Found: But it was the only one, and that fell with the Criminal Justice Bill when the election was called.

Found: We welcome the Government amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill as a necessary step towards ensuring

Found: The Criminal Justice Bill under the previous government also included provisions to introduce a consent-based

Found: The now Minister put forward an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill in April to deal with some of

Found: the welfare of children.1 The previous Conservative government tabled amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill

Found: County lines offending: legal guidance , 3 February 2022 84 House of Commons Library, Criminal Justice Bill

Found: increasingly encountering, or becoming the subject of, deepfake content.8 6 HM Government, ‘ Criminal Justice Bill

Found: the specific articles for use (or intended use) in 34 Figures provided by the NCA. 35 Criminal Justice Bill

Found: the welfare of children.1 The previous Conservative government tabled amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill

Found: increasingly encountering, or becoming the subject of, deepfake content.8 6 HM Government, ‘ Criminal Justice Bill

Found: the specific articles for use (or intended use) in 34 Figures provided by the NCA. 35 Criminal Justice Bill

Found: The Criminal Justice Bill 2024 contained provisions which would have allowed restrained funds to be

Found: increase) situation and on the immediate and strategic measures to relieve this (including the Criminal Justice Bill

Found: Dame Diana Johnson also put forward an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to remove women from the

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with the UK Government to tackle the illicit drugs trade in Scotland.

Answered by Constance, Angela - Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the UK Government to disrupt organised crime groups involved in the illicit drugs trade and the misery it causes to individuals and communities. As I explained in my answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-32543 on 10 January 2025, we had previously promoted a Legislative Consent Memorandum in the Scottish Parliament in relation to the provisions in the previous UK Government’s Criminal Justice Bill creating a new offence of importing, making, adapting, supplying or offering to supply a relevant article for use in serious crime. This offence would have included pill presses in addition to other articles but the legislation fell due to the change of administration.

My officials are continuing to engage with the Home Office to explore the potential for this offence, and others that disrupt aspects of the illicit drug trade such as cuckooing, to be taken forward in one of the bills that will be introduced in early 2025. In the event that such legislation is brought forward, we will give careful consideration to the possibility of extending such measures to Scotland.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has been working with Police Scotland to tackle the modification of vehicles for the concealment of illicit drugs.

Answered by Constance, Angela - Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs

We had previously promoted a Legislative Consent Memorandum in the Scottish Parliament in relation to the provisions in the previous UK Government’s Criminal Justice Bill creating an offence for importing, making, adapting, supplying or offering to supply a relevant article for use in serious crime. This offence would have included vehicle concealments as an article of serious crime but the legislation fell due to the change of administration.

My officials are continuing to engage with the Home Office on its legislative proposals. I hope that this offence will be taken forward in one of the bills that will be introduced in early 2025.

Police Scotland will be also be kept informed as soon as any legislation is developed.