police Scotland
prosecution and the work of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
the criminal courts
the Scottish Prison Service
the role of the Lord Advocate as the Scottish Government’s principal legal adviser and representative in civil proceedings.

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Next meeting of the committee

Start time: 9:00am, Wednesday 02 September 2026

Location: Committee Room 6

Agenda:

Decisions on taking business in private
Ministerial briefing – evidence
Prison operations – evidence
Remand and bail – evidence
Armed Forces Bill (UK Parliament legislation) – approach
Review of evidence
Armed Forces Bill (UK Parliament legislation) - report

Full agenda and other meeting papers

Dates for future meetings

The Criminal Justice Committee usually meets on Wednesday.

Previous meetings of the committee

See all meetings of the committee

Work of the Committee

Work of the Committee: Current work

Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Armed Forces Bill (UK Parliament Legislation)

Work of the Committee: Correspondence

Correspondence

Criminal Justice Committee

HMIPS Prison Expert Group

28 August 2026

Briefing note from Jim Watson, HMIPS Prison Expert Group

Criminal Justice Committee

Session 7 priorities of the Criminal Justice Committee

26 August 2026

Letter from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, 26 August 2026

Criminal Justice Committee

Scottish prison population and pressures

24 August 2026

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, 24 August 2026

See all of this committee's correspondence

Work of the Committee: Official Reports of meetings

Official Reports of meetings

Criminal Justice Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Decision on Taking Business in Private, Scotland’s Prisons, Subordinate Legislation

Criminal Justice Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Interests, Deputy Convener, Decision on Taking Business in Private

See all of this committee's Official Reports

Work of the Committee: Committee Remit

To consider and report on matters relating to criminal justice falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, and functions of the Lord Advocate other than as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and investigation of deaths in Scotland