Smith welcomes Government moves on Victim Notification Scheme

22/2/08

Margaret Smith MSP has welcomed Government moves to extend the Victim Notification Scheme.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill has written to the members of the Justice Committee announcing that the minimum period of imprisonment which triggers the victim’s right to receive information on an offender is to be reduced from 4 years to 18 months.

Commenting, the Edinburgh West MSP Smith said

“I welcome the news that the Cabinet Secretary has decided to extend Victim Notification Schemes and also agreed to keep the scheme under review with scope to widen it further at a later date.

“The Victim Notification Scheme is a crucial tool in giving victims information about when an offender is released from prison.

“I’ve been calling for the Victim Notification Scheme to be extended to cases where the offender has been sentenced to more than one year, so I am delighted the Cabinet Secretary has listened to our concerns and the voices of victims across Scotland.”