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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 19 July 2025
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Displaying 1838 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

Can I stop you there? I agree with what you are saying; everyone has a responsibility in this regard. However, I am asking you a specific question. A lot of us have done some work on what we think needs to be done in school, but it is a complex question. If the Government is to support a programme of domestic abuse education in school, it must know what the right programme will be. Do you agree that that is complex?

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

So they would all be subject to the MAPPA requirements.

Pam, I think that you said that the provision is modelled on the sex offenders register. If you are not able to answer any of these questions, that is fine, but these are the ones that interest me. Have you done any assessment of how effective the sex offenders register has been in improving safety or reducing reoffending?

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

You said that you think that the sex offenders register has resulted in a reduction in repeat offences—recidivism.

10:30  

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

So, is it both?

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

Good morning. I will start with some technical questions, the answers to which should be short.

I just want to be clear. Charlie, you have already said that the provisions relate to those who are convicted on indictment in solemn proceedings and those who receive a 12-month sentence. Am I right that the 12-month period relates to the sentence?

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

So that might not necessarily be jail time.

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

Anyone?

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

Well, I am going to make a suggestion. I hope that you would agree that we need to have a wider discussion. With regard to your bill, you have said that you think that the solution is telling boys that domestic abuse is wrong—

Criminal Justice Committee [Draft]

Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

But I am suggesting that—

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 25 June 2025

Pauline McNeill

For stabbing a man, Alexandria Stewart, formerly known as Alan Baker, is serving a life sentence in Greenock prison’s women’s wing. Lawyer Paul Lynch was forced to ask four times for the criminal record of that offender, whose offences disappeared when they changed their name, due to the self-identification policy that has been in existence. Mr Lynch was told by the Crown Office that Stewart had no previous convictions. Only after Paul Lynch sent a link to an online news story about Baker’s murder conviction was the error rectified.

The policy has done deep damage. Does the cabinet secretary agree that a full investigation should be conducted to ensure that the impact of the policy is fully rectified so that criminal records are disclosed to the courts and are as accurate as they should have been in the first place?