Official Report 79KB pdf
The second item on the agenda is a response from the Lord President's office. We raised a point about the reference to unaccompanied women in new rule 3.1.11(3)(b), and a point was also raised on a previous matter, concerning equivalent rules that mention women exclusively. We have received a response asking about our jurisdiction. We are meeting the Sheriff Court Rules Council informally next week.
We need to raise the matter informally with the SCRC. The rule is singling out women in this instance, but other vulnerable groups could be discriminated against. The matter needs clarification.
Presumably, we can pass on our views to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee—I am advised that we should not do that. We can raise the matter, and our remit in such issues, which the SCRC seems to be questioning, at the private meeting next week.