Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02617, in the name of Kenny MacAskill, on the Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill.I wi...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

It would appear that we have a problem with Mr MacAskill’s card. Can we do something about the sound? Interruption. Thank you.I call Mr MacAskill to speak to...

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill) SNP

Thank you for your forbearance, Presiding Officer.I thank the Justice Committee for its careful stage 1 scrutiny of the Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review...

Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I am interested in the cabinet secretary’s view on whether a less complex approach could have been taken had the bill been a bit more ambitious in scope. In ...

Kenny MacAskill SNP

That is not the case. There are two separate matters. The Petch and Foye judgment caused considerable concern and was commented on not only by me but by just...

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab) Lab

Does the cabinet secretary accept that it would have been helpful to have consulted the information commissioner at a much earlier stage in order to resolve ...

Kenny MacAskill SNP

It was not up to us to consult the information commissioner, because these matters have to be dealt with by the SCCRC. We have always sought to facilitate ev...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

I call Christine Grahame to speak to the motion on behalf of the Justice Committee.15:11

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on behalf of the Justice Committee—at least, that is what it says here. I thank all those who gave evidence to t...

Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Alongside other committee members who are present, I had the opportunity to scrutinise the bill closely as it passed through the Justice Committee. I want to...

John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Does the member accept that part 2 of the bill has a wider application than just Mr al-Megrahi’s case?

Jenny Marra Lab

John Finnie may, like me, hope that part 2 will have a wider implication in future, although it is difficult to predict when that might be. However, we will ...

David McLetchie (Lothian) (Con) Con

As other members have done, I speak as a member of the Justice Committee, which has had responsibility for scrutinising the bill, the first part of which was...

John Finnie SNP

Does the member accept that the Government’s position remains that the manifesto commitment will be implemented once the terms of the McLeish commission are ...

David McLetchie Con

Yes—I accept that that is the position, but that is a cover-up for not implementing anything, as Mr Finnie will realise, the longer he serves in this Parliam...

John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

I will concentrate on part 1 of the bill—the easy bit. We know that part 1 resulted from the much-talked-about Petch and Foye case. As we have heard, part 1 ...

Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I note John Finnie’s light touch in describing part 1 as “the easy bit”. On that basis, I look forward to his forthcoming book, “A Treatise on Scots Law”, be...

Roderick Campbell (North East Fife) (SNP) SNP

I refer members to my entry in the register of interests as a member of the Faculty of Advocates. One of the advantages of the recess is that it enables one ...

Humza Yousaf (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP

As a member of the Justice Committee, I, too, thank everybody who came forward and gave evidence on the bill.There is a constant underlying theme in the deba...

John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) SNP

Hear, hear.

Humza Yousaf SNP

Thank you. However, luckily, my wife studied law, which was very helpful to me. I have sympathy for Alison McInnes and for Colin Keir—who has disappeared fro...

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab) Lab

Presiding Officer, I think that I deserve full marks for bravery as the first non-member of the Justice Committee to venture into these choppy waters without...

Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Where Malcolm Chisholm leads, I will boldly follow, as another non-member of the Justice Committee entering bravely into the fray. Never has the old quotatio...

Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

The Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill is needed to remedy the judgment handed down in Petch and Foye v Her Majesty’s Advocate. The bill ...

Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western) (SNP) SNP

Over the past year, members of the Justice Committee have been faced with some complex material to digest in the course of their deliberations.As we have hea...

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD) LD

Like other committee members, I am grateful to everyone who submitted evidence on the bill, because they certainly helped us to get to grips with an extremel...

Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP) SNP

When I was given the task of being a member of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, I never thought that I would be grateful for that...

Christine Grahame SNP

I have to say that I confused myself. John Green is an intruder.

Dennis Robertson SNP

I thought that it was males who had the problem with reds and greens.The matter that we are debating is very serious, and it needs to be resolved. I congratu...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

That brings us to closing speeches. I remind members who were in the chamber for the debate that they should be here for closing speeches.I have a little bit...