MSP drops Bill to create domestic abusers’ register over lack of support

Victims will be left “devastated” after a Bill to create a register for domestic abusers was dropped, the MSP behind the legislation has said.

Pam Gosal announced on Friday she would be withdrawing the Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill due to a lack of support from the Scottish Government.

The Bill had proposed to create a register for domestic abusers, similar to the sex offenders’ register.

Among its other provisions, it would have also required schools to educate pupils on domestic abuse and relationships.

The Conservative MSP said the legislation would have helped stop serial abuse while protecting victims at an earlier stage.

However, women’s organisations raised concerns about the “bureaucratic burden” it could place on them.

Scottish Women’s Aid chief executive Marsha Scott previously told MSPs she was “concerned” the Bill will not have the intended results.

Ms Gosal said she was “deeply disappointed” to withdraw the Bill, which she said would have been a “gamechanger in providing support for victims of domestic abuse”.

She said: “However, John Swinney’s refusal to back my plans effectively destroyed its chances of progressing in this parliament.

“I proposed the creation of a domestic abuse register, similar to the sex offenders’ register, which would have been a huge step forward in tackling violent abuse and provided real protection to vulnerable women.

“This measure, among others, would have given the police powers to intervene more swiftly, helped to stop serial abusers in their tracks and protected victims at an early stage.

“I find it incomprehensible that the SNP chose not to take this opportunity to back effective action against such offences, despite domestic abuse incidents being constantly on the rise and with one domestic abuse incident being recorded every eight minutes last year in Scotland.

“I know that the many victims and support organisations with whom I have worked during the progress of the Bill will be devastated by the SNP Government’s failure to back my plans, but I have no intention of giving up my campaigning on this issue.

“I hope to be able to bring the Bill back in the next parliament at the earliest opportunity.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We will always consider any proposals to reduce domestic abuse, but we were not persuaded that this Bill as drafted would have been effective in doing so.

“As with all legislation, it would have been for the Parliament to scrutinise and decide on the Bill. The decision to withdraw the Bill is entirely a matter for the sponsoring MSP.”