§ Mr. Pollockasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland whether he has any plans to seek to amend the law of evidence applicable to prosecutions for rape; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandI have no plans for further change at this time. The Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill of last year introduced far-reaching changes to the law of evidence in sexual offence trials. The Bill is now on the statute book and section 36, brought into force on 1 January 1986, implements the recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission that complainers in sexual offence trials should be protected as far as possible from certain types of questioning and evidence.