Committee
Public Petitions Committee, 22 Jun 2005
22 Jun 2005 · S2 · Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
Current Petitions
Criminal Memoirs (Publication for Profit) (PE504)
I share Jackie Baillie's concern about how time has dragged on and about the Home Office letter that said that we did not get a reply before because the Home Office had not received our letter. Perhaps we could get clarification on that. Basically, justice is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I am not suggesting that we threaten anyone, in legal terms or in a letter, but if justice is a devolved issue and the Home Office is not going to act, we could perhaps consider what the Scottish Parliament might do on its own without waiting for a reply from the Home Office. Mr and Mrs Watson have suffered terribly, as have others. The note that we received from them today says that they are fed up and depressed that there is no movement on the issue. It is imperative that we get a letter back from the Home Office saying when it will introduce legislation. If the Home Office will not introduce it, perhaps it is time for the Scottish Parliament—though not the Public Petitions Committee—to have a look at the matter and consider legislating on it. The issue has been dragging on for far too long and people are suffering all the time.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
Lab
Petition PE504 calls on the Scottish Parliament to take the necessary steps to stop convicted murderers or members of their families profiting from their cri...
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
I am genuinely concerned about the matter. This will be the 10th time that we have considered it. It feels like we are just being dangled along. I accept tha...
Ms White:
SNP
I share Jackie Baillie's concern about how time has dragged on and about the Home Office letter that said that we did not get a reply before because the Home...
The Convener:
Lab
My main concern is that, as Jackie Baillie and Sandra White have pointed out, the delay is not helping anyone. We must get some clarification on whether the ...
Mike Watson:
Ind
I agree. The minister in whose name that letter was signed on 15 April has now moved on, but that should not affect the issue. I believe that we should follo...
The Convener:
Lab
We must push a lot harder on the matter and I am prepared to write to the Home Office in strong terms. I agree with Mike Watson that we should encourage Mr a...
John Scott:
Con
Sandra White suggested that we produce Scottish legislation on the issue. Would that be within the competency of the Parliament?
The Convener:
Lab
It would be.
John Scott:
Con
Although it might not necessarily be effective.
The Convener:
Lab
That is my concern. I think that, from a practical point of view, it would be very difficult to have effective legislation that covered Scotland only. The pe...
Ms White:
SNP
As we all know, things have been happening at Westminster that affect Scotland, involving Sewel motions. Perhaps if we went it alone and legislated on the ma...
The Convener:
Lab
They would be at liberty to do that but, as I say, that is for a later debate. The issue at the moment is what the Home Office is doing. We must identify tha...