Chamber and committees

A number of members are still looking to come in, and we have about 15 minutes left, so I request succinct questions and answers. We go to Sharon Dowey, followed by Katy Clark.

Thank you for that response. Just to clarify, I should have said that the organisations that highlighted that are Scottish Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland and Victim Support Scotland. They probably did so when they were giving evidence to the committee.

There is one final question—the shortest question today—from Russell Findlay.

It is no surprise that John Swinney would like to come back in.

Thank you. I have to bring the session to a close. I am sure that we could spend at least another hour on this. Thank you very much to our panel members for your time this morning.

At our next meeting, next week on 8 November, we will continue our pre-budget scrutiny when we hear from the Scottish Prison Service and then the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs. That concludes our meeting. Thank you.

That is a helpful overview. One of the things that I think we grapple with is how, in any legislature, there are different sub-sectors within the justice system—courts, police, prisons. If we are looking at improving trauma-informed or trauma-responsive practice, how important is it that that happens across the whole system rather than just in individual organisations?

I want to pick up on that and ask a question. The intention of the bill, as Rona Mackay said, is effectively to make trauma-informed practice a statutory duty. I am interested in your commentary on where legislation has perhaps been used previously as a way of embedding trauma-informed practice. Do you consider that setting out trauma-informed practice as a statutory obligation is important?

That is really helpful and an interesting overview.

We move on to our second panel, whose members represent the five justice agencies that, under the bill, will be required to have regard to trauma-informed practice. I welcome Laura Buchan, who is procurator fiscal policy and engagement at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service; Sue Brookes, who is interim director of strategy and stakeholder engagement at the Scottish Prison Service; Chief Superintendent Derek Frew, who is from Police Scotland; John Watt, who is chairperson of the Parole Board for Scotland; and David Fraser, who is executive director of court operations at the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. A warm welcome to you all. Thank you very much for your written submissions.

I intend to allow 90 minutes for this session. Given the size of the panel, I request that members and panel members keep their questions and responses as focused and succinct as possible. I also request that we keep our discussion focused on the specific provisions in the bill, since that is the purpose of our scrutiny today. I expect that the bulk of our questions will focus on part 2 of the bill. I appreciate that members may also have questions on parts 1 and 3. If so, could they please keep those until the end of the session?

As usual, I will start with a general opening question. We will work our way across, from Mr Fraser on my left, to Ms Buchan. In broad terms, are you supportive of the provisions in the bill that are aimed at encouraging the use of trauma-informed practice, why, and what difference to your current practice will the bill make?

It was very well made. Thank you very much.

I call Pauline McNeill, to be followed by Russell Findlay.

Can I stop you there? Is this a live case?