Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, September 15, 2016

Official Report 885KB pdf

Decision Time

There are three questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S5M-01434.1, in the name of Douglas Ross, which seeks to amend motion S5M-01434, in the name of Michael Matheson, on domestic abuse law, be agreed to.

Amendment agreed to.

The next question is, that amendment S5M-01434.2, in the name of Claire Baker, which seeks to amend motion S5M-01434, in the name of Michael Matheson, on domestic abuse law, as amended, be agreed to.

Amendment agreed to.

The final question is, that motion S5M-01434, in the name of Michael Matheson, on domestic abuse law, as amended, be agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to,

That the Parliament welcomes the announcement by the First Minister when delivering the 2016-17 Programme for Government that the Scottish Government will introduce legislation to create a specific criminal offence of domestic abuse; recognises that, in Scotland, there are approximately 60,000 incidents of domestic abuse reported each year, with the 2014-15 figures showing that 79% of such incidents having a male perpetrator and a female victim; recognises that, while physical abuse can be prosecuted under existing laws, it is challenging to prosecute psychological abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour under these; agrees that a new offence will both help the criminal justice system to deal more effectively with domestic abusers and, alongside access to appropriate advocacy services, allow better access to justice for both male and female victims who have been in a heterosexual or same-sex relationship; urges the Scottish Government to continue to raise awareness of Clare’s Law; notes that the Scottish Government is continuing to consider the exact terms of such an offence in the light of feedback to the recent consultation on a draft offence with the aim of ensuring that it appropriately and effectively criminalises the type of pernicious coercive and controlling behaviour that can constitute domestic abuse and that such an offence will have a significant impact on how society views domestic abuse by ensuring that there is clarity that psychological, as well as physical abuse, of a partner or ex-partner is a criminal offence, and recognises the important role of domestic abuse courts in dealing with the offence, and looks to extend the provision of these as part of proposals for tackling domestic abuse in Scotland.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer.

Under rule 7.3, I seek your guidance on the comments that were made by Ruth Davidson during First Minister’s questions this afternoon. She quoted a warning from a representative of the Society for Acute Medicine that there would be “pockets of meltdown” in the national health service this winter. What Ruth Davidson failed to mention was that that assessment related to a report that examined 94 hospitals, only three of which are in Scotland and 87 of which are in England.

As I am a new member, perhaps the Presiding Officer could advise me whether it is possible for Ruth Davidson to be given the opportunity to correct her remarks, for the purposes of the Official Report, in order to make clear that the warnings of meltdown are aimed squarely at the Tory Government’s terrible handling of the NHS in England.

I consider that to be a debating point rather than a point of order, but you have made the point.

Parliamentary business is now concluded.