Chamber and committees

That is really interesting. To summarise, we should not make assumptions about what people need or want. That is helpful.

Thanks, Ellie. There is a lot in what you have said that members will pick up on.

Before I open up the questioning to committee members, I welcome Jennifer McCann, who was held up in getting here. It is nice to see you. We will let you get settled in.

Thank you for that.

I come back to Dr Scott. You spoke helpfully about the specialist domestic abuse courts that we have been developing in Scotland and how they have demonstrated excellent outcomes.

I will shift a little bit to discuss the proposal for, and the piloting of, judge-only trials. There are different views on that. We have heard that that was a clear recommendation from Lady Dorrian, and that the pilot would be time limited. Given your experience in a different context, I am interested in hearing your views on that proposal, given that there is a pilot.

I am reluctant to intervene but a few members want to come in and we have a bit to cover.

Could I move things on?

Please be quick, as quite a few members want to ask questions.

Thank you. Russell Findlay is next, to be followed by Fulton MacGregor.

Thank you.

I come back to Sarah Ashby. You spoke about having had a more positive experience than some of the other women to whom we have spoken this morning. It sounds as though your positive experience was by virtue of relatively straightforward things, such as communication and being kept informed through phone calls and conversations. That is not exactly rocket science, and it should be quite intuitive in the justice system.

I am interested in your thoughts about how trauma-informed practice should be developed in the justice system. Does it need to be complicated or costly, or is it simply about a culture change so that relatively straightforward measures and tasks are delivered better?

Jennifer, do you want to comment on that? You do not have to, but I give you the option.

Thank you, Sarah. I draw this session to a close. Again, I thank you all very much for your time. Your evidence is very important to us in thinking about the bill, so thank you again for joining us today.

We will have a short suspension to allow for a change of panel.