Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

Good afternoon. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-14879, in the name of Paul Wheelhouse, on stage 1 of the Community Justice (Scotland) Bi...

The Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs (Paul Wheelhouse) SNP

I am delighted to open the stage 1 debate on the principles of the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill. I thank the Justice Committee and its convener, Christi...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

I call Christine Grahame to speak on behalf of the Justice Committee. You have 10 minutes or thereby, please, Ms Grahame. 14:43

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

I welcome the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Justice Committee, which led consideration of the bill at stage 1. I thank all who submitted evidence and...

Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) Lab

On behalf of Labour members, I thank the committee clerks, the Scottish Parliament information centre, the witnesses who gave oral evidence and those who gav...

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) SNP

Does Elaine Murray agree that if we fail in rehabilitating people whom we put in our prisons, we reduce community safety and safety for our population becaus...

Elaine Murray Lab

Absolutely, and that is acknowledged as one of the problems with the current criminal justice system. There is a revolving door, and people do not turn their...

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

I welcome this stage 1 debate on the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill and I thank the many witnesses for their invaluable evidence. I also thank the Justice...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I want to point out that the reason may be that the definition in the previous legislation was about reducing reoffending. There was nothing about prevention...

Margaret Mitchell Con

I am not quite sure what point the member is trying to make, but if he was referring to short-term sentences, a good bit of analysis requires to be done and ...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I repeat the words of the convener, who said that the topic may be as dry as dust. I do not think that it is; it is about people and it is important. We have...

Margaret Mitchell Con

Will the member give way?

Christian Allard SNP

I ask the member to allow me to finish my point. The Glasgow community justice authority says that it wants to reduce reoffending through partnership. It sa...

Margaret Mitchell Con

Does the member agree that it is important that we factor into the definition of community justice the ability to prevent offending in the first place, throu...

Christian Allard SNP

I agree with the member, and I think that all members agree, that prevention is important. The question is whether it should be part of the bill that we are ...

Margaret McDougall (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased to be taking part in the debate today. It is important that we get the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill right to support a reduction in reoffen...

Gil Paterson (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) SNP

I acknowledge the work of all those involved, past and present, across Scotland’s justice authorities. The proposed changes are not a reflection on their wor...

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD) LD

I am pleased to be debating the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill. I have long campaigned for a more effective and compassionate justice system—one that redu...

Roderick Campbell (North East Fife) (SNP) SNP

I welcome the opportunity to take part in the debate. Although there might be some concerns about the proposals, there seems, with some exceptions, to be lit...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased to speak in the debate. As a fresh-faced 24-year-old—unlike my current character—and newly qualified social worker in the early 1980s, I worked ...

Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) SNP

I note David Stewart’s mention of his member’s bill on a victims commissioner and his and other members’ comments about changing what we call people. In my e...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

I no longer sit on the Justice Committee, but my last appearance at that committee was for the first evidence session pertaining to the bill—in September, I ...

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) SNP

When I got elected to Parliament in 2001, one of the biggest issues in my in-tray was the plan to close the prison in Peterhead. That prison had been opened ...

Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) SNP

I echo Gil Paterson’s thanks to those who are currently doing a very good job in community justice. Those who work in our communities on trying to prevent pe...

Christine Grahame SNP

The minister is nodding.

Nigel Don SNP

Indeed. I return to the subject of funding, which Audit Scotland brought up in its November 2012 report “Reducing reoffending in Scotland”. Its recommendati...

Stewart Stevenson SNP

Does the member agree that grass roots is best? There is an old saying that of the greatest leaders it will be said, “We did it ourselves.” In other words, w...

Nigel Don SNP

I am absolutely sure that the member is right, although I probably will not be there to write the history. The point is that, although we can see ways in wh...

John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Ind) Ind

In the policy memorandum to the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government commits itself to reducing reoffending. It says: “Offending is a ...

Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I am delighted to speak in this important debate on the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill. I compliment Christine Grahame and her committee on their hard wor...