Chamber and committees

We have been told that, because the miners strike was so long ago, there is a lack of evidence and that an automatic pardon is the best course of action. Given that evidence is so scarce, do you agree that it would be somewhat precocious to suggest that the easiest way is to list the offences that should not fall under the pardon rather than those that do? The fact that more violent crimes were not written off by the fine is, of course, reassuring. Do you agree that listing only the offences not included in the pardon would leave the pardon open-ended and open to interpretation?

Yes. We have heard from miners, and it has been heartbreaking to listen to what they have said about what happened at the time. We have also heard from police officers who were there at the time. What we are talking about today is indeed about miners, but we are also considering what the law was. Not everybody obeyed the law, in different circumstances. I could not possibly sit here and say what was right and wrong back then, but we are looking at the law, too. The law was there to help, as well; it was not always there to hinder. Looking back, we need to ensure that we also respect the police officers who got injured at the time through no fault of their own. I am trying to say that there should be no loophole. I agree that the proposed legislation should go forward, but we must also ensure that we are looking out for those who were injured.

I have a quick question for Alistair Dinnie. The Home Secretary has announced £14 million of funding to support newly granted refugees to learn English, move into work, access housing and build links with local communities. Is that a sustainable approach to reducing destitution among refugees? If not, what more has to be done?

It has been very interesting and informative to listen to all the responses. As the convener said, I am a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, which has been discussing a human rights-based approach to budgets. Would local authorities benefit from looking through an intersectional lens when it comes to distributing and balancing resources to support those with no recourse to public funds?

Thank you.

Good morning, and thank you for your opening statements and all the detailed responses that you have given to the questions.

My question comes on the back of Pam Duncan-Glancy’s question on the child payment. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said that the Scottish Government’s plan to double the child payment by the end of 2022 is not, on its own, enough to meet the child poverty target. Given that councils are responsible for vital service provision, council cuts could impact the service provision that is available for children who are living in poverty. What can be done to improve the co-ordination of policies across all areas of the budget so that, when one has a positive effect, it is not negated by a policy in another area?

My question is probably for Chris Birt first and then the other witnesses.

Thank you so much for being honest.

Jim McBrierty, I want to touch on something that you talked about. You went on to become public order commander. Looking back, is there anything that you would have done differently, if you had been in that policing role at the time?

Thank you for coming along today to give evidence. I know that it is not easy to look back so many years and think about what happened then. I also thank you for being so honest in saying that you had to do a job that you did not want to do and that, as police officers, you had to no choice but to protect life and property. Jim, you said that police officers’ families were attacked and spat on while walking down the street. That shows what you went through.

You have both said that we need to be careful in giving pardons, and especially that we must ensure that we do not pardon people who did things that were more serious. Jim mentioned a female police officer who was seriously injured.

Will you say a little about the impacts that the miners strike had on you? What are your reflections on that when you look back at that time and talk about it today?

Happy new year, everybody. I thank all the witnesses for coming along today to give evidence. Like most of the members who have spoken, I was very young when the miners strikes were happening. However, I remember the horrific scenes on television. As I was very young, I did not understand what was happening, so I welcome the insights and lived experiences that we have heard today from the people it happened to.

My question is about the lasting impact on miners and mining communities. Given that the impact on strikes continues more than three decades later, what are your views on the lasting impact of the strike and its policing on miners and mining communities? My question is for Professor Phillips about the research and then for Nicky Wilson.

Thank you.