Document 1138

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Justice 2: Minutes: Meeting 29, 2001

Author(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Copyright holder(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: © Scottish Parliamentary copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

JUSTICE 2 COMMITTEE
MINUTES
29th Meeting, 2001 (Session 1)
Wednesday 31 October



Present:

Bill Aitken (Deputy Convener)
Scott Barrie
Pauline McNeill (Convener)
Mrs Mary Mulligan
Stewart Stevenson




The meeting opened at 10.10 am..



Apologies were received from Mrs Margaret Ewing and George Lyon.

The meeting opened at


1. Items in private: The Committee agreed to consider item 5 in private and discuss the revised draft report on the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Bill in private at its meeting on 6 November.

2. Petition: The Committee considered written evidence from the Lord Advocate on petition PE324 by Kay Reid on fatal accident inquiries. The Committee noted the Lord Advocate’s response and agreed to close consideration of the petition in view of the fact that the issues raised by the petitioner would be taken into account in the Committee’s current inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

3. Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee agreed not to report to the Rural Development Committee on the Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill.
The meeting was adjourned from 10.16 am to 10.17 am.

4. Reports on the case of the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar: The Committee considered the following reports in the context of its inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service—
Report of the inquiry into the liaison arrangements between the police, the Procurator Fiscal Service and the Crown Office and the family of the deceased Surjit Singh Chhokar in connection with the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar and the related prosecutions;

The report of an inquiry into Crown decision-making in the case of the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar.

The Committee agreed to appoint a Reporter to attend the meeting of the Equal Opportunities Committee when that Committee takes oral evidence on Dr Jandoo’s report. The Committee also agreed to take account of both reports when conducting its current inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

5. Work programme (in private): The Committee considered and agreed a work programme until Christmas. The Committee agreed to undertake a number of oral evidence sessions on the inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and to hold a further evidence session on women’s offending. The Committee agreed to continue its investigation of HMP Kilmarnock after Christmas.

6. Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee considered a draft report on the general principles of the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.

The meeting closed at 12.41 pm.


Gillian Baxendine
Clerk to the Committee

Information about Document 1138

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Justice 2: Minutes: Meeting 29, 2001