Meeting of the Parliament 23 June 2015
I have listened with interest to the issues and points raised, although some of them were echoes of concerns that were raised at stage 1 of the bill. I said that I would consider a number of issues that were raised during that debate and during the evidence-taking sessions. During this afternoon’s debate I confess that I have become a wee bit more confused about the position of some of the parties.
Margaret Mitchell gave a list of organisations that oppose the bill as it currently stands, a number of which opposed the bill and the ending of automatic early release from the outset. Those organisations do not believe that we should end automatic early release, and some think that people should receive community supervision for 25 per cent of their sentence rather than six months—that point was made by Elaine Murray during consideration in committee at stage 2 of the bill.
It is interesting that a member would choose to use as their argument a list of organisations that includes those that, to some extent, oppose the idea behind the bill. I understand that the Conservative Party wants to end all automatic early release for long-term and short-term prisoners, and that it does not support any form of mandatory community supervision. It therefore accepts that cold release should take place. I find it bizarre when members in this chamber who oppose the bill quote from organisations that have ideas to which they are diametrically opposed. No doubt Margaret Mitchell will want to clarify that matter.