Chamber and committees

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and I are happy to consider any innovative policy intervention that furthers our commitment to do more for victims of domestic abuse, including considering how it would interact with existing initiatives.

Pam Gosal will be aware that the disclosure scheme for domestic abuse Scotland provides individuals with the right to ask the police about a partner’s background if they suspect a history of domestic abuse. It also enables Police Scotland to tell people that they may be at risk even if that information has not been asked for.

I am pleased to hear that Ms Gosal is meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs next week. I am sure that the cabinet secretary would be happy to consider all proposals to make the lives of domestic abuse victims easier.

Domestic abuse is abhorrent. Although any case is unacceptable, the figures demonstrate that Police Scotland has been able to utilise the new domestic abuse offence powers proactively. I hope that that will further increase public confidence in reporting incidents of domestic abuse. I encourage anyone who is affected, whether they be a victim or a witness, to contact the police.

We are committed to working with a range of partners in the statutory and third sectors to tackle domestic abuse, bring perpetrators to justice and ensure that victims receive the support that they need. Our equally safe strategy, which is backed by annual funding of £19 million, aims to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls and focuses on early intervention, prevention and support.

The member raises a valid point. Those who perpetrate violence and abuse—the majority of whom are men—must change their actions and behaviour. It is only through fundamental societal change that women can be protected. We must root out and tackle the toxic masculinity and gender inequality that lead to violence, harassment, misogyny and abuse against women. We should stand against it and call it out whenever we see it.

As we announced in our programme for government, we will introduce a bill to create a new offence of misogynistic conduct. The bill will be informed by the report of the working group on misogyny and criminal justice and the subsequent consultation on draft legislative provisions to implement the report’s recommendations.

As well as the SPAACE initiative with Police Scotland, it is important to recognise some of the good collaborative work that is happening across Scotland. I have visited several projects in Stirling and Inverclyde, where local authorities are coming together with Police Scotland, education providers and local businesses to tackle issues. It is important to reiterate the importance of local police plans.

The Scottish Government absolutely recognises the disruption and harm to businesses from theft and other antisocial behaviour. Police Scotland and partners are taking action to tackle and reduce it.

We continue to support the innovative Scottish partnership against acquisitive crime—SPAACE—strategy. The partnership is led by Police Scotland working with retailers and other organisations—including Retailers Against Crime and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland—and focuses on prevention, deterrence and, where appropriate, enforcement. The strategy seeks to minimise opportunities for acquisitive crime, to protect individuals and businesses and to deliver clear advice and guidance for prevention.

Furthermore, each local area has a local police plan, which has been refreshed for 2023 to 2026. Many of those plans include specific activities that focus on acquisitive crime and engagement with partners and stakeholders, which focuses on addressing retailers’ concerns at a local level.

The budget for police funding, even in these extremely challenging times, is £1.55 billion, which is an increase of £92.7 million. The chief constable has confirmed that Scottish Government investment will enable Police Scotland to recruit and increase police numbers.

Earlier this year, I met the retail industry leadership group and the Scottish Retail Consortium, which raised concerns about antisocial behaviour and an increase in theft. It may be interesting for the member to find out about an initiative that Police Scotland is piloting in Fife, where Police Scotland is coming together with partners and information technology providers to help to develop a platform that allows staff in stores to send details of crimes direct to Police Scotland. I hope that that initiative will be rolled out across Scotland.

Our hate crime strategy delivery plan, which has been informed by people with lived experience of hate crime, is focused on building communities that are cohesive and alert to extreme right-wing divisive narratives, both online and offline, supporting its victims and improving the data to understand hate crime.

The ways in which people can be radicalised are continuously evolving, and we recognise that there is no single pathway or set of factors. That is why we must remain alert and flexible, and ensure that our wider efforts across multiple policy areas build inclusive communities that are resistant to radicalisation and equipped to challenge extremist narratives.

The hate crime strategy was published in March 2023, followed in November by the delivery plan, which sets out our immediate actions over the next two years to implement the strategy.

Recent statistics are a reminder to redouble our efforts to tackle hate and to confront prejudice wherever it occurs. Our strategy remains relevant, and one of our key aims is to seek to improve the availability of data in order to more fully understand the nature, characteristics and extent of hate crime in Scotland, and to use it to inform future policy development.

First, I say that my thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Bayoh.

As the member highlighted, the inquiry is examining the immediate circumstances leading to Mr Bayoh’s death, the police handling of the case and the investigation into the death, and whether race was a factor. The inquiry can also make recommendations to prevent deaths in similar circumstances.

Counsel for the inquiry has confirmed that the question of whether Mr Bayoh’s race played a part will be examined at every stage. As it is a public inquiry and is independent of ministers, it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on the inquiry proceedings now that they have commenced.