The SNP are treating victims as ‘an afterthought’ by failing to reconvene the Victims Taskforce, the Scottish Conservatives have said.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Jamie Greene had asked SNP Justice Secretary Keith Brown when the taskforce would next meet. The group has not met since 10th March, before the Scottish Parliament election in May. Since then, 219 days have passed.
However, Keith Brown failed to respond with a definitive answer, only saying ‘it is anticipated to reconvene before the end of 2021’.
The Victims Taskforce features representatives from across the justice system including Victim Support Scotland who say ‘speedy progress is now critical to ensure that the needs of victims are prioritised over the next parliament’.
They also said last month that a specifically created Victims Commissioner should immediately become a member of the taskforce.
Jamie Greene says that the SNP are letting down victims yet again, with Keith Brown failing to set up a meeting despite being Justice Secretary for almost five months.
The Scottish Conservatives are working on a Victims Law to ensure that victims’ rights are put at the heart of our justice system.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Jamie Greene MSP, said: “The failure to reconvene this taskforce shows that victims are clearly an afterthought for the SNP.
"The Scottish Conservatives would change that with our Victims Law which will put victims and their families first.
“Keith Brown has been in post as Justice Secretary for almost five months, yet he still can’t confirm when a meeting of the taskforce will take place. The group has now not met for over seven months. That simply isn’t good enough.
“The SNP are letting down victims yet again. The Justice Secretary should be listening to organisations like Victim Support Scotland who want the taskforce to reconvene as soon as possible.
“Victims need their voice to be heard at every opportunity, but are being met with a wall of silence from the heart of the SNP Government.
“Vague answers like this will simply not cut it. The SNP’s Justice Secretary must urgently confirm once and for all the date of the next meeting of the Victims Taskforce.”
Kate Wallace, CEO of Victim Support Scotland, added:
“We are keen to see the Victims Taskforce resurrected, building on the momentum we saw during the last parliament. The Taskforce ultimately exists to ensure that improvements are made to the justice system based on the experience and views of those affected by crime.
“We know that all too often the justice system does more harm than good when it comes to vulnerable victims, witnesses and families, and this has to stop.
“The Taskforce should therefore be focussed on actions and innovations to allow this to happen.
“While we appreciate that there have been delays to restarting the Taskforce while a new government has been formed, speedy progress is now critical to ensure that the needs of victims are prioritised over the next parliament.”
Notes:
Victim Support Scotland said they believed the Victims’ Taskforce should continue its work. Victim Support Scotland said in their paper backing a Victims’ Commissioner: ‘Victim Support Scotland believes that the Victims’ Taskforce should continue in the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament and should work alongside the Victims’ Commissioner to deliver for victims and witnesses. We also believe that the Victims’ Commissioner should become a member of the Victims’ Taskforce.’ (Victim Support Scotland, Making the case for a Victims Commissioner for Scotland, 6 September 2021, link).
However, Keith Brown refused to confirm the date of when the next Victims’ Taskforce will meet. In a question from Jamie Greene asking when the next meeting of the taskforce would be, Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: ‘We remain committed to delivering the work of the Victims Taskforce, which is anticipated to reconvene before the end of 2021.’ (Scottish Parliament, Written Parliamentary Question Answer, 1 October 2021, link).