Hansard

The Convener SNP

Our next agenda item is an evidence session on the Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 with the member in charge of the bill, Pam Gosal. ...

Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con) Con

Good morning. I introduced the Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill in May 2025, following the usual members’ bill process and with the support of th...

The Convener SNP

Thank you for your opening remarks. I start with a pretty general opening question. As I am sure that you will be aware, our committee business is quite bill...

Pam Gosal Con

I will start by saying a bit about the financial side. We are talking about a maximum cost of £23 million, which is only 0.5 per cent of the justice budget. ...

The Convener SNP

I think that I am right in saying that your bill began its journey back in 2022. To what extent have you made sure that the figures that you are looking at o...

Pam Gosal Con

I have spoken to the police—as you know, the police have to stay neutral in the informal consultation. Although people might be positive about the bill, the ...

Agata Maslowska (Scottish Parliament)

Under part 1 of the bill, the main cost is in expanding the existing multi-agency public protection arrangements to include the most serious domestic abuse o...

The Convener SNP

I have a final question before I bring in Liam Kerr. You said that you anticipate that an additional 3,000 domestic abuse offenders would be included in the ...

Agata Maslowska

Yes—we added that caveat in the financial memorandum.

The Convener SNP

Before I bring in Liam Kerr, I think that Rona Mackay has a supplementary question.

Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) SNP

Yes—it is just a small question on what Agata Maslowska said about the most serious sex offenders. What criteria are you using for that? What constitutes a ...

Charlie Pound (Conservative MSP Group)

With regard to domestic abuse offenders specifically, it would be those who were sentenced to 12 months or more for what is specified as a domestic abuse off...

Rona Mackay SNP

Basically, it is for sentences of 12 months or more.

Charlie Pound

Yes.

The Convener SNP

I will now bring in Liam Kerr.

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

Pam Gosal, on your point that the provisions in your bill would act as a deterrent, I note that you based the notification requirements on those in the Sexua...

Pam Gosal Con

I have had a good look to see what evidence is out there. Sex offenders are already subject to notification requirements, as you know, and there is significa...

Charlie Pound

Just for clarification, the statistics on recidivism that Pam Gosal cited are from the Scottish Government’s official reoffending statistics. They relate spe...

Liam Kerr Con

Thank you for that—perhaps you could send that data to the committee. As I said, in the consultation, expert organisations have told us that that evidence is...

Pam Gosal Con

That is a good question. I mentioned in my opening statement and in my answer to the convener what happens with the disclosure scheme. It is a good scheme, a...

Liam Kerr Con

Before he does, I note that your answer suggests that any issue with the existing scheme is due to a lack of knowledge and awareness of what is already there...

Pam Gosal Con

Perhaps I did not put that right. When I talk about knowledge, I am not talking about what they should know about the scheme, I am talking about knowledge of...

Charlie Pound

I will just throw some statistics at you. A previous freedom of information request that I made showed that, in 2021-22, there were 1,959 disclosures under t...

Liam Kerr Con

I understand. Thank you.

The Convener SNP

I will bring in Pauline McNeill, who I think wanted to come in earlier.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I have a question about which offenders would be caught by the scheme. Charlie Pound, you explained to Rona Mackay that offenders who had been given a 12-mo...

Charlie Pound

Yes.

Pauline McNeill Lab

So, is it both?

Charlie Pound

Both what, sorry?

Pauline McNeill Lab

The offenders who would be on the register would be those who were convicted on indictment and those who served—