Hansard

The Convener Con

Agenda item 2 is consideration of continued petitions. The first of those is PE1975, which is on reforming the law relating to strategic lawsuits against pub...

The Minister for Victims and Community Safety (Siobhian Brown) SNP

Good morning. Thank you, convener, for the opportunity to talk about strategic lawsuits against public participation—often referred to as SLAPPs. I would lik...

The Convener Con

Thank you, minister. That is encouraging. If I look over your shoulder, I can see the petitioner, who is in the public gallery this morning and will, no doub...

Siobhian Brown SNP

Yes, absolutely. When my predecessor in post originally wrote to the committee, and when the petition was first lodged, the legislation was under review. How...

The Convener Con

Thank you. Given that that is the case, our questions might be quite focused and to the point. I do not think that we are pushing a stone up a hill, in the s...

David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) SNP

Good morning to the minister and her colleagues. Will the minister outline what discussions have been had at meetings of the UK-wide SLAPPs task force on co-...

Siobhian Brown SNP

The task force includes representatives from the UK Government and the EU, and I know that Scottish officials are part of it, too. By itself, legislation wou...

David Torrance SNP

What wider monitoring has been carried out of the impact of the use of SLAPPs in Scotland?

Siobhian Brown SNP

I will bring in Michael Paparakis to answer that question.

Michael Paparakis (Scottish Government)

As, I think, the committee heard a couple of weeks ago, SLAPPs are difficult things to measure. I understand that academics at the University of Aberdeen are...

David Torrance SNP

Thank you. I have no further questions.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) SNP

If I might pursue the theme of that last question, convener, is it not the case that there is no doubt whatsoever that SLAPPs are a huge problem and that the...

Siobhian Brown SNP

Yes, we do take it seriously. Globally and historically, there has been evidence that SLAPPs have been an issue. As I said, we have seen action being taken i...

Fergus Ewing SNP

Convener, that reply is as much as I could reasonably ask of any minister, so I am grateful for it. Minister, if you want a useful form of words to ensure th...

Siobhian Brown SNP

Thank you.

Fergus Ewing SNP

That is just some free advice. Laughter. 09:45

The Convener Con

All of which is noted. I point out that the petition was launched in September 2022, which makes it something of a teenager in our schedule of petitions. If...

Fergus Ewing SNP

You are endowed with greater quantities of patience than me.

The Convener Con

That remains to be seen. Thank you, Mr Ewing. Do any other colleagues wish to come in?

Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I am interested in the motivation behind the consultation. Is that a result of this petition or of the Scottish Government’s policy of ensuring continuity wi...

Siobhian Brown SNP

The petitioner was there when my predecessor wrote to the committee to say that the petition was under consideration. We have seen definite progress being ma...

Maurice Golden Con

Is the minister concerned about the potential time lag between developments elsewhere and those in Scotland and about how that could expose Scotland to SLAPPs?

Siobhian Brown SNP

Not at the moment. I will keep the committee updated on that. I know that that is still in the early stages of going through the EU and through the UK Parlia...

Maurice Golden Con

Do you have ideas about the scope and form of the consultation? Do you know what you intend to bring forward or how will mirror what has been done by other j...

Siobhian Brown SNP

We will engage with all the jurisdictions that have introduced legislation and will work with stakeholders. Michael Paparakis may want to add something.

Michael Paparakis

At this stage, there is no set information about what the consultation will contain. As the minister said, there is UK legislation, an EU directive and oth...

Maurice Golden Con

Is it likely that the issue of public education about SLAPPs will be included in the consultation? Can you tell the committee about that?

Siobhian Brown SNP

It is worthy of consideration.

Fergus Ewing SNP

I am pretty sure that the minister has studied the previous evidence session. Mr Mullen and others made the point that, in its response to the petitioner’s a...

Siobhian Brown SNP

Yes, we will cover every aspect.