Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025

41 Additional information to be provided to victims

(1) The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 16 (victim’s right to receive information concerning release etc. of offender), after subsection (3), insert—

“(3A) The Scottish Ministers may, when providing information to a person under subsection (1), provide such ancillary information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.”.

(3) In section 16A (victim’s right to receive information concerning offender subject to compulsion order), after subsection (2), insert—

“(2A) The Scottish Ministers may, when providing information to a person under subsection (2), provide such ancillary information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.”.

(4) In section 17 (release on licence: right of victim to receive information and make representations), after subsection (2), insert—

“(2A) Where P is to be afforded an opportunity to make representations under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers may provide to P such information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate in relation to the consideration of the release on licence of the convicted person.”.

(5) In section 17A (temporary release: victim’s right to make representations about conditions), after subsection (3), insert—

“(3A) Where P is to be afforded an opportunity to make representations under subsection (2), the Scottish Ministers may provide to P such information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate in relation to the consideration of the temporary release of the convicted person.”.

(6) In section 17B (mentally-disordered offender: victim’s right to make representations), after subsection (3), insert—

“(3A) Where V is to be afforded an opportunity to make representations under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers may provide to V such information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate in relation to the decision in question.”.

(7) In section 17D (right to information after section 17B decision), after subsection (6) (as inserted by section 47(2)(c)), insert—

“(7) The Scottish Ministers may, when providing information to a person under subsection (2), (4) or (6), provide such ancillary information as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.”.