Question reference: S5W-31055
- Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 3 August 2020
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 3 August 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the review of its procedure for the handling of harassment complaints involving current or former ministers.
Answer
In my response to S5W-21344 on 31 January 2019, I advised Parliament that we would not be progressing the review of the application of the Scottish Government’s procedure for handling complaints about Ministers or former Ministers at that time to avoid any risk of prejudice to live criminal proceedings. Since the conclusion of those proceedings, the attention of the Government has been focussed on leading Scotland’s response to the global health emergency.
I am now however able to advise that Laura Dunlop QC has agreed to lead this review, which will commence this month.
The remit of the review is to:
1. Draw out the lessons from the first application of the procedure as followed through to decision. In particular, this will include the application of paragraph 10, and provide advice on any changes required to strengthen the content and future operation of the procedure.
2. Identify how best to support complainers in future without undermining the integrity of the process.
3. Consider what further steps could be taken to improve the procedure to meet its intention, including maintaining the confidence of Scottish Government staff in the approach which will be taken to handling such issues in future.
The findings and recommendations will be published by the Scottish Government in due course.