Question reference: S5W-36061
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 11 March 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position on the draft proposed Whole Life Custody (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
Existing criminal law operates so that when a court is setting a punishment part of a life sentence, the court can decide to set a punishment part that extends beyond the rest of an offender's life. The Scottish Government supports courts having these powers for courts to decide how to use in the most serious cases.
The Scottish Government is not aware that the text of a draft proposed Whole Life Custody (Scotland) Bill has been made available, but would consider carefully the detailed text of a proposed Bill as and when it is available to understand if it would improve the current extensive powers courts have in dealing with the most serious offenders.