Brexit

The Justice Committee has held three roundtable evidence sessions covering the impact of leaving the EU on justice issues in Scotland.  The evidence focused on civil and criminal justice matters on the topics of:

• family law (30 January 2018),
• civil, commercial and consumer law (30 January 2018),
• policing and criminal justice (20 February 2018).

Some of these areas could fall within the ambit of the Common Frameworks which are currently being discussed between the UK and the devolved nations.  The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) agreed a communique setting out a series of common principles that underpin the work of establishing common frameworks.

• Official Report, 30 January 2018
• Official Report, 20 February 2018

The Committee subsequently took evidence from the Secretary of State for Scotland (on 6 September 2018) and from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Lord Advocate (on 11 September 2018).

• Official Report, 6 September 2018
• Official Report, 11 September 2018

Evidence

Written submissions were received on Brexit and family law from:

• Beaumont, Professor Paul R, University of Aberdeen (156KB pdf)
• Clark, Lucia, Morton Fraser LLP (35KB pdf) 
• Scott, Janys M., QC, Faculty of Advocates (115KB pdf)

Written submissions were received on Brexit and civil, commercial and consumer law from: 

• Beaumont, Professor Paul R, University of Aberdeen (156KB pdf)
• Competition and Markets Authority (260KB pdf)
• Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (155KB pdf)

Written submissions were received on Brexit and policing and criminal justice from:

• Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (143KB pdf)
• Law Society of Scotland (306KB pdf)

Correspondence

• Letter from the Convener to the Secretary of State for Scotland (1 March 2018) (94KB pdf)
• Letter from the Secretary of State for Scotland to the Convener (4 September 2018) (322KB pdf)
• Letter from Cabinet Secretary for Justice to Convener (26 August 2019) (18KG pdf)
• Submission from Police Scotland on Brexit Contingency Planning 20190924 (556KB PDF)
• Submission from the Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service on Brexit Contingency Planning 20190925 (205KB PDF)
• Submission form the Scottish Prison Service on Brexit Contingency Planning 20190924 (281KB PDF)
• Letter from the Convener to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (22 January 2020) (90KB pdf)
• Letter from the Convener to Police Scotland (22 January 2020) (91KB pdf)
• Letter from Police Scotland to the Convener (10 February 2020) (238KB pdf)
• Letter from Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (11 February 2020) (79KB pdf)

Report

The Committee published its report to the Parliament on 25 March 2019.

• The impact of Brexit on the civil and criminal justice systems and policing in Scotland
• Scottish Government response (153KB pdf) (August 2019)