Hansard

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

24 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Budget)

That is an operational decision, and the analysis will come from the Scottish Fire and Rescue through its service delivery review. The SFRS continues to respond to every emergency incident with the appropriate level of resources. That was evident at the fire in Glasgow just a ...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

24 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Budget)

We do not have a definite date for the service delivery review but, as I said to Pauline McNeill, the SFRS is taking its time to go through the consultation responses. It is not a short-term plan; it will be implemented over the next five years.

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

24 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Budget)

As I said to the other member, the chief officer has said that the service will not make any changes to operations that put the public at any unacceptable level of risk. With the service delivery review, it is right that the SFRS takes its time to go through the more than 3,00...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

24 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Budget)

Absolutely not. I highlight to the member that the reduction in firefighter numbers since 2013 is not because of cuts. Forming a single national service allowed the SFRS to protect front-line services while reducing duplication. We will continue to work with the SFRS to assess...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

24 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Budget)

It is right that the service review is about the SFRS identifying the optimal service to keep communities across Scotland safe in the future by addressing changes in risk. The emergencies that the SFRS responds to have changed significantly over the years; for example, dwellin...

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

24 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Budget)

I echo the First Minister’s recognition of the service’s response to the Union corner fire. We recognise the vital role that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service plays in keeping our community safe, and we remain committed to sustaining that capability.The 2026-27 budget provi...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I press the motion.Motion agreed to,That the Criminal Justice Committee recommends that the Antisocial Behaviour (Fixed Penalty Offences) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026 draft be approved.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I have no further comments.Motion moved,That the Criminal Justice Committee recommends that the Antisocial Behaviour (Fixed Penalty Offences) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026 draft be approved—Siobhian Brown.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

Yes, that is what I am being told.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I note that some of the other proposals for reform to the regime are going to be more complex and will involve questions of principle and different penalty levels. What we have in place changes the statistical and policy side that directly address the cause of this error. The ...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

Robert, do you want to speak about what safeguards are in place to ensure that this does not happen again?

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

The first part of the question is about what will happen moving forward. I cannot speak on behalf of the Government in the next parliamentary session, but we know that there will be antisocial behaviour legislation, and we have the report on the review of antisocial behaviour....

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I cannot remember Police Scotland saying that—those remarks might have been misinterpreted.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I am sorry—what did you say?

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I have been the Minister for Victims and Community Safety for close to three years and this has never happened before, so it is not something that happens all the time.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I do not know whether Bob Wyllie or Fiona McDiarmid wants to come in.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

I will have to bring in officials to answer that, because my understanding from my meeting with officials before we came into the committee is that the SSI was updating the position, because, for the past two years, it was deemed that there had not been any relevant offences, ...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

For clarity, I note that my understanding is that the mistake arose because of the way in which officials interpreted the data, which does not fully reflect these offences, in the categories in published statistics. I know that this is quite confusing, but the heading “Riotous...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

We wanted to reform this part of the fixed-penalty notice regime, which is why the SSI was laid. Obviously, there has been a mistake in the data that was collected. Bob Wyllie, who was in charge of drafting the SSI, can say more about how the statistics were incorrect.

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

18 Mar 2026

Subordinate Legislation

Good morning. First, I want to take the time to apologise to the committee for the circumstances that bring me back here today. I appreciate that time is of the essence considering where we are in the parliamentary session, so I apologise for that.As the committee knows, the i...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Modified E-bikes and Off-road Vehicles (Antisocial Behaviour)

I cannot speak for the next Scottish Government, but I assure the member that, if the Scottish National Party is back in Government in the next session, we will engage on the issue on a cross-party basis. As I said to Michael Marra, legislation on this matter is quite complex,...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Modified E-bikes and Off-road Vehicles (Antisocial Behaviour)

I am not sure whether Michael Marra is aware that, given that the relevant responsibilities cut across our portfolios, Mr Fairlie and I have been engaging with MSPs on the matter for about the past 18 months. We had a meeting just last week, and we are also engaging with the U...

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

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Modified E-bikes and Off-road Vehicles (Antisocial Behaviour)

To tackle such behaviour, we continue to invest significantly in policing, with £1.64 billion of funding provided this year and £1.7 billion provided for the next financial year. Although operational policing decisions are rightly a matter for Police Scotland, I welcome the po...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Violence Against Women and Girls

I have not seen that report, so I would appreciate it if Beatrice Wishart would send it to the justice team so that we can look at it. As I have said, violence against women is completely unacceptable, which is why we are delivering the equally safe strategy and investing reco...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Violence Against Women and Girls

The Scottish Government accepts the Supreme Court’s judgment. We are ensuring—as any responsible Government must—that our policies comply with all our legal obligations, including those set out in the Scotland Act 1998 and the European convention on human rights. The prison gu...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Violence Against Women and Girls

I recognise the courage and fortitude that survivors of sexual and domestic abuse show when they share their personal experiences, whether they do so with ministers, in court or with other people in their lives. I absolutely endorse the sentiment that we need to listen to them...

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

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Violence Against Women and Girls

Violence against women and girls is abhorrent and still far too common. That is why we remain focused on delivering Scotland’s equally safe strategy to prevent such violence, which includes seeking to change the attitudes and behaviours that underpin it. The delivering equally...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Cashback for Communities

Early intervention with young people, supported by a strong focus on understanding and improving their wellbeing, is a core element of the cashback for communities programme. Through universal provision, partners support young people on their individual journeys by offering th...

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

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Cashback for Communities

The cashback for communities programme delivers early intervention work with young people to reduce the risk of their engagement with police and the justice system.The forthcoming phase will operate from April 2026 to March 2029. I am pleased to say that 51 projects will be fu...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Knife Crime (North Ayrshire)

I do not have the exact figures with me, but I know that, through the children, young people and families early intervention, 11 youth work organisations in the sector are being supported with more than £860,000. I do not have the figures for the budget with me, but I will wri...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Knife Crime (North Ayrshire)

Any level of violence is unacceptable. However, as I said in my answer to the first question, there has been a reduction since 2007.In relation to work that is happening in schools across Scotland, all local authorities have engaged with the mentors in violence prevention prog...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Knife Crime (North Ayrshire)

I agree with the member on that point. Although one homicide would still be too many, homicides in Scotland are at a record low. The number of sharp object-related homicide victims fell by 49 per cent from 55 in 2007-08 to just 28 in 2024-25. Over the past 20 years, the number...

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

11 Mar 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Knife Crime (North Ayrshire)

While acknowledging that one knife crime is one too many, I note that knife crime has fallen considerably over the past 20 years. In North Ayrshire, the number of recorded crimes of weapons possession that specifically reference the presence of a knife or a bladed or pointed a...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Football-related Disorder (Glasgow)

As I said, I spoke to the SFA and the SPFL this morning, when the SFA confirmed that it would be speaking to both clubs to establish the facts of Sunday’s events. I am keen to let that process play out. There is also the judicial panel process, and I do not want to interfere w...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Football-related Disorder (Glasgow)

Yes, of course—just as everyone has a responsibility to behave appropriately and in line with the law, no matter where they are. Just because they are at a football match does not mean that the rules of society and the rule of law are not in place.No one should feel that being...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Football-related Disorder (Glasgow)

Our preferred solution has always been that football should proactively shape and deliver a robust and meaningful solution to tackle unacceptable conduct by supporters. For example, over the past year, clubs have instituted solutions on the misuse of pyrotechnics. The SPFL is ...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Football-related Disorder (Glasgow)

Yes, absolutely. However, it is quite complex to find hidden masks or pyrotechnics, for example, when people enter stadiums. Those are the sorts of challenges that are faced.Just before every game, the clubs, Police Scotland and local authorities make sure that robust measures...

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

10 Mar 2026

Topical Question Time · Football-related Disorder (Glasgow)

I join John Mason in condemning the appalling behaviour of those who invaded the pitch and acted in a violent and disorderly manner, ruining what had otherwise been an exciting football experience for fans. Disorder of that nature is not acceptable; it risks the safety of play...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

03 Mar 2026

Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill

I thank everybody who has contributed to the debate. I have listened to what has been said and I am pleased with the recognition of the importance of the bill and the valuable work that the Scottish Law Commission has done in keeping our law up to date.I want to touch on Roz M...

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

03 Mar 2026

Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill

The Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill is a Scottish Law Commission bill that implements a number of recommendations to reform the Scots law of contract.I thank the Scottish Law Commission for reviewing the Scots law of contract, which was a substantial piece of...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

03 Mar 2026

Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

No, I do not.Amendment 1 agreed to.

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

03 Mar 2026

Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

I will be brief. Section 4 specifies what constitutes an offer—that is, a proposal made to one or more persons containing sufficiently definite terms to form a contract and indicating the intention of the offeror to be bound if the offer is accepted by the other party or parti...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

26 Feb 2026

General Question Time · Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award Programme (Funding)

We are all aware of the great work that has been done by the Mark Scott leadership for life award programme. As I said to Mr O’Kane, we will continue to work with the organisation and see whether funding can be found from other portfolios to support it. We will continue to giv...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

26 Feb 2026

General Question Time · Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award Programme (Funding)

We are in discussions with the programme to understand the impact, but we hope that funding can continue to be raised from other sources.

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

26 Feb 2026

General Question Time · Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award Programme (Funding)

Apologies—I am not aware of any such correspondence that has come in. I have not seen it yet, but I will chase that up today.Funding pressures across the Scottish Government have meant that difficult decisions have been made and priorities have been identified. We continue to ...

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

26 Feb 2026

General Question Time · Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award Programme (Funding)

Since 2012, the Scottish Government has provided £1.4 million to the Outward Bound Trust to help to deliver the Mark Scott leadership for life award. Although we recognise the positive impact that the project continues to have, it is one of many that seeks financial support fr...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:The negotiations that we have been having for the past couple of months have primarily been on fee uplifts, to ensure that solicitors get the fees that come in in September. We hope that that will attract more people into doing legal aid work across Scotland, which of course ...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:Yes. I have on-going conversations with SLAB—I met with it last week. We must be clear that the work that SLAB does is vital. We have a legal aid budget of £170 million and SLAB plays a huge role in legal aid reform. As I said in the previous committee session when we discuss...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:Yes. We went through that when we discussed the issue in a previous meeting. The work that I have been doing in the past 18 months is outlined in the letter that was sent to committee members yesterday. A lot of work has been done. Moving forward, there will be primary legisl...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:Yes.

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:Originally, it was to be 20 traineeships, which as a result of the negotiations has now gone up to 40 traineeships along with the digital support package. We are continuing to discuss with the Law Society the terms and conditions of that.I will bring in Ciaran McDonald to tal...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:Absolutely. As we move into the next parliamentary session and consider primary legislation for legal aid reform, it is really important that all the recommendations from the committee’s civil legal aid report are taken into account for the next Scottish Government to move fo...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:I apologise for my letter coming late last night. It has a lot of detail in it and I am not aware of whether all the committee members have been able to go through it. I have been able to outline some of the work that I have been doing to get secondary legislation through dur...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:Through some of the reform that we have been doing in secondary legislation, uplifts will be coming in on 1 April, 1 June and 14 December. The 1 September date for the introduction of the 13 per cent uplift has been negotiated with the profession. SLAB and the profession will...

Siobhian Brown SNP Committee

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

:There has been a long period of negotiations with the Law Society and the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association about this uplift during the past 12 months, and that is how we came to the 13 per cent figure. As you know, action was being undertaken, which ceased in December. Th...

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

24 Feb 2026

Subordinate Legislation

Good morning, committee, and thank you, convener.I welcome the opportunity to speak to the draft Legal Aid and Advice and Assistance (Fees) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026. This Scottish statutory instrument forms part of the Scottish Government’s program...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

18 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Prostitution

The Scottish Government is focused on the delivery of our strategic approach to challenging demand for prostitution, including work with Police Scotland to support the implementation of its national approach on prostitution.As the member knows, we have already set out the uneq...

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

18 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Prostitution

There is an extensive list of work, which I will try to summarise in the time available. When it comes to legislation, there is the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007 and the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015.As the member was responsible for...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

18 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Legal Aid Reforms

As the member and Parliament know, I have been working closely with the legal profession over the past couple of years to see what can be put in place to improve access to justice. One of the main things that we can do is provide an uplift. Regulations to do that were laid in ...

Siobhian Brown SNP Chamber

18 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Legal Aid Reforms

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring access to justice in remote areas. Funding is available to allow solicitors to travel to remote parts of the country, which ensures that individuals do not have to rely on local provision alone when they seek publicly funded leg...