Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Protocol

16. Sharing of finalised but unpublished reports for learning and safeguarding purposes

Where a report has been finalised but there is a criminal trial pending or where there are safety concerns e.g. organised crime, it is unlikely that Lord Advocate consent will be provided for a report to be published. Following a criminal trial this will be reviewed but in the interim a public summary will be published in order for the Review Oversight Committee to fulfil its statutory duty to share information on learning and recommendations from a review.

Regardless of whether or not a report can be published, all domestic homicide and domestic suicide review reports must be provided to the Scottish Ministers. Where a review involves a young person or an adult at risk, the report must also be sent to the Care Inspectorate.

The Scottish Ministers and the Review Oversight Committee Chair can share in full or part, a copy of a report where it has not been published. This would only be done where the findings, learning, or recommendations are relevant to the recipient and are appropriate with the aim of helping to promote the learning of lessons to safeguard those affected by abusive domestic behaviour and/ or promote the wellbeing of victims of such behaviour. Such occasions where this may occur would include a cross border review. Agreements are in place between the Home Office, Welsh Government and Department of Justice that where a cross border report has not been published on the Scottish Government website, it will also not be shared on the relevant UK jurisdiction website.

Similar to the sharing of draft review report for factual accuracy purposes, reports can only be shared with specific individuals. If additional representatives within an organisation require access to the finalised report the Single Point of Contact should share those details with the Secretariat who will seek the necessary approval of the Scottish Ministers or the Review Oversight Committee Chair. All recipients will be required to complete a confidentiality agreement to confirm that they will not share the report beyond those within their agency where approval has been granted.