Chamber and committees

Another provision in the bill is for a code of ethics. Do you feel that such a provision, which would place a legal obligation on Police Scotland to create a specific code of ethics, would give you more confidence in the behaviour of officers? Should there be specific sanctions for a breach of the code of ethics?

Thanks for that. Russell Findlay has a question.

With regard to misconduct procedures in the context of former police officers, do you agree that it should be possible for misconduct procedures to commence and continue against former police officers for allegations that, if they were proved, would amount to gross misconduct? Should the procedures relate only to gross misconduct?

Thanks for that. You think that it should not be time limited, is that right?

Thank you for joining us this morning, Maggie. It has been really valuable to hear from you, and we are grateful for your time.

Stephanie, thank you very much for such comprehensive opening remarks, which set the scene for us very helpfully and openly.

I will ask you about how important it has been to have a representative support you through your journey. I am perhaps slightly straying away from the provisions of the bill, but that was a very important aspect of your journey. Can you outline a little more how important it was to have that support there by your side?

Thank you. That came through loud and clear in your opening remarks.

Before I bring in other members, I will touch on the delays and the timescales that you have experienced since your son was discovered. How difficult have those timescales been for you? When we are looking at the bill, what should we consider about how that aspect of a police inquiry or review can be improved?

Thank you, Stephanie.

I will bring in other members to ask questions, starting with Fulton MacGregor.

I will pick up from the point that John Swinney has just covered and ask you a wee bit about what Police Scotland needs to think about changing in relation to the way that it responds, particularly to incidents in which someone dies in unexplained circumstances, as was the case with your son, tragically. What does Police Scotland need to think about regarding how they can improve the way that they respond?

Okay, thank you. Maggie, we are just coming to the end of the session. Can I ask you a final question? It is not in the bill, but it relates to the PIRC, about which we have spoken at length this morning. The bill expands some of the functions of the PIRC in relation to complaints and allows for a broadening of its role in the misconduct process. Do you feel that there is sufficient oversight of the PIRC in the role that it currently fulfils? Do you feel that anything further would be required if it is given further powers? I know that, to a certain extent, you have already articulated that this morning, but would you like to add to that?