The SNP’s Victims’ Bill will be “a sham” unless they make a host of changes to planned new legislation, the Scottish Conservatives have warned.
Leader Russell Findlay said the bill, which MSPs will vote on next week, needs “serious surgery” to truly put victims of crime at the centre of the justice system.
Findlay urged John Swinney and his colleagues to back the following key amendments to the bill submitted by him, shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr and shadow community safety minister Sharon Dowey:
- Initiating an inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland
- Ensuring victims are always informed if a decision is taken not to prosecute someone
- Informing all victims when plea deals are struck between defence and prosecution lawyers
- Requiring victim statements to be read out in court, by victims themselves if they choose
- Ensuring a real Suzanne’s Law, that would mean “no body, no release”
Findlay said that adopting these measures would address the criticism of victims’ groups who have warned that the SNP’s bill doesn’t go far enough.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “If the SNP truly want to put victims at the heart of the justice system, they must accept these common-sense changes to their bill.
“Their legislation needs serious surgery or it risks being a sham Victims’ Bill.
“Our amendments toughen it up in a host of important and practical ways.
“Scots victims of grooming gangs deserve an inquiry into this appalling scandal, just as victims south of the border have been promised.
“It’s only fair that victims are informed if someone is not being prosecuted or a plea deal has been struck between lawyers. They deserve to have their victim statement read out in court and given a say in the parole process.
“The SNP have duped the public by claiming to support Suzanne’s Law, but the bill doesn’t do what it should. Our proposal would mean if a killer doesn’t disclose a victim’s whereabouts, they stay behind bars.
“I welcome the fact that the Nationalists back our calls to scrap the not proven verdict and have heeded our opposition to their juryless trials plan – but it’s essential they go further to give victims faith in our justice system.”
Notes to editors
The Scottish Conservatives have submitted an amendment which would initiate a Scottish grooming gangs inquiry. Amendment 31 submitted by Liam Kerr would require the new Victims and Witnesses Commissioner to conduct research on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. (Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, 9 September 2025, link).
The Scottish Conservatives want to strengthen the Victims Bill by requiring that victims are always told about decisions not to prosecute someone. Sharon Dowey’s amendment 101 would require that prosecutors have to tell victims of a decision not to prosecute an offender in a case they are involved with unless they have specified that they do not want to be told. (Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, 9 September 2025, link).
Russell Findlay has three different amendments to improve victims’ say in plea deals. Amendment 38 would give victims the right to be told information about plea deals between the prosecution and the defence if a victim asks for it. This amendment is expected to pass. However, stronger amendments have also been submitted and SNP ministers have not said how they’ll vote on them. Amendment 63 would give all victims information about plea deals in their case, while amendment 102 would give all victims this information unless they opt out of wanting to receive it. (Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, 9 September 2025, link).
The Scottish Conservatives also want to see the expansion of victim statements. Amendment 104 submitted by Sharon Dowey would require that victim statements are read out in court, by victims themselves if they choose. (Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, 9 September 2025, link).
We have also submitted amendments ensuring a real Suzanne’s Law that would mean “no body, no release”. Suzanne’s Law would require that killers who refuse to disclose information about the whereabouts of their victims’ remains can be blocked from release by the parole board. Russell Findlay’s amendment 107 would achieve this goal, as Scottish Government-backed amendments simply do not do enough to fulfil the true objectives of Suzanne’s Law. (Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 3 of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, 9 September 2025, link).