4. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the BBC Scotland “Disclosure” programme, “Surviving Domestic Abuse”, which was broadcast on 11 March. (S6O-03227)

Do mestic abuse is abhorrent. The documentary showed that it is vital that perpetrators are held to account and brought to justice, and that support services can be accessed.

This month we announced funding of £2 million to Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid to reduce waiting lists for women who need support services. That is in addition to our £19 million of annual funding from our delivering equally safe fund, which has supported 121 projects from 112 organisations since October 2021. Almost 32,000 people benefited in the first year of delivering equally safe.

Of course, we want to stop abuse taking place in the first place, which is why we all have a role to play in tackling the deep-rooted sexism and misogyny that is inherent in the perpetrating of violence against women and girls.

I thank the Cabinet secretary for her answer, and I agree with her remarks. The harrowing documentary showed the story of seven women in Scotland who had suffered years of abuse from their ex-partners. I have been in contact with one of those women, Carolyn Quinn from Paisley, whose ex-husband not only abused and raped her for 27 years but abused their son.

In a joint statement—and in the documentary—all the victims raised the unfairness of plea bargains being offered to the attackers without the victims being notified. Six of the women said that their abusers had breached their bail conditions, yet no action was taken. Those brave women deserve a system that protects them once they make the agonising decision to contact the police, yet they feel let down.

Will the cabinet secretary meet the women involved in the documentary, so that we can ensure that the system works better for domestic abuse survivors?

Mr Bibby is right to describe the programme as harrowing. I watched it myself, and I put on record the bravery of all the women involved, who had the courage to convey their personal testimony on the programme. It was an informative and a hard watch, which will motivate all of us to do more to protect women and girls. I would of course be delighted to meet the member and the women concerned.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

There is a lot of interest in this question. I will try to get in as many supplementaries as I can, but they need to be brief, as do the responses.

My constituent was one of the brave women who gave her testimony to the programme. One of the issues that she raised concerned plea bargaining. Her attacker faced 11 charges but was essentially offered a plea bargain and pled guilty to a reduced four charges. My constituent, as a victim, was not consulted on that by the procurator fiscal.

Survivors have to be at the heart of Scotland’s justice system. Can the Cabinet secretary outline what steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that they are?

Parliament will recognise that I cannot comment on the circumstances of individual cases and that the decision to accept a guilty plea is taken by prosecutors independently of Government. In some circumstances, resolving a case by acceptance of a plea can spare victims and witnesses the need to give evidence at trial. It involves an admission and acknowledgement of guilt on the part of the accused.

In plea negotiation, prosecutors are acting in the public interest and with regard to the interests of victims and witnesses.

Currently, as a Parliament, we are progressing with the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. As I said to Mr Bibby, I would be happy to engage with Ms Haughey on that.

Plea deals were struck in five out of the seven cases featured in the BBC documentary, with solid charges either watered down or dropped altogether. Will the Cabinet secretary consider working with me to amend her victims bill to ensure that, when plea deals are used, victims are kept fully informed?

I understand the motivation and intent of Mr Findlay’s comments. It is imperative that, whether victims are reliant on information from the courts or the Crown Office, they receive that information in a timely manner. This morning, along with the Lord Advocate—who of course has constitutional independence on the matters that Mr Findlay and others have touched on—I met the victim support advisory board, and the issue of the nature of communication, and how and when it is delivered, was reiterated.

I will engage with Mr Findlay on and around any amendments that he brings forward.