Latest news with #Scotland)Bill
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Families hopeful over 'no body no parole' for killers as Suzanne's law to counter 'mental torture'
Grieving relatives have spoken out about the 'mental torture' of never finding their loved one's bodies. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The families of murder victims whose remains were never found have been given hope over a future 'no body no parole' rule as a new law is poised to compel probation hearings to consider non-disclosure of information before releasing perpetrators. The families of Suzanne Pilley and Arlene Fraser have spoken out after a 'positive' meeting with SNP Justice Secretary Angela Constance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The talks were held after it was confirmed the Scottish Government would accept a version of an amendment to the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill that would require parole boards to take into account whether a prisoner has refused to reveal the location of their victims' remains. Carol Gillies, (sister of Arlene Fraser) and Gail Fairgrieve (sister of Suzanne Pilley) | (Photo by Jeff) The relatives of Suzanne and Arlene have spoken out about the 'mental torture' caused by the perpetrators refusing to hand over the vital information. The amendment, tabled by Lib Dem MSP Jamie Greene, the so-called Suzanne's law, is named after Suzanne, who was murdered by her colleague, David Gilroy, in 2010. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gilroy, who was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years in prison, has never revealed the location of Ms Pilley's body. Nat Fraser was jailed for killing his wife Arlene, who disappeared 27 years ago and was last seen waving their two children off to school in 1998. Her remains have never been found. 'Mental torture' Under existing legislation, Fraser will be eligible for parole in October 2028, and Gilroy will be eligible in March 2030. Arlene's sister, Carol Gillies, has described Fraser refusing to reveal the remains as 'a form of mental torture'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She said: 'He disposed of Arlene in a very ruthless, efficient way and to just have Nat Fraser in front of the parole board and all they are considering is the risk on how he behaved in jail is just not enough. Sister of Arlene Fraser, Carol Gillies | Andrew Milligan/PA Wire 'If he was to get out, then he would be gone forever.' Ms Gillies added: 'If Arlene had been left on the kitchen floor, that would be one thing. We would have her and we would be able to have a proper burial'. But she stressed that 'to know that she was removed, taken away' means 'we're at the stage where we don't even know if she's in one piece'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Suzanne's sister, Gail Fairgrieve, insisted Gilroy's 'crime is still continuing' by refusing to reveal the location of his victim's body. 'Bring Suzanne home' She said: 'He's perpetrating a crime against us and we're still dealing with this every day. He has information that could put us at ease and bring Suzanne home. 'This information is a full part of his crime.' Ms Fairgrieve said the amendment requiring parole boards to consider non-disclosure of a victim's remains was 'a step in the right direction'. Asked about what should happen if Gilroy refuses to give up the location of Suzanne's body, even with the new parole rules, Ms Fairgrieve said: 'Life imprisonment should mean life imprisonment.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Suzanne Pilley was murdered in Edinburgh in May 2010 She said: 'I feel that they're still perpetrating a crime. Part of the crime was to put Suzanna in the boot of a car and take her to Argyle and dispose of her - wherever, we don't know. 'I think he'll never disclose where she is. 'Parole regulations are something that will affect the perpetrators in these cases. But we would like to see the law change so that when they come to trial, they are well aware that if they never disclose where the remains or a body is then there's no chance of parole. Appeal for Australian model 'That's where the law needs to stand. We need to move that.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Fairgrieve suggested the justice secretary was 'open to hearing anything that we have to say' on how the law could be tightened in future. Suzanne's sister pointed to rules in Australia, which she believed should be mirrored in Scotland. She said: 'They have a crime that's 'no body, no parole' so they are instantly told at sentencing that's the situation they're in and it's their choice at their point. 'There's no reason why Scotland can't be doing the same.' Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, told journalists 'both murderers will be eligible for parole in the coming years' and said the developments would 'provide a level of safeguarding and comfort to the families'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland. Picture: Julie Broadfoot | VSS She said the changes set to be agreed in the coming legislation would 'bring Scotland in line with England'. Ms Wallace added: 'The current wording around parole rules is that they may take into account the non-disclosure of information around the remains of a deceased person. The change that has been put forward and accepted in an amendment says that they must take that into consideration. Changes 'a step forward' 'Whilst it's acknowledged that that doesn't go as far as perhaps we would have liked, it is mirroring what is happening in England and Wales and is regarded as a step forward. 'The parole board in these situations must consider that information as part of their decision - it compels them to do that. ' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Regarding the 'no body no parole' proposals, Ms Wallace said: 'There is a commitment to listen and there is a plan the Government have to release a public consultation around parole. 'That's the place for some of these proposals around further changes to be considered.' The Justice Secretary, Ms Constance, said: 'I am grateful to the families of Suzanne Pilley and Arlene Fraser for meeting with me today. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Justice Secretary Angela Constance | PA 'They have suffered heart-breaking losses, compounded by not knowing the final resting place of their loved ones. My deepest sympathies remain with them. 'In March, I supported an amendment to the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill that will mean the parole board, when making decisions about release, must take account of whether a prisoner has information about the disposal of a victim's remains, but has not disclosed it.
The National
6 days ago
- Business
- The National
From rising star to Deputy FM – Kate Forbes' career in brief
The Deputy First Minister was selected to contest the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency in 2026, but now the party will have to rerun the contest and find a new candidate. Party members and politicians expressed shock at the news, while opposition politicians used it as an excuse to take shots at the SNP. Forbes was first elected to Holyrood in 2016, aged 26, having previously worked as an accountant in the banking industry and for former MSP Dave Thompson in the same constituency. READ MORE: Kate Forbes to quit Holyrood in 2026 – read her statements in full The MSP studied history at Cambridge before completing an MSc in diaspora and migration history at the University of Edinburgh. Born in Dingwall, she spent part of her childhood in India and Glasgow, and attended a Gaelic school. She quickly rose through the ranks, first as public finance minister in 2018 before becoming Scotland's first female finance secretary under Nicola Sturgeon in 2020. Forbes was praised for delivering the budget speech at short notice, taking on the role the night before after her predecessor Derek Mackay was forced to stand down when it emerged he had sent inappropriate messages to a teenager. During her time as a backbencher, she delivered the first speech in the Holyrood chamber entirely in Gaelic, later becoming the first Cabinet Secretary for the language, alongside responsibilities for the economy, when she was appointed DFM. (Image: PA) Forbes narrowly lost out on the SNP leadership contest after Sturgeon resigned to Humza Yousaf, who is also set to leave [[Holyrood]] when the parliamentary term ends. She fought the contest while on maternity leave, coming second in the first round of voting with 40.7%, to Yousaf's 48.2%. The second round saw Yousaf win with 52.1%, compared to Forbes' 47.9%. During the campaign, Forbes came under fire for her views on abortion, gay marriage and trans rights. A member of the Free Church of Scotland, she said that having children outside of marriage was 'wrong' and that she would not have supported equal marriage as a 'matter of conscience'. Forbes was on maternity leave while the Scottish Parliament voted on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would have allowed transgender people to self-identify. In 2019, she joined 15 other SNP politicians in writing an open letter to Sturgeon calling for a delay to the reforms, and would later reiterate her concerns during the leadership campaign. READ MORE: Keith Brown: UK can't ignore independence demand with SNP majority On independence, she said during the contest that the party should use the Westminster election to win a mandate and demand powers to allow a referendum to go ahead. After the contest, she told the New Statesman she would have been 'haunted' if she had not stayed true to her religious beliefs during the campaign. Leaving the cabinet in 2023 after Yousaf offered her the rural affairs brief, seen as a major demotion by some, Forbes spent a year on the backbenches. When Yousaf resigned as first minister, following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens, Forbes took on the deputy first minister role when John Swinney took over leadership of the party and government. She was given responsibilities for the economy and [[Gaelic]], and last week welcomed the approval of a massive offshore wind farm off the coast of East Lothian. Forbes had been considered a potential successor to Swinney, prior to her shock announcement and will continue in her MSP role for the next nine months. She added on social media that despite standing down, she is looking forward to campaigning at the election to 'lead Scotland to independence'.
The National
7 days ago
- Business
- The National
Who is Kate Forbes? Deputy First Minister standing down at election
The Deputy First Minister was selected to contest the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency in 2026, but now the party will have to rerun the contest and find a new candidate. Party members and politicians expressed shock at the news, while opposition politicians used it as an excuse to take shots at the SNP. Forbes was first elected to Holyrood in 2016, aged 26, having previously worked as an accountant in the banking industry and for former MSP Dave Thompson in the same constituency. READ MORE: Kate Forbes to quit Holyrood in 2026 – read her statements in full The MSP studied history at Cambridge before completing an MSc in diaspora and migration history at the University of Edinburgh. Born in Dingwall, she spent part of her childhood in India and Glasgow, and attended a Gaelic school. She quickly rose through the ranks, first as public finance minister in 2018 before becoming Scotland's first female finance secretary under Nicola Sturgeon in 2020. Forbes was praised for delivering the budget speech at short notice, taking on the role the night before after her predecessor Derek Mackay was forced to stand down when it emerged he had sent inappropriate messages to a teenager. During her time as a backbencher, she delivered the first speech in the Holyrood chamber entirely in Gaelic, later becoming the first Cabinet Secretary for the language, alongside responsibilities for the economy, when she was appointed DFM. (Image: PA) Forbes narrowly lost out on the SNP leadership contest after Sturgeon resigned to Humza Yousaf, who is also set to leave [[Holyrood]] when the parliamentary term ends. She fought the contest while on maternity leave, coming second in the first round of voting with 40.7%, to Yousaf's 48.2%. The second round saw Yousaf win with 52.1%, compared to Forbes' 47.9%. During the campaign, Forbes came under fire for her views on abortion, gay marriage and trans rights. A member of the Free Church of Scotland, she said that having children outside of marriage was 'wrong' and that she would not have supported equal marriage as a 'matter of conscience'. Forbes was on maternity leave while the Scottish Parliament voted on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would have allowed transgender people to self-identify. In 2019, she joined 15 other SNP politicians in writing an open letter to Sturgeon calling for a delay to the reforms, and would later reiterate her concerns during the leadership campaign. READ MORE: Keith Brown: UK can't ignore independence demand with SNP majority On independence, she said during the contest that the party should use the Westminster election to win a mandate and demand powers to allow a referendum to go ahead. After the contest, she told the New Statesman she would have been 'haunted' if she had not stayed true to her religious beliefs during the campaign. Leaving the cabinet in 2023 after Yousaf offered her the rural affairs brief, seen as a major demotion by some, Forbes spent a year on the backbenches. When Yousaf resigned as first minister, following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens, Forbes took on the deputy first minister role when John Swinney took over leadership of the party and government. She was given responsibilities for the economy and [[Gaelic]], and last week welcomed the approval of a massive offshore wind farm off the coast of East Lothian. Forbes had been considered a potential successor to Swinney, prior to her shock announcement and will continue in her MSP role for the next nine months. She added on social media that despite standing down, she is looking forward to campaigning at the election to 'lead Scotland to independence'.
Scotsman
14-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
We're ready to put consumers at the heart of legal regulation
Vicky Crichton on changes coming with Scotland's new Legal Services Bill Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... On 20 May the Scottish Parliament passed the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill. After two years of parliamentary scrutiny and a decade of discussion on the need for reform, Scotland now has a new framework for legal service regulation. The task now for all parts of the regulatory system is to make that framework a reality. That's not just about the nuts and bolts of the technical changes, but also about meeting the expectations set out in the legislation of a system that 'will best promote competition, innovation, and the public and consumer interest' and will contribute towards achieving new regulatory objectives. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is about recognising that legal services play a vital role in citizens' lives and in Scotland's economy. The new legislation is an opportunity to help make legal services work for all involved, says Vicky Crichton While this legislation mostly amends existing statute, taken together the changes it brings are significant for both users and providers of legal services. It ushers in a new era of entity regulation, with the regulatory focus expanding beyond individual practitioners to look at how businesses operate, and beyond regulated legal services into the unregulated market. It also makes significant changes to the complaints regime, allowing greater flexibility, proportionality, accountability and transparency, in line with the better regulation principles. We will have new powers to act on trends or concerns we see in complaints, helping to tackle systemic issues and improve the legal services consumers receive. This is vital as we know consumers want lessons to be learned from complaints, and service providers want to know how to spot and avoid the common causes of consumer dissatisfaction. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In line with the aim to put consumers at the heart of regulation, the independent consumer panel will have an enhanced remit to share its views and concerns with authorities across the regulatory system. This consumer input will be vital in shaping how all of these changes are implemented and how the reformed regulatory system delivers improvements for users of legal services. That's a lot of change, but it's an exciting opportunity to put into practice the key aims we've been discussing as part of the legislative debate and make them a reality. As we start a new business year at the SLCC, we are laying the foundations for this work. We'll be setting out our thinking on what it means to be a regulatory authority, how we'll play our part in helping to deliver against the regulatory objectives and how we'll approach using our new powers. We're looking forward to input from stakeholders, practitioners and consumers to help inform our approach. We'll also start planning to deliver the much-needed improvements to the complaints process to make it more effective, more efficient and fairer for everyone. We've drawn on our 18 years of complaints handling expertise and learning from other regulated sectors and jurisdictions to inform those improvements. While complaints are never easy, we think these changes will make the system easier for everyone to engage with. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The new legislation isn't perfect, but it is an opportunity to help make legal services work for everyone involved – those who use them and those who provide them. We're looking forward to playing our part and working with others to achieve that.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Scottish parliament approves assisted dying bill in key vote
London: The Scottish parliament voted on Tuesday in favour of a bill that would allow people living in Scotland with a terminal illness to take their own lives, bringing the proposal a step closer to becoming a reality in the country. Ahead of a final vote, the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill will move to a committee stage where it will be scrutinised and amended by members of the Scottish parliament. If the legislation is passed, Scotland would join countries such as Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, Austria and Ecuador in allowing assisted dying in certain circumstances. It comes after a historic vote last year in the British parliament in which lawmakers backed a bill to allow assisted dying in England and Wales. The Scottish bill would give mentally competent adults who have been diagnosed with a terminal condition the right to end their life, assisted by health professionals. The legislation would include safeguards such as independent assessments by two doctors and a 14-day cooling-off period. There would be a requirement for those requesting an assisted death to have lived in Scotland for at least a year. Individuals would need to self-administer the substance that would end their life. The bill was proposed by Liberal Democrat member of the Scottish parliament Liam McArthur in 2021, and it is the third time that lawmakers in Scotland have voted on such legislation. The last vote was in 2015. Ahead of the vote, McArthur joined supporters outside the Scottish parliament and said he believed the "political mood has shifted dramatically over the last 10 years". Polls show a majority of Britons back assisted dying and supporters say the law needs to catch up with public opinion. Opponents say the bill would fail to safeguard those most vulnerable. Campaign group Better Way said on its website it was concerned the bill, as drafted, could lead to injustices against people with disabilities, those living with dementia and others. "People would feel pressure to die due to inequality; coercion of vulnerable people could not be ruled out; and eligibility criteria would be challenged in the courts," said Better Way spokesman Miro Griffiths.
