Chamber and committees

As international condemnation of the UK Government’s atrocious and dehumanising Illegal Migration Bill continues to pour in, the need for the full immigration powers of an independent state has never been clearer. Will the cabinet secretary assure Parliament that this Scottish Government will remain committed to Scotland’s role as a good global citizen before, and after, independence?

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is for the migration strategy in an independent Scotland, including how it could address any workforce and recruitment challenges resulting from the withdrawal from the European Union. (S6O-02026)

I absolutely agree with Emma Harper. Young folk on remand should be allowed access to the activities that the general prison population of young people have access to. I would welcome the cabinet secretary’s comments on whether he agrees with us, which he might provide in his summing up—or perhaps the minister will sum up.

Scotland is a modern and progressive society. The Scottish Government’s overarching aim for the justice system in Scotland is to improve public safety, support victims and reduce victimisation rates. Evidence shows that that is best achieved by reducing crime, reducing reoffending and having fewer folk experiencing crime.

Keeping our communities safe and protecting victims must remain a priority for us all. However, we must also recognise the severe and multiple deprivation that is experienced by many folk who encounter the criminal justice system, and the damaging impact that imprisonment can have on individuals, their families and their wider communities. We must have smart, compassionate justice that emphasises the need to protect victims, ensures public safety and gives people who have offended the support that they need to make different choices in their lives so that they can make a positive contribution to their and our communities.

Too often, folk cycle back into the criminal justice system and into prison because they cannot access the support that they sorely need in the community. Collectively, we can do better, which is why the bill includes a focus on the support that is provided to folk who leave prison so that they do not reoffend.

I welcome the fact that the bill is aimed at making a real difference to the lives of individuals who are affected by imprisonment, many of whom have adverse life experiences. I particularly welcome the fact that the Scottish Government is funding trauma specialists to develop a framework for training staff to create a more trauma-informed and trauma-responsive justice system.

The new vision for justice recognises the prevalence of trauma and endorses a more person-centred and trauma-informed justice system. The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS Education for Scotland to create a knowledge and skills framework specifically to support a trauma-informed workforce in the justice sector. Victims must play a more prominent role in cases, experience fewer delays and be supported in their recovery. I ask for a commitment that that will be a central tenet of the bill, because we must keep that objective in focus.

The bill will improve Scotland’s justice system and will enable us to continue our journey to Scotland being a more progressive and caring nation. I support the Government’s motion.

Local authorities can also help. I heard that Aberdeen City Council has a plan to plant 1 million trees in the next five years. It was also interesting to hear about the Denburn, which runs through the city centre. Many years ago, it was straightened and flooding has occurred because of that, but plans are now in place to get it back to what it was originally.

I am sorry, convener, but I am rambling a bit.

On the need to join actions together to make them work, I heard about that just last Friday at a meeting with the John Muir Trust and the Scottish Wildlife Trust while going up the river Don—I declare an interest as the Parliament’s nature champion for sea trout. They were explaining to me the problems that the sea trout has, because it goes from the sea right up the estuary and it needs the correct landscape to breed. What are the plans in holistic terms? How are we going to bring it all together?

I will ask a very cheeky question as well. We have a strategy for wild salmon. Brown trout and sea trout, which are two different species, have a life cycle that is very similar to, or the same as, that of wild salmon. Are you thinking of bringing those species into the same strategy so that they are protected as well?

Yes.

Will the Scottish biodiversity list be reviewed, moving forward?

Two notable targets for the global framework agreement are the 30 by 30 target and, as you mentioned, the restoration target, which call for restoration to be completed or under way on at least 30 per cent of degraded terrestrial inland waters and coastal and marine ecosystems. What scale of challenge do those targets present for us in Scotland? What kind of programmes—one of which you have just mentioned—will we need in future?

Good morning, minister. The new global framework requires us to take urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Last week, we heard that there is a need for speed, given that we now have ambitious targets for 2030, which is only seven years away—only seven growing seasons. How can that urgency be realised in Scotland? What do we need to do in this parliamentary session for the work to get on track and remain on track?

I have no further questions.