Sturgeon sets out new legislative programme
Investment in infrastructure and mental health services headlined the Scottish Government's priorities for the year ahead, as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled her Programme for Government to the Scottish Parliament today.
Twelve new bills, in addition to the 13 continued from the previous year, contain few major measures, though for lawyers there will be a Family Law Bill and a Consumer Protection Bill to take particular note of.
The First Minister committed to investing an additional £7bn over and above existing plans, on schools, hospitals, transport, digital connectivity and clean energy by 2026, describing this as "the most ambitious long-term level of infrastructure spend ever in Scotland".
A further £250m health investment package will deliver dedicated mental health counsellors in schools, extra training for teachers, and an additional 250 school nurses to offer emotional and mental health support and provide more advice for young people and their families dealing with mental health issues.
An Export Growth Plan will provide £20m for measures including support for 150 businesses to increase overseas activity, while under a new Fair Work plan, living wage, gender pay transparency and the exclusion of zero hours contracts will become conditions for business support.
The year will also see Scotland's Social Security Agency make its first payments before Christmas, in the form of the Best Start Grant to help parents on low incomes to buy family essentials on the birth of their children.
On the legislative front, the Family Law Bill will make a number of changes, in particular to further ensure that the child’s best interests are at the centre of any contact and residence cases. This includes regulation of child welfare reporters, further protection of domestic abuse victims and ensuring efficient disposal by the courts.
A Consumer Protection Bill will establish a new statutory consumer body and make changes to existing funding arrangements in the light of devolved powers; and a Disclosure Bill will amend the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 and Part V of the Police Act 1997 to support the modernisation of the policy design of the disclosure system.
Other bills promised include a Biometric Data Bill, Budget Bill, Census (Amendment) Bill, Electoral Franchise Bill, Electoral Reform Bill, Female Genital Mutilation Bill (indroducing protection orders), Non-Domestic Rates Bill, Scottish National Investment Bank Bill and South of Scotland Enterprise Agency Bill.
For the criminal justice system, the programme promises to eliminate the need for victims to have to retell their story to different organisations as they look for help; to consult on widening the range of serious crimes where the victim can make a statement to the court prior to sentence; to provide better information and greater support for victims and their families ahead of prison release arrangements; to consult on increasing the openness and transparency of the parole system, consulting on specific proposals later this year; and to establish, through Victim Support Scotland, a new support service for families bereaved by murder and culpable homicide.
The presumption against short prison sentences will be extended to 12 months, "once additional safeguards for victims in the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 are in force".
In civil law, ministers will consult on the Scottish Law Commission’s Report on Defamation and draft bill; consult on the future of civil partnership in Scotland; and consult on a fresh approach to the reform of succession law, and on implementing the Scottish Law Commission’s report on judicial factors.
On legal aid, the programme says only that ministers will "respond" to the recommendations of the independent review, and initially make changes to solicitor fees to reflect new criminal justice processes and make it easier to claim fees from SLAB.