Question reference: S6W-05090
- Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 10 December 2021
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will fulfil its Programme for Government commitment to launch a public consultation on the three verdict system and whether the not proven verdict should be abolished.
Answer
A public consultation on the not proven verdict and related reforms will open today, 13 December 2021, until 11 March 2022 and will be available at https://consult.gov.scot/justice/not-proven-verdict .
The Scottish Government recognises the strong case that can be made for the abolition of the not proven verdict but we also understand that there are many who have principled and informed objections to such a reform, or highlight the complex impact that moving to two verdicts could have on the wider Scottish criminal justice system.
We will continue to take an open and consultative approach to these matters and as part of this consultation will seek to capture the views of a broad range of stakeholders including legal professionals, the third sector and those with lived experience of the system.
This Government will listen carefully to what consultees tell us before we weigh all the evidence and reach a decision.
I look forward to considering the full range of views received.