Views are being sought on a new Bill which aims to reduce incidences of domestic abuse, by the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee.
The Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill is a Members Bill which has been introduced by Pam Gosal, MSP.
The Bill is in four parts and would introduce notification requirements for certain people convicted of domestic abuse offences, similar to those for registered sex offenders. This would mean people would have to inform the police of things like their address or passport details.
It would give courts the power to order an assessment of the suitability of certain people convicted of domestic abuse to take part in rehabilitation or behaviour change programmes.
The Bill would place a data collection duty on Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and charities working with victims of domestic abuse, and an annual reporting duty on the Scottish Government.
If passed, the Bill would also require schools to provide education on domestic abuse and healthy relationships as part of the curriculum.
Police Scotland recorded 63,867 incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24, an increase of 3% compared to the previous year.
Criminal Justice Committee Convener, Audrey Nicoll MSP, said:“Our Committee is acutely aware of the devastating impact domestic abuse has on individuals, families, and communities across Scotland, and the latest statistics on domestic abuse show the scale of this issue.
“This Bill presents a range of proposals aiming to prevent domestic abuse, including statutory data collection on authorities and improving school education but we want to hear views on whether individuals and organisations support these proposals.
“We are particularly keen to hear from those with lived experience, their families and frontline professionals on if they agree with the proposals in this Bill, or if they feel other actions are required to tackle domestic abuse in Scotland.”
Services supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse should be resourced to be easy to access and able to provide joined-up and consistent access to advice and information on financial support, according to MSPs.
Holyrood’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee has today released a new report that outlines how people who leave an abusive relationship can be better protected from severe financial implications.
Some domestic abusers restrict a person’s ability to manage their finances. This can involve stopping a victim from opening a bank account, controlling how they use their income, preventing them from working or being in education, or building up debt in a victim’s name. This is known as economic abuse.
In its inquiry, the Committee heard widespread evidence about the barriers faced by victims and survivors trying to access support. Challenges included generic information, a lack of trauma-informed financial advice and “England-centric” online information.
While the Committee appreciated that the Scottish Government provides funding for advice on income maximisation and its Equally Safe strategy to address violence against women and girls, the feedback it heard made it clear that support provided by advice services was vital.
Additionally, the Committee calls for more consistent support from local authorities, asking for the Scottish Government to work with COSLA to develop a single point of contact. Without this, victims and survivors will continue to face significant challenges to accessing advice on problems relating to housing, benefits and legal advice.
The Committee’s report also asks for an update on the Scottish Government’s Fund to Leave pilot which several witnesses cited as a valuable resource when leaving an abusive relationship and before receiving a decision on eligibility for social security.
Collette Stevenson MSP, Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said: “The impact and cost of leaving an abusive relationship can be absolutely devastating and it is critical that victims and survivors can access advice and support quickly and easily.
“Our report calls for the Scottish Government to strengthen and standardise the support that is available to people. We heard about some excellent work that exists, but it is inconsistent and not always easy to find, which has created barriers for people in horrendously stressful situations.
“We’d like to thank everyone who shared their views with us during this inquiry, particularly the members of Scottish Women’s Aid’s Survivor Reference Group and the staff at Financially Included who spoke so powerfully.”
Official Scottish Government research finds banning purchase of sex would have “limited impact” on stopping trafficking and sexual exploitation
Ministers warned of “notable evidence gaps” behind Ash Regan’s claims that tackling demand for sex would reduce harm
Victims Minister Siobhian Brown says evidence raises “significant questions and concerns” about Regan’s Nordic Model Bill
Ash Regan’s proposals to outlaw the purchase of sex have been dealt a hammer blow after the Scottish Government admitted that the measures would have “limited impact” on stopping trafficking and exploitation, according to national sex worker group Ugly Mugs.
Official Scottish Government research, published last week, acknowledges that there are “notable evidence gaps” behind claims by supporters of Ms Regan’s Bill that prosecuting sex buyers would reduce exploitation in Scotland.
Civil servants spent months trawling international evidence on tackling trafficking and sexual exploitation.
In their conclusions, published last week, they write: “Much of the literature reviewed focuses on criminal justice interventions. This tends to focus on the effectiveness of preventative measures which aim to reduce demand for prostitution (e.g. via deterrence). The evidence reviewed suggests that such measures may have limited impact on preventing trafficking and sexual exploitation.”
The research was published on the same day that Siobhian Brown, the Victims and Community Safety Minister, told MSPs scrutinising Ms Regan’s Bill that she had “significant questions and concerns” about the proposed legislation.
In a letter to the Criminal Justice Committee, Ms Brown cited “challenges experienced internationally” in implementing similar legislation, and said she had “concerns about the accuracy” of Ms Regan’s cost estimates of implementing the Bill.
The minister wrote: “There remain significant questions and concerns regarding the measures within the Bill and how they would work in practice, the extent to which they would deliver on the policy intent, and the associated financial implications.”
Sex worker groups, led by National Ugly Mugs, the UK’s national sex worker safety charity, have repeatedly warned that criminalising clients has no impact on stopping exploitation and would only make life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, by pushing the industry underground.
Lynsey Walton, chief executive of National Ugly Mugs, said: “Sex worker groups, alongside leading NGOs like Amnesty and the World Health Organisation, have long warned that criminalising the purchase of sex only serves to make life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, while having no impact on trafficking and exploitation.
“We are pleased that the Scottish Government has now accepted that the international evidence backs this up. MSPs now need to pull the plug on Ms Regan’s misguided and dangerous legislation, and focus on supporting sex workers’ rights to work safely and free from stigma.”
The Scottish Government research comes after independent reviews carried out for the Irish and Northern Irish governments – which have both criminalised the purchase of sex – found that the Nordic Model had not reduced the demand for sexual services in each country.
The Northern Irish review found that there was “no evidence that the offence of purchasing sexual services has produced a downward pressure on the demand for, or supply of, sexual services”. It also found that “the legislation has contributed to a climate whereby sex workers feel further marginalised and stigmatised”.
The Irish Government’s review, published earlier this year, found that after seven years of the legislation being in force, just 15 men had been convicted for purchasing sex. Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said: “Regrettably, the review highlights that despite the criminalisation of the purchase of sexual services, demand has not decreased.”
More work is needed if the Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill proceeds to the next stage of the legislative process. This is the recommendation in a new report issued by Holyrood’s Rural Affairs & Islands Committee.
Publishing its Stage 1 report, the Committee says that it supports the general principles of the Bill. However, should the Bill progress to the next stage, the Committee sets out areas for reconsideration and development.
The Committee says that, although the creation of a specific statutory offence of dog theft would recognise that dogs are sentient beings and reflect the impact on animal welfare, there is no clear evidence to suggest that a statutory offence would be used more in practice than the existing common law.
In addition, without a dedicated budget for raising awareness of the statutory offence, and with similar penalties as are currently available for the existing offence, the Committee say it is unlikely to act as a strong deterrent.
The report also says that making the theft of an assistance dog an aggravated crime does not seem a ‘proportionate provision’. To date, no instances of dog theft have been reported, and the court system can already consider the impact of any theft, if a case does come to court.
The Committee recommends however that, if the proposed aggravation proceeds to Stage 2, a broader definition for dogs providing support and assistance, for example working farm dogs, should be included.
The Committee says that it does not support allowing victims of dog theft to make victim statements to the court.
During scrutiny, stakeholders said that courts already consider the impact of crimes on victims and that providing this opportunity to victims of dog theft, would create an anomaly with other crimes which do not allow victim support statements.
Instead, the Committee asks the Scottish Government to include dog theft within its broader commitment to expand the range of offences where victim statements are allowed.
Committee Convener, Finlay Carson MSP, said;“This is a well-intentioned Bill which merits our support at this stage in the legislative process. We agree that dog theft is a terrible crime, and that appropriate legislation should be in place to reflect this.
“However, evidence provided to us during our scrutiny suggests that many of the Bill provisions are already available within the current court system and procedures. It’s important to ensure legislation and enforcement procedures do not create untended consequences or further bureaucratic burdens.
“It’s now for the Scottish Parliament to consider the reservations we have set out in our report and to decide the best route forward.”
Should causing severe environmental damage be treated as a serious and distinct criminal offence? Are current penalties imposed by courts on individuals and organisations adequate? Could creating this offence impact on legitimate activities?
These are the types of questions Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee is putting to members of the public and organisations with an interest in environmental issues, as they launch their call for views into the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill.
If approved by Parliament, this Bill would introduce the crime of ecocide into Scots law for the first time.
The Bill was introduced by Monica Lennon MSP on 29 May 2025. Ms Lennon believes that creating a distinct criminal offence and increasing the penalties for perpetrators, would reduce the likelihood of future incidents and help protect Scotland’s population, wildlife and ecosystems.
Proposals in the Bill allow for both people and organisations to be convicted of ecocide with custodial sentences of up to 20 years and unlimited fines.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1939625266126418107
Launching the call for views, Convener of the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Commitee, Edward Mountain MSP, said; “We all agree on the need to address the biodiversity crisis and protect and restore fragile ecosystems. That includes making sure there are fitting penalties for serious environmental damage.
“Introducing ecocide into Scots criminal law could send a strong message to individuals and organisations about the gravity of serious environmental damage and act as a deterrent, changing corporate behaviour and individual decision-making for the better.
“While protecting the environment is vital, it’s also important to ensure that any new measures strike the right balance – avoiding disproportionate costs for public bodies, individuals and businesses, or inhibiting development or infrastructure in places where it is needed and wanted.
“And before making new laws, its right to reflect on how well current measures to combat environmental damage work and whether they’re backed up with sufficient resources.
“Please share your views with us, to help us further understand the strengths and weaknesses of the proposals before us.”
The Committee expects to take evidence on the Bill after summer recess and report its recommendations to Parliament.
The call for views will be open until Tuesday 9 September 2025.
The Bill, introduced by Ash Regan MSP, targets those who buy sexual services by creating a new criminal offence of paying for a sexual act.
The Bill would also repeal the existing offence, under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, of loitering, soliciting or importuning in a public place for the purposes of prostitution. People who have been convicted of this offence in the past would have their convictions quashed by the new Bill.
The Member’s Bill would also give rights to ensure a person who is, or has been, in prostitution is provided with help and support. This could include accommodation, financial assistance, healthcare or legal advice and representation, depending on what is required.
As the call for views launched, Criminal Justice Committee Convener Audrey Nicoll MSP said: “This Bill raises important questions on prostitution in Scotland and how it is considered by our laws.
“It proposes changes on criminalisation, the quashing of previous convictions and the support given to those who work in this environment and we want to hear from a range of voices on whether they welcome these provisions.
“We are particularly keen to hear the views of people with lived experience, on whether they support the proposals or not, and whether the changes this Bill proposes will help achieve its ambitions.”
Proposed changes to the services and support provided to people who are in, or have experience of, the children’s care system are set to be scrutinised in Holyrood.
MSPs from the Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee have launched a call for views on the Scottish Government’s Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill forms part of the Scottish Government’s response to the recommendations made in the Independent Care Review known as “The Promise”.
Proposed changes include an expansion in the right to apply for aftercare, wider access to advocacy services for care-experienced people and the creation of a national register of foster carers.
The Bill also proposes changes designed to avoid people or organisations making excessive profits from the care of children. It would set limits on the profits that can be made from children’s residential care and require fostering services to register as charities.
Changes to the Children’s Hearing System, which the Scottish Government describes as offering legal protections to children who are in need or at risk, are also proposed in the Bill. In a move designed to strengthen accountability, the Bill also sets out that, in future, all Integration Joint Boards will have responsibility for children’s services planning, alongside local authorities and health boards.
The Committee now wants to hear from care-experienced people, parents, carers, foster carers, kinship carers and adoptive parents, and others, to share their views on the proposals.
The call for views is open now and will close to responses on 15 August 2025. The Committee plans to hold evidence sessions with stakeholders in autumn.
Douglas Ross MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “In 2020 the Independent Care Review set out a series of promises to Scotland’s care experienced children and young people.
“We have kept a constant eye on progress towards meeting those promises and it is clear, from hearing from care experienced young people and those supporting them, that there are many challenges still to overcome.
“The Committee will look closely at this Bill, listen to the views of everyone affected by it, and assess whether it will bring about the changes needed to ensure that all care experienced children and young people can enjoy the childhood they deserve.
“If you are care experienced, or work to support care experienced children and young people, please share your views on the proposals in this Bill.”
MSPs on Holyrood’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee are seeking views on the positive and negative aspects of growing social security spend in Scotland.
The Committee has launched a call for views to help inform its scrutiny of next year’s Scottish Budget. The devolution of social security payments started in 2016 and since then the Scottish Government has introduced policies that are specific to Scotland, like the Scottish Child Payment and greater funding for Adult Disability Payment and carer benefits.
A key theme in the Committee’s inquiry will be the interplay between different policy decisions taken by the UK and Scottish Governments.
The choices that the Scottish Government has made have meant that this year the Scottish Government is spending £1.2 billion more on social security policies than it gets in funding for social security from the UK Government.
Any changes to disability payments by the UK Government could change the funding the Scottish Government receives. In this context, the Committee is asking how much the Scottish Government’s ability to manage the devolved social security budget is affected by UK Government policy choices.
The Committee also wants to hear people’s views on the most cost-effective ways to reduce child poverty and the advantages and disadvantages of universal benefits compared to those targeted at low-income households.
Collette Stevenson MSP, Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said: “The Scottish Government has invested in social security with the aim of tackling specific challenges in our society. As we look towards the next Scottish Budget, we would like to hear your views on the effectiveness of this approach.
“We’re keen to hear from people who receive social security benefits, and organisations who provide advice or support, government agencies and public bodies and anyone with expertise or interest in social security spending and public finances.
“Our call for views is open for responses until 17 August 2025. We then plan to take evidence on the issues raised over the autumn.”
New qualifications body and independent inspectorate to be established
The creation of a new national qualifications body, along with an independent education inspectorate, has taken a major step forward after legislation to implement the changes was passed in the Scottish Parliament.
The Education (Scotland) Bill was backed by 69 votes to 47 by MSPs last night. This includes provisions to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) with a new organisation, Qualifications Scotland.
The office of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland, with enhanced independence, will be created to undertake the education inspection functions that currently sit within Education Scotland.
The final legislation, following Stage 2 and Stage 3 amendments to the Bill initially introduced in June last year, includes measures from all political parties represented on Holyrood’s Education, Children and Young People committee.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The successful passage of this legislation shows this Government is serious about implementing the changes needed to drive improvement across Scotland’s education and skills system.
“The creation of a new national qualifications body is about building the right conditions for reform to flourish; the new body will ensure that knowledge and experience of pupils and teachers are at the heart of our national qualifications offering.
“The new inspectorate body will also have greater independence and the power to set the frequency and focus of inspections, moving this function away from Ministers, to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector.
“Throughout this process, I have been determined to work with other parties on this vital legislation. I am also grateful to teaching unions and other organisations across civic Scotland who contributed to its development.
“Taken together our major programme of education and skills reform will bring about the changes needed to meet the needs of future generations of young people.”
British Sign Language (BSL) recognised in Scotland’s new education legislation
The National Deaf Children’s Society and fellow deaf campaigners are celebrating after the Scottish Parliament voted through the new Education (Scotland) Bill 2025, which includes crucial recognition of the rights of British Sign Language (BSL) users.
The inclusion of BSL in the Bill is the culmination of a year-long campaign from a coalition of deaf charities, spearheaded by the National Deaf Children’s Society, and supported by more than 500 campaigners, including deaf young people and their families.
The campaign kicked into life after a previous reading of the Bill recognised Gaelic but not BSL, despite both languages having legal recognition in Scotland.
Campaigners urged Scottish MSPs to recognise BSL in the Bill, highlighting that deaf learners in Scotland are currently nearly three times more likely to leave school without qualifications than their hearing peers.
MSPs voted to support the legislation as the Bill completed the final stage of debate on 25 June. It is now set to become law, once it receives Royal Assent.
George McGowan from the National Deaf Children’s Society said: “This is a historic moment for deaf children, young people, and their families, who realised this milestone through their tireless and incredible campaigning.
“This means BSL will receive the recognition and support it rightly deserves within Scotland’s educational system.”
The new education bodies created by the legislation will now have to give equal weight to both BSL and the Gaelic language.
The new qualifications agency in Scotland, Qualification Scotland, must also consider the needs of pupils who use BSL or learn in BSL.
This is significant as it recognises the importance of BSL as a language in the Scottish education system and crucially, means deaf children and young people who use BSL, will receive access to information and support from Qualification Scotland in their preferred language.
The new law also places requirements on the new Chief Inspector of Education to consider the importance of communicating in a way that best meets the needs of children and young people, including those who use BSL.
Mr McGowan, who has severe to profound deafness and uses BSL as his first language, added: “Too many deaf children and young people in Scotland still face barriers to learning and to using sign language, if it’s the right choice for them. This is why it’s so vital that this new law now recognises the importance of BSL.”
It is hoped that the passing of the new law will ensure deaf children and young people have access to an inclusive education that meets their needs.
Deaf teenager Niamdh Braid was one of the young people involved in the campaign for the Bill to recognise the rights of BSL users.
Niamdh, who earlier this month attended a meeting with MSPs at Holyrood to discuss the Bill, said: “The inclusion of BSL is incredible as it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.
“This will hopefully not only bring more awareness to BSL but also give deaf children the access to sign language that they need.”
Niamdh, who was supported by the National Deaf Children’s Society in her legal battle with Fife Councilto have a BSL interpreter in her class for school lessons, added: “Hopefully this will mean deaf young people no longer have to fight for access to their own language like I had to.”
BSL is recognised in law as one of Scotland’s languages. It is a vibrant language that allows deaf children and young people to access a rich deaf culture, heritage and identity. The importance of BSL was recognised in the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015.
Qualifications Scotland is expected to become operational in Autumn 2025.
The Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics returns this August with a three-day programme of over 30 events, taking place in Holyrood, the home of Scottish politics between Wednesday 20 to Friday 22 August 2025.
BBC journalist Clive Myrie will appear as part of the line-up this year, in conversation with the Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP where he will discuss his incredible 30-year broadcasting career.
Professor Danny Dorling, renowned social geographer, will explore the impact of politics on the UK’s housing, education, poverty and inequality levels, and will offer robust solutions on how to address these challenges of our age.
In addition, our Festival programme features leading experts from the worlds of politics, the arts, business, the media and the third sector. With events on topics tackling some of the big issues facing Scotland, the UK and the world such as the use of AI, peace in the Middle East, how we tackle misogyny and our use of technology.
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said: “This year’s Festival promises lively debates, thought-provoking panels and inspiring voices tackling some of the most pressing social, political and environmental issues of our time.”
In addition, there is a lively free programme of entertainment, exhibitions and even a robot in the Festival Café Bar.
