Siobhian Brown: Will the member take an intervention?
Siobhian Brown: First, given the importance of the UK budget, and the consequentials to the Scottish Government, to delivering for the people of Scotland, whom we all represent, it is really disappointing that only three Labour MSPs are in attendance for this debate. Secondly, I note that the Labour amendment would remove mention of urging the UK Government to reverse cuts to the winter fuel...
Siobhian Brown: I thank all members for their contributions to this afternoon’s debate. I repeat my thanks to the Scottish Law Commission for the work that has gone into this project and to the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee for its work in gathering and responding to evidence on the bill. A few members who are in the chamber today might remember last year’s debate on reform of...
Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Law Commission does the important job of consulting on, and making recommendations to simplify and improve, our law. I am committed to introducing bills to implement its proposals, and the Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill, which we are debating today, is one of the SLC’s bills. It is the third SLC bill to be introduced by the Government this session, and members will know that...
Siobhian Brown: Such an amendment, in my view, is not only unnecessary but could risk undermining the wider policy regarding the circumstances in which the judicial factor may be appointed. As I said, section 3 is deliberately widely drafted and already allows for a judicial factor to be appointed to the estate of a missing person. Amendments that specifically relate to missing people could cast doubt on the...
Siobhian Brown: I thank Sharon Dowey for raising this important issue. I am aware that, earlier this week, the cross-party group on independent convenience stores met to discuss many of these issues, too. As the member notes, shoplifting and violence and abuse towards retail workers are part of a worrying trend across the UK—it is not unique to Scotland—that is, rightly, causing concern among...
Siobhian Brown: I will come on to some of the issues that have been raised later in my speech. I heard concerns about these issues first hand when I attended meetings of the retail industry leadership group on 14 March and the Scottish Retail Consortium on 19 March. At those meetings, I heard about the work that retailers are doing to cope with these issues, including introducing extra security...
Siobhian Brown: I believe—and we discussed this in a debate last week—that there is an issue in local authorities with collaborative working with the police. I had a meeting last week with my local police and they told me that they could identify all the shoplifters in Ayr town centre and knew how to get in touch with them. There has to be a collaborative approach between local authorities, because it is...
Siobhian Brown: I will have to look into that. I will give the member further information, but I have been told that reports have been submitted to the procurator fiscal as a result of the pilot. To go back to the pilot, Police Scotland, together with partners and information technology providers, have helped to develop a platform allowing staff in stores to send details of crime directly to...
Siobhian Brown: The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and I are happy to consider any innovative policy intervention that furthers our commitment to do more for victims of domestic abuse, including considering how it would interact with existing initiatives. Pam Gosal will be aware that the disclosure scheme for domestic abuse Scotland provides individuals with the right to ask the...
Siobhian Brown: I know that Pam Gosal is passionate about the subject. Violence against women is a fundamental violation of human rights, and the Scottish Government recognises that. The Scottish Government is aware that the Scottish Conservatives’ paper “United Against Violence: An all-Scotland approach to tackling domestic abuse” includes the member’s proposal for a domestic abuse...
Siobhian Brown: Front-line services on violence against women are crucial to ensuring the safety of, and support to, survivors. We are investing record levels of funding to support people through a range of front-line specialist services. Our equally safe strategy is aimed at preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls and is focused on early intervention, prevention and support....
Siobhian Brown: We support Police Scotland and local authorities to continue to invest in prevention, early intervention and diversionary activities to reduce antisocial behaviour. A wide range of powers are available to Police Scotland, and it is best placed to lead on addressing those issues locally, ensuring that there is an appropriate response to the issues and circumstances in which the behaviour is...
Siobhian Brown: First of all, such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their communities. I completely condemn all such behaviour and urge anyone with information of such incidents that have taken place recently in Lothian to contact the police. I am aware that East Lothian currently has two multi-agency groups that are focused on tackling antisocial...
Siobhian Brown: We recognise that there is no quick fix to tackle and prevent antisocial behaviour. That is why, having seen the projects that I just mentioned to Sarah Boyack, I am strongly supportive of partnership working and delivering positive outcomes. I have also asked for the Scottish Community Safety Network to look at promoting best practice in partnership, working for the benefits of all local...
Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government’s budget for 2024-25 includes record police total funding of £1.55 billion, which is an increase of £92.7 million on the previous year. That funding will allow the chief constable to develop her plans to deliver on her commitment to strengthen the force through the revised model of policing, including enabling the service to restart recruitment and increase office...
Siobhian Brown: We share the member’s concerns and those of the public regarding the antisocial behaviour that can be associated with those vehicles, which might be used illegally and are a safety risk not just to the public and other motorists but to the riders, as well as to the police. As Sue Webber is no doubt aware, the legislation that governs the registration of off-road vehicles is...
Siobhian Brown: Domestic abuse is abhorrent. Although any case is unacceptable, the figures demonstrate that Police Scotland has been able to utilise the new domestic abuse offence powers proactively. I hope that that will further increase public confidence in reporting incidents of domestic abuse. I encourage anyone who is affected, whether they be a victim or a witness, to contact the police. We...
Siobhian Brown: I am pleased to hear that Ms Gosal is meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs next week. I am sure that the cabinet secretary would be happy to consider all proposals to make the lives of domestic abuse victims easier.
Siobhian Brown: The member raises a valid point. Those who perpetrate violence and abuse—the majority of whom are men—must change their actions and behaviour. It is only through fundamental societal change that women can be protected. We must root out and tackle the toxic masculinity and gender inequality that lead to violence, harassment, misogyny and abuse against women. We should stand against it and...
