Scottish Parliament – Page 9 – The NEN

MSPs seek views on Bill which aims to prevent domestic abuse in Scotland

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.”

Read the questions and submit your views on Citizen Space

The call for views closes on 15 September 2025.

Advice services need greater support to tackle the cost of leaving

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.”

Holyrood Committee agrees general principles of Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill

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.”

Views sought on proposals which would introduce the crime of ecocide into Scots law for the first time

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.

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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.

Read the questions and submit your views on Citizen Space

Holyrood Committee calls for views on new Bill which would make it a criminal offence to pay for sex

The Criminal Justice Committee is seeking views on the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill.

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.”

Let the Committee know your views

The call for views closes on Friday 5 September 2025.

Scottish Parliament seeks views on what should be included in the forthcoming Climate Change Plan

What should be included in Scotland’s Climate Change Plan? Members of the public, experts and stakeholders are being asked just that, as the Scottish Parliament launches a call for views to support its scrutiny of the Plan.

The draft CCP, which is expected to be published later this year, will set out how the Scottish Government intends to meet emission reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy. It must also set out the costs and benefits of policies, whilst taking into consideration the principles of a Just Transition – that the switch to net zero should reduce not increase social injustice.

This CCP will cover the period 2026-2040, as Scotland looks to be “net zero” in carbon emissions by 2045. In doing so, it will seek to meet reduction targets for this period, based, on advice from the independent Climate Change Committee.

Questions included in the call for views cover a wide range of sectors including electricity and energy; buildings; transport; industry; waste and circular economy; agriculture and land use; and negative emissions technologies, but participants are free to answer only those they are most interested in.

The Parliament is also seeking views on other aspects of the draft Plan, including how the proposed policies should be funded and how to overcome challenges in delivering them.

The findings will be shared across Parliament to support parliamentary committees scrutinising the draft CCP later in the year.

Launching the call for views, Convener of the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee, Edward Mountain MSP, said; “The last time the Scottish Parliament considered a full Climate Change Plan was in 2018.

“Since then, the pandemic made changes, some of them long-lasting, to how we work and live our lives. There have been new technological developments, bringing both challenges and opportunities for climate change policy. And global uncertainty has raised new questions about our energy security.

“In Scotland, some progress towards net zero has been made, but not enough. The Climate Change Committee’s warning last year that delays and slippages had put Scotland off-target in reaching net zero were a wake-up call for the Scottish Government to find credible policies that will deliver positive change in areas like agriculture, public transport and car use and domestic heating.

“Now, the Scottish Parliament can play its part by ensuring there is a robust, workable and costed delivery plan for net zero. But expert and public buy-in and participation must be at the heart of a credible plan.

“What do you think should be included in the Plan and what else do you think is needed to deliver a just transition to net zero by 2045?

“To help form our thinking, please share your views so that when the draft Plan arrives, we will be in a strong position to start detailed scrutiny.”

Once the draft CCP is laid, the Scottish Parliament will have 120 days to scrutinise it.

The call for views will be open until 19 September 2025.

Read the questions and submit your views on Citizen Space

Will new Bill help Scottish Government keep The Promise?

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 seek views on effective social security spending

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.”

Find out more about the Committee’s inquiry into future social security spending

Share your views on future social security spending

Committee invites views on proposed Commissioner for Older People

What impact would a Commissioner for Older People have on Scotland? That is the question a Scottish Parliament committee is exploring as it considers proposals from Colin Smyth MSP.

The Commissioner for Older People (Scotland) Bill aims to give people over the age of 60 a representative who would be tasked with promoting and safeguarding their rights and interests.

Colin Smyth’s Bill proposes that the Commissioner would be responsible for promoting awareness and understanding of older people’s rights, reviewing law, policy and practice as it relates to older people and undertaking research on matters relating to older people.

The proposals share some similarities with the role of the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland, which was established by the Scottish Parliament following a Committee Bill in 2003.

The Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee has launched a call for views to find out what people think of the proposal. As part of its consideration, the Committee will also be reflecting on a recently published report that recommended against the creation of more commissioners.

Older people and carers are among the groups whose views the Committee would like to hear as it seeks views on the proposed Commissioner’s role and responsibilities, the age range covered by their remit and how to avoid any duplication with the work undertaken by other commissioners or public bodies.

The call for views is now open and will be open until Friday 12 September 2025. The Committee is then expected to hold public evidence sessions on the Bill towards the end of Autumn.

Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “Over recent decades there has been significant growth in the number of older people living in Scotland, so, in our consideration of this Bill, we’re keen to understand whether having a Commissioner could help address the needs of an aging population.

“In opening this call for views we’d like to hear what older people think of the proposals. We’re also keen to hear the views of carers, Scotland’s third sector, public bodies and anyone with an interest in the proposal.

“Whether you think that a Commissioner would be a great idea or would like to propose another way that older people might have their views considered, we’re keen to hear from you.”

Holyrood committee launches call for views on mental health budget

The Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee is seeking views on the Scottish Government’s mental health spending for 2026-27, as part of its pre-budget scrutiny.

The Committee is considering the effectiveness of current spending and whether investment is aligned with the right priorities.

In 2023-24, mental health services received £1.5 billion in funding—equivalent to 9% of total NHS expenditure. The Committee is now seeking views on whether this level of investment is appropriate, how spending decisions are made, and the extent to which preventative approaches are being supported.

The Committee is particularly interested in:

The adequacy and transparency of current mental health spending;
Evidence of preventative investment in mental health;
Whether national priorities—such as CAMHS, suicide prevention, and community-based support— are the right priorities for mental health investment and to what extent these priorities are reflected in mental health service delivery.

The Committee’s scrutiny takes place ahead of the publication of the Scottish Budget, expected later this year, and aims to inform Scottish Government’s spending decisions while they are still in development.

Speaking as the call for views was launched, Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said: “It’s vital people dealing with mental health issues are able to access appropriate and effective care, support and treatment.

“That’s why we are scrutinising the funding for these services and ensuring any money spent is going to the right places to help people get the support they need.

“Through this call for views, we want to hear from individuals, professionals and organisations about what’s working, what’s not, and where investment should be focused for the greatest benefit.

“Your insights will help us hold the Government to account and ensure that mental health services are properly resourced and effectively delivered.”

The call for views closes on 15 August 2025.

Read the questions and submit your views on Citizen Space