Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Statutory Guidance

Section 4 – Revoking a Notification or Referral

Prior to the Review Oversight Committee determining whether a death which has been notified or referred to it is reviewable, a death notification or referral may be revoked. This can only be done where the notifying body or the Scottish Ministers believes that the death is not a reviewable death. This may arise where further information becomes available after the original notification or referral, or where the original notification or referral was issued in error.

4.1. Timing of Revocation

A notification or referral may be revoked only up until the point at which the Review Oversight Committee has made its decision under section 19 on whether the death is reviewable. After that stage, discontinuation of the review process is possible only through the Lord Advocate’s power under section 23 of the 2025 Act.

4.2. How a Revocation is Made

Revocation must be made in writing to the Review Oversight Committee by the body who issued the original notification (Police Scotland, COPFS or PIRC) or referral (Scottish Ministers). The written revocation must include reasons explaining why the death is no longer considered to be reviewable. The revocation must be copied to the same recipient(s) who received the original notification or referral. The Secretariat will coordinate this.

Where a revocation is received before the Review Oversight Committee has made its decision on reviewability, the original notification or referral must be treated as never having been given.

If another notification or referral remains in place, the sift continues e.g. a notification of the same death by Police Scotland and PIRC but PIRC revokes the notification it submitted, the death would continue to be considered for review as there still remains a notification in place by another notifying body.

A revoked notification or referral will not be counted for the purpose of the Review Oversight Committee’s reporting duties which relate only to notifications and referrals that remain active.