First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament am ar 26 Medi 2024.
Pam Gosal
Ceidwadwyr
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government plans to embed domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms, similar to plans announced by the United Kingdom Government for England and Wales. (S6F-03383)
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
Police Scotland’s contact assessment model already ensures that people receive the support and safeguarding that they need in a timely fashion when they are in contact with control rooms. That is primarily an operational matter for Police Scotland, but we will be interested to see how the pilot proposals in England and Wales develop, and we will want to see the outcomes and benefits that they bring to victims of domestic abuse, which is of paramount importance to us.
Pam Gosal
Ceidwadwyr
Police Scotland responds to a domestic abuse call every nine minutes. That means that, every nine minutes, a potential victim is in need of urgent assistance. It is worth examining whether having domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms would make a difference. I have also put forward proposals, in my “United Against Violence” paper, to expand training so that all front-line public sector workers can understand and spot the warning signs of domestic abuse. Would the First Minister consider introducing such a scheme?
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
I know that the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs met Pam Gosal to discuss that and other questions yesterday, and I am very interested in her proposals. We need to do all that we possibly can to ensure that those who experience domestic abuse are able to receive the support that they require. It should be stated that domestic violence should not be happening in any circumstance whatsoever but, where it happens, we should provide support, so I am open to discussing the issues that Pam Gosal puts to me today.
Rona Mackay
Scottish National Party
I welcome the legislative proposals in the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced this week, that can help to prevent domestic violence. However, does the First Minister agree that it is only by changing social attitudes and specific behaviours of those who perpetrate domestic violence, the vast Majority of whom are men, that we will truly see a difference in reducing domestic and gender-based violence?
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
I agree with Rona Mackay. Those who perpetrate violence and abuse, the Majority of whom are men, must change their actions and behaviour, and we must root out and tackle the toxic masculinity culture and gender inequality that leads to violence, harassment, misogyny and abuse against women. We should stand against that, and we should call it out wherever we see it.
Our equally safe strategy is aimed at preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, and the legislative proposals in the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill are designed to help us in the process.
I am also very keen to ensure that we work across the chamber to capture some of the thinking that Pam Gosal has put to me in order to make sure that we do everything that we can to address this scourge in our society.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
violence occurring within the family
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War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
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