The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will conclude its work this Parliament in March 2026 ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election. So the Committee has time to complete its work, it has agreed not to consider petitions submitted after 10 October.
The Committee will continue to meet but given the volume of petitions and agreed work programme it is unlikely that the Committee would be able to meaningfully progress work on petitions submitted after 10 October ahead of the election. Petitions lodged after this date will not fall when the Parliament is dissolved and will be for the successor committee to consider in the new session.
If you are seeking urgent action or policy change please contact one of your 8 MSPs or the Scottish Government directly.
Closed petition PE1994: Review the trial process for sexual offence cases
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to undertake a review of the trial process and handling of witness evidence in sexual offences cases.
Previous action taken
I contacted David Torrance MSP.
Background information
The laws this government have brought in to protect the victim are long overdue but it has swung way over the other way, which is leading to more convictions. This has ruined a lot of innocent people’s lives as the accused lawyers have been told their evidence is irrelevant and cannot be used.
There are lots of stories of medical reports being classed as not admissible to witness statements being taken but not used. People are told again that it’s not relevant and it is only the accused evidence this is happening to.
The law should be seen to be fair for all but it is not. The Scottish Government’s new laws are being blamed for it by the legal aid court lawyers.
This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament
2 signatures