Reimbursement of expenses
7. After section 3G of the Act, insert—
“Reimbursement of expenses
Victims’ right to reimbursement of expenses
3H.—(1) The Lord Advocate must establish a process for the reimbursement of relevant expenses.
(2) The Lord Advocate must make and publish guidance about the process established under subsection (1).
(3) The Lord Advocate must keep the guidance published under subsection (2) under review and may modify it from time to time.
(4) Where, under subsection (3), the Lord Advocate modifies the guidance published under subsection (2), the Lord Advocate must publish the modified guidance.
(5) In this section—
“a hearing in relevant criminal proceedings” means any hearing in the course of any criminal proceedings in the High Court, sheriff court or justice of the peace court in relation to an offence or alleged offence,
“relevant expenses” means the reasonable expenses incurred—
by a person who is or appears to be a victim in relation to an offence or alleged offence, and
which are as a result of the person’s participation in a hearing in relevant criminal proceedings in relation to the offence or alleged offence.”.