8. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to challenge and deter men’s demand for prostitution. (S6O-03231)

On 6 February, we published our strategy, “Scotland’s strategic approach to challenging and deterring men’s demand for prostitution and supporting the recovery and sustainable exit of those involved in prostitution”, which was informed through lived-experience research by those with experience of selling or exchanging sex. The lessons learned from the actions in the strategy will inform any future proposals, including legislation.

The actions in the strategy include establishing a national hub for support services to provide women with improved co-ordinated and person-centred support, with a pilot to begin this summer.

We will ensure that mainstream services have a wider awareness of commercial sexual exploitation and the impacts on those involved, and we have set up a new multi-agency group on commercial sexual exploitation, which will meet later this month.

A Model for Scotland recently published its report “International Insights: how Scotland can learn from international efforts to combat commercial sexual exploitation”, which we debated in Parliament. Will the Minister meet the organisation and me to talk about the Scottish Government’s very welcome strategy as a whole, and discuss how to meet in practice the named objective of challenging men’s demand for prostitution and the elements of a programme of work that will be developed to achieve that?

I know how passionate the member is to challenge and deter men’s demand for prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation as a whole. I am more than happy to meet her and any organisation.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

With apologies to those whom I was not able to call, that concludes portfolio questions on justice. Before we move to the next item of business, there will be a brief pause to allow for a changeover of members on the front benches.