Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 14 November 2017
14 Nov 2017 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Preventing Sexual Offending Involving Children and Young People
I thank the cabinet secretary for giving me advance sight of his statement. Any steps that are taken to prevent sexual offending against children and young people are to be welcomed. I am sure that the cabinet secretary will agree that education has a key role to play in that.
The Equalities and Human Rights Committee, of which I am a member, recently carried out an inquiry into bullying and harassment in schools. I was particularly alarmed to hear evidence directly from young girls of sexual harassment and bullying, and of sexual shaming in schools. I was even more alarmed by the culture of acceptance among some pupils. Accurate recording of such incidents, support for victims and zero tolerance in our schools are all essential, as are training, support and guidance for all our teachers. Can the cabinet secretary give more detail of the specific steps that he will take to ensure that there is joint working across portfolios, and sharing of good practice, to counter the alarming evidence that we heard in committee?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by Michael Matheson on preventing sexual offending involving children and young people. The cabinet secretary will t...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Michael Matheson)
SNP
Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people is a key priority for us all. As Cabinet Secretary for Justice, I am committed to a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you. We will now take questions, starting with Michelle Ballantyne.
Michelle Ballantyne (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am also grateful to the cabinet secretary for prior sight of his statement. This is an extremely important issue and one tha...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I am very grateful for the member’s comments. Let me pick up on the two issues that she raised, the first of which was the involvement of families. There wil...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of the statement. The issues that are addressed by the statement are complex and MSPs have increasingly r...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I am grateful for Claire Baker’s welcome for the statement and the approach that we are taking in this very complex area, which is emerging quickly as techno...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I appreciate that this is a sensitive subject. I draw the cabinet secretary’s attention to the fact that there are 10 questions, if we can get through them.
Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
SNP
Does the cabinet secretary agree that there is nothing inevitable about children and young people engaging in harmful sexual behaviour? Does he agree that th...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I agree that what is important is that we help to enable children and young people to have mutually respectful, responsible and confident relationships. A bi...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The cabinet secretary is quite right to say that the expert group will consider the implications of research and other relevant data. Will the group look at ...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I suspect that the expert group will want to give consideration to that area. As I said, we want to take a preventative approach, and to do that effectively ...
Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for giving me advance sight of his statement. Any steps that are taken to prevent sexual offending against children and young p...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I am aware of the work that has been done by that committee, which is helpful in shining a light on some of the issues around bullying. We are clear, as a Go...
Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
SNP
As many members will be aware, this week is anti-bullying week. Bullying is something that too many of our young people still experience, and it may lead to ...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I am conscious that the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills is also in the chamber, so I had better ensure that I get his po...
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I thank the cabinet secretary for early sight of his statement. The Scottish Green Party welcomes the proposals in it. I have a question about one small pa...
Michael Matheson
SNP
That question specifically relates to research that was commissioned last year and published in September, which concerned young people rather than adult per...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
Following efforts by my party, the Scottish Government has committed to increase the age of criminal responsibility. Serious sexual offences that are committ...
Michael Matheson
SNP
Alex Cole-Hamilton tempts me to pre-empt the expert group’s work on the issue. As I mentioned at several points in my statement, our key focus is on preventi...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
The cabinet secretary confirmed that young people will be involved in the expert group’s work. Will there be a direct opportunity for young people who have b...
Michael Matheson
SNP
It is crucial that young people have an opportunity to participate in the process. As I set out in my statement, a number of youth organisations and organisa...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Regarding the welcome focus on prevention, can the cabinet secretary confirm whether the expert group will explore the option of taking the message directly ...
Michael Matheson
SNP
As I mentioned in my statement, one of the areas that I believe the expert group can consider is the work that we have taken forward on tackling violence in ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I apologise to Rona Mackay, but we have run out of time for questions.