Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Statutory Guidance

Section 5 – Review Oversight Committee, Chair, Deputy Chair and Members

5.1. Review Oversight Committee

The 2025 Act provides for a Review Oversight Committee. The Review Oversight Committee plays a central governance role in the Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review model. The Review Oversight Committee is responsible for overseeing the review process. It determines whether a death is reviewable and if so, if it should proceed to review. The Review Oversight Committee will establish a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review, set the terms of reference and is responsible for the quality assurance of the reviews.

5.2. Review Oversight Committee Chair and Deputy Chair

The Review Oversight Committee Chair and Deputy Chair are independent appointments made by the Scottish Ministers. The Review Oversight Committee Chair has a number of duties which collectively support the review process to function effectively and independently. The Chair is supported by a Deputy Chair. Where neither the Chair nor Deputy Chair can undertake their role, Ministers may appoint a temporary Chair from the Review Oversight Committee or, if necessary, make a temporary appointment solely to fulfil this function.

5.3. Review Oversight Committee Membership

Review Oversight Committee members, other than the Chair and Deputy Chair, are appointed in two ways:

• through nominations received by those listed within the 2025 Act. These are outlined below. Nominations are to be approved by the Scottish Ministers; and
• through direct appointments made by the Scottish Ministers, which must include representatives from voluntary organisations with expertise in supporting people in Scotland.

The following organisations may nominate an individual to be a member of the Review Oversight Committee and an individual to act as a deputy in case of absence due to for example, sick leave:

• a local authority
• a health board
• the Chief Constable of Police Scotland
• the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
• Community Justice Scotland
• the Risk Management Authority
• Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (the Care Inspectorate)
• Social Work Scotland Ltd

Voluntary organisations play a critical role in supporting individuals affected by domestic abuse, trauma, and violence. Their insights and expertise, particularly those relating to lived experience, are essential to delivering high-quality reviews. Ministers may amend the list of bodies eligible to nominate Review Oversight Committee members, following consultation.

Scottish Ministers will consider nominations received and if content, will approve the appointments. Not all nominating bodies listed will be required to attend all meetings of the Review Oversight Committee. However, it is important that the Review Oversight Committee has appropriate representation to support it to function effectively.

Nominating bodies should put forward an individual and a deputy with relevant seniority, expertise, and organisational authority. Members appointed to the Review Oversight Committee are expected to:

• be able to look through the eyes of the victim
• be a senior leader within their organisation
• have a good knowledge of domestic abuse, domestic homicide domestic abuse related suicide and intersectionality
• have knowledge of the wider context which domestic homicide and suicide reviews are operating within
• have an understanding of the wider sector including justice, health, social work and the third sector
• have strong analytical, organisational, communication and interpersonal skills
• contribute specialist knowledge and organisational insight
• act in the public interest and support a consistent national approach
• participate actively in decision-making and quality assurance processes
• promote learning, improvement, and better outcomes for individuals and communities
• have the following skills: calm, challenge constructively, work collaboratively, professionally curious, empathetic, flexible, honest, impartial, good listener, open minded, passionate about supporting victims of domestic abuse, moral integrity, reflective, resilient, respectful, trustworthy.

5.4. Review Oversight Committee – Additional and Specialist Expertise

The Review Oversight Committee should ensure that appropriate specialist expertise is drawn upon where necessary to support the Review Oversight Committee in its determination of whether a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review is to be established. Where a review is established, this additional and specialist expertise will also be necessary to support the quality assurance of a report when submitted to the Review Oversight Committee (see section 11.8).

Specialist expertise is important in specific circumstances relating to the victim, perpetrator, children, connected young people or relevant others. Examples where specialist expertise may be required include, but are not limited to:

• expertise in disability, where the victim, perpetrator or another key individual had a disability
• mental health expertise, including in relation to homicide perpetrated by individuals with mental disorders
• cultural or community-specific knowledge, where relevant to understanding the context of the case

When additional and specialist expertise is identified by the Review Oversight Committee, arrangements will be made by the Secretariat (see 5.15) on behalf of the Review Oversight Committee, to seek the involvement of suitable individuals who possess the necessary expertise. This involvement may take the form of direct participation at a Review Oversight Committee meeting or written reports or advice commissioned by the Review Oversight Committee.

5.5. Review Oversight Committee – Consideration of a Death

The first job of the Review Oversight Committee is to satisfy itself whether a notified or referred death is reviewable. This means that the death needs to meet the criteria under section 12 of the 2025 Act.

If the Review Oversight Committee is satisfied that the death falls within the scope of the review model (see 2.3), it must then determine whether or not a review should be carried out as set out in section 19 of the 2025 Act. A determination on whether to establish a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review must be based on:

• the likelihood of identifying lessons to be learned from the death or circumstances leading up to it. The focus should be on learning that will improve Scottish practice and the safeguarding or promotion of wellbeing of victims of abusive domestic behaviour.
• whether any public authorities or voluntary organisations in Scotland were, or had the opportunity to be, involved in the circumstance leading up to the death. Where there was little or no contact with services, consideration should be given to the lessons that could be learned from the reasons why a person did not or was not able to engage.
• where the perpetrator and victim were not partners or ex-partners whether, and to what extent, the death appears to be linked to abusive behaviour between the perpetrator and their partner or ex-partner e.g. consider whether the death can be placed within the wider context of domestic abuse.
• in all cases, the extent of the apparent connection between the relevant abusive behaviour and the death. A known history of abuse prior to the death is not required to meet the criteria for review – where a death in scope has itself been directly caused by abusive behaviour, then the connect is unequivocally there. However, where the circumstances are more complex or unclear the Review Oversight Committee will need to give further consideration. Domestic abuse related suicide can be complex and multifaceted. Therefore, consideration in relation to the connection between the death and the abusive behaviour will be needed. Further detail on the framework to support these considerations is outlined below.
• the extent and quality of the information that is likely to be available to the review.
• the strength of the connection that both the victim, perpetrator and any other parties, had to Scotland. For example, if the relationship mainly occurred abroad, opportunities for intervention within Scotland may have been limited.

All of the above is to be considered when determining whether a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review should be established.

The Review Oversight Committee should aim to make a determination on whether a death is reviewable and if a review is to be undertaken within two months following receipt of a notification or referral. The Chair of the Review Oversight Committee does not require consensus to determine whether a review is to be undertaken. A decision can be taken by a simple majority (half plus one).

If the Review Oversight Committee is not unanimous and the Review Oversight Committee Chair prefers, they can refer the decision on whether a review should be undertaken into a reviewable death to the Scottish Ministers for their determination. There is also an option for the Chair to seek advice from Ministers in the course of the Review Oversight Committee reaching its determination. In either case, relevant information must be shared with the Scottish Ministers to enable them to provide considered advice or reach a considered decision.

5.6. Review Oversight Committee – Consideration of a Domestic Abuse Related Suicide

To support the Review Oversight Committee in determining whether a domestic abuse related suicide review should be established, a range of experts in domestic abuse, suicide and domestic abuse related suicide from across justice, health, social work, local government and the third sector, have developed three points for consideration by the Review Oversight Committee. It should be noted that the three points outlined do not all need to be present for a review to proceed. Instead they are intended to help provide a structure for discussion and reflection in determining whether a review should be undertaken rather than doorways that must be passed through.

Recency and impact of domestic abuse – this should be based on information available such as police records, involvement with support agencies or information from family of the victim. While there is clear and substantial evidence of the lasting impact of domestic abuse on the mental health of many victims, the more recent the history of domestic abuse, the more likely that the learning gained from a review can improve current and future responses and services.

Where there is no information to indicate that the victim experienced any domestic abuse within the two years preceding their death, the Review Oversight Committee may be more cautious about proceeding with a review and may seek further history or information. The absence or apparent absence of domestic abuse within a two year period prior to a suicide does not mean a review wouldn’t take place. The Review Oversight Committee should consider milestones or high-risk points in a person’s life such as an upcoming court case or the release of an abusive partner/ ex-partner from prison.

Connection between the domestic abuse and the circumstances of the suicide – in some instances it will be clear that the circumstances leading to the death by suicide are related to domestic abuse. This may be due to information such as comments made by the victim to others, notes, diary entries or voice messages left behind, or information held by agencies to whom the victim was known. It is important to highlight that a causal link between the domestic abuse and the suicide does not need to be established – “was or may have been a contributing factor” is a less stringent test than this. The connection between the abuse and the circumstances of the suicide does not need to be strong, there merely needs to be a connection and there may be other factors pointing towards a review where the connection is less strong.

Potential to identify relevant learning from the suicide – it is likely that in some instances the unavailability of information about the victim and their experience of domestic abuse may preclude a meaningful review being undertaken. Not all victims and survivors of domestic abuse have disclosed their experiences to others, or are in contact with support agencies. Even where there is some prior knowledge of the domestic abuse, or some contact with agencies, the information held may be quite limited. This in itself though could sometimes be the reason for or part of the reason for a review to be undertaken i.e. where there may be lessons to learn from the lack of engagement and the reasons for that, and it should be noted that the absence of contact with services is not sufficient cause in itself for a review not to be undertaken.

Where information held by services is limited then the knowledge and experiences of families, friends and communities becomes even more important as the person who has died may have disclosed information to those close to them rather than professionals. However, where it is unlikely that a review will be able to identify learning that can strengthen the safeguarding of those affected by domestic abuse, or promote the wellbeing of victims, the Review Oversight Committee may reach a determination that there is not sufficient information and in turn, not likely for there to be learning to be gained, for a review to proceed.

5.7. Review Oversight Committee – Scoping to Support a Decision to Review a Death and Single Points of Contact

In considering whether a death is reviewable and if it should proceed to review, the Review Oversight Committee may conclude that it requires further information to enable a determination to be reached. Where this is deemed necessary, a scoping exercise will be undertaken.

Scoping involves information being sought from a range of relevant organisations and processes such as local Chief Officer Groups, General Practice, Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) etc. Depending on the circumstances of the death, scoping information may also be sought from community groups or faith based organisations and relevant others.

Scoping requests will be sent by the Secretariat on behalf of the Review Oversight Committee to the Single Point of Contact within the relevant organisations. Where there is not a Single Point of Contact, the Secretariat will seek an appropriate individual within an organisation e.g. a faith group. The Single Point of Contact will play a central role in the domestic homicide and suicide review process. Single Points of Contact will facilitate communication and coordinate scoping requests in a timely manner between the Secretariat and within the respective organisations. In addition, they will quality assure the information before it is submitted to the Secretariat and ensure consistency in scoping returns. For some organisations the Single Point Of Contact may disseminate scoping asks to relevant colleagues or departments e.g. maternity services within a health board. For other organisations the Single Point Of Contact may be the person who undertakes the scoping exercise. The role is broader than supporting scoping and further details are provided throughout the statutory guidance.

There are a set of standard questions that will form the scoping. Those contacted will be asked if the victim, perpetrator, child or connected young person are known to services, whether the victim and perpetrator were engaged with services, and whether services were aware of, or suspected there may have been domestically abusive behaviour. A brief summary of approximately one paragraph will also be requested. The details of any engagement are not needed as this will be requested later in the review process e.g. for MARAC, it is expected that the steering/ oversight group Chair will be the Single Point of Contact. If a victim has been to MARAC the summary information expected would be the number of times they had been to MARAC and which organisations had actions but not detailed information on the status of those – that would be with the information management review. Scoping is to be completed within four weeks, however this will be discussed with each organisation and if not practical then an alternative timescale will be discussed.

Additional questions will be asked where the death being considered for a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review may also meet the criteria for other reviews e.g. adult support and protection, mental health review etc. The relevant Single Point of Contact e.g. within e.g. the Chief Officers’ Group would be asked whether there have been any previous learning reviews related to the individuals and that these are shared. A further question will be asked on whether a local review is being considered or undertaken and at what stage this is at.

On receipt of the scoping information the Secretariat will create a pack of all information received which will be shared with the Review Oversight Committee to help inform whether a review is to be established.

It is not the role of the Review Oversight Committee to carry out a review. While additional information may be needed to decide whether a review should take place, the responsibility for conducting the review itself lies with the Case Review Panel.

5.8. Review Oversight Committee – Decision to Undertake a Domestic Homicide or Domestic Abuse Related Suicide Review

Where the Review Oversight Committee determines that a death is reviewable and that a review is to be undertaken the Secretariat will log the decision and the reasons for it.

Following a decision to undertake a review the Review Oversight Committee will need to consider further matters depending on the circumstances of the death. These include consideration of whether a combined and/ or joint review should be established, and whether a review should be expanded beyond the point of death. The Secretariat will work with the Review Oversight Committee to progress these aspects where relevant and appropriate and will work closely with relevant partners and Single Points of Contacts.

5.9. Review Oversight Committee – Consideration of Combined Deaths and Joint Reviews

Where one or more domestic abuse deaths or connected deaths occur e.g. a domestic homicide where a perpetrator kills their partner and the child of their partner, the Review Oversight Committee may instruct the Case Review Panel to undertake a combined review if each death independently meets the sift criteria.

This avoids two separate domestic homicide reviews being undertaken on two related deaths. If the Review Oversight Committee determine that a combined review is to proceed the Review Oversight Committee Chair will confirm the Case Review Panel Chair for the combined review from the pool of domestic homicide and suicide review Case Review Panel Chairs.

There are a number of learning review processes in Scotland most of which are non-statutory. Depending on the circumstances, the deaths within scope of the domestic homicide and suicide review model may sometimes also meet the criteria for another learning review e.g. child protection learning review or suicide review.

The statutory nature of domestic homicide and domestic abuse related suicide reviews means that if a death(s) meet the criteria, including passing the more evaluative sift stage then a domestic homicide or suicide review will be established.

The 2025 Act makes provision for joint reviews which could also include a combined review. To use the example above, a perpetrator kills their partner and their partners child. This may lead the Review Oversight Committee to instruct a combined review (mother and child), and a joint review (domestic homicide review and child protection learning review).

In such cases, the Review Oversight Committee would look to explore whether a joint review could be undertaken under the auspices of a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review. The Secretariat will discuss with the relevant Single Points of Contact the opportunity for a joint review to be undertaken. There may be circumstances where this is not possible but where it is, we would encourage local areas to consider whether a joint review would be feasible to help reduce duplication, burden on the workforce and bereaved families whilst ensuring the domestic abuse lens is not lost or diluted.

Through a joint review the aim should be to reach a single set of recommendations. These will be tracked and monitored at a national level through the domestic homicide and suicide review Secretariat and locally through established governance structures. The Secretariat will liaise with the local Single Points of Contact in relation to progress and impact of recommendations and learning. This will help to ensure that learning is implemented in a timely manner, help to build confidence, whilst ensuring that those who have died and their families remain at the centre.

Due to timescales for death notifications, domestic homicide and domestic abuse related suicide reviews will look to be established shortly following a death. Close engagement will be had between those who are parties to the protocol but the expectation is that reviews will run in parallel to investigations and proceedings unless directed otherwise by the Lord Advocate.

Following discussions with relevant organisations and where a joint review is to proceed, the Review Oversight Committee will issue formal written notification to the relevant organisations to confirm that a joint review is to proceed. Further detail on how a joint review will be undertaken is provided at section 7.7.

5.10. Expanding a Domestic Homicide or Domestic Abuse Related Review Beyond the Point of Death

When a decision has been made to carry out a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review, the Review Oversight Committee must consider whether the remit of a review should be expanded in cases where the perpetrator and victim were partners or ex-partners and either of them has (a) a child who was either a young person or an adult at risk or (b) a young person living in either the victim or perpetrator’s household, who was not their child.

The overarching purpose of expanding a review is to ensure that the state’s response to vulnerable individuals following a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide is fully understood, enabling learning that strengthens future practice and better safeguards and supports those affected.

If expansion is being considered, the Review Oversight Committee should reflect on whether the review ought to examine the extent to which an individual mentioned above was able to provide their views during decision-making processes carried out by public authorities after the death. These decisions may include where the child or young person lives, which family members they have contact with, and other decisions directly concerning their welfare where their best interests were a primary consideration. The Review Oversight Committee should also consider whether the review should examine the support provided to that person after the death and whether they were supported to provide their views in relation to these decisions or more generally.

A review remit can be expanded in relation to any or all of the individuals who would qualify (e.g. in relation to two children of the victim the Review Oversight Committee may decide that the review is only to be expanded for one of the children). It can also be expanded in relation to any or all of the relevant matters e.g. support to provide views but not support more generally.

Where the remit of a review is expanded to include support to provide views in relation to welfare decisions, the case review panel will consider whether the individual received the support they needed to express their views meaningfully, including any practical, communication, advocacy, or emotional support they reasonably required. Where the remit is expanded to cover support more generally, the panel will consider more broadly whether the individual received the support they reasonably needed following the death, including bereavement support, therapeutic intervention, or trauma-informed assistance.

The remit can only be expanded in any of these respects if the Lord Advocate gives consent. This is to ensure that a potential criminal investigation or proceedings are not prejudiced by the interaction with a young person or vulnerable adult who may be an important witness.

In practice, the Review Oversight Committee must ensure that the possibility of expanding the remit is considered systematically each time a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review which meets the criteria is initiated. The reasoning behind the decision, whether or not expansion is recommended, and the outcome of any request for the Lord Advocate’s consent will be recorded by the Secretariat.

The Review Oversight Committee is expected to approach this part of the process in a trauma-informed, rights-based manner, ensuring that the welfare and views of affected children, young people, and adults at risk are central to decision-making. Where the remit is expanded, engaging with appropriate agencies, including those with safeguarding responsibilities, will be key. The Secretariat will liaise with the relevant local Adult and Child Protection Committees to consider the most appropriate way to ensure practitioners feed into the review.

5.11. Decision not to Undertake a Review and Overturning a Decision

Where the Review Oversight Committee determines that a death is not reviewable or that a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review is not to be undertaken, the Secretariat will record the decision and rationale for the decision. This will ensure transparency in line with the principles of the review model. The decision and rationale are to be provided to the Scottish Ministers. This will be taken forward by the Secretariat on behalf of the Review Oversight Committee.

On receipt of the decision of the Review Oversight Committee and its rationale Scottish Ministers may step in and direct the Review Oversight Committee to establish a domestic homicide or suicide review.

It is expected that the Scottish Ministers will not utilise this power unless they consider it necessary. Such circumstances where they may step in would include where the Review Oversight Committee determines that there is not sufficient learning to be gained by reviewing a death but the Scottish Ministers consider that identifiable learning may exist in relation to the death. To support them in their considerations, the Scottish Ministers may seek additional information. The Secretariat will coordinate this on their behalf.

Where the Scottish Ministers overturn a decision not to undertake a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review, this will be communicated in writing to the Review Oversight Committee Chair with the reasons for the decision being overturned. The Secretariat will communicate the decision to each of the notifying bodies on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. Where there is potential for a death to meet the criteria of another review type, the Secretariat will inform the relevant organisations through the nominated Single Point of Contact.

5.12. Reconsideration of Conducting a Review

It is recognised that as domestic homicides and domestic abuse related suicides are to be notified into the Review Oversight Committee in a timely manner following a death, that there may be additional information that comes to light later that, had it been received earlier, may have led the Review Oversight Committee to reach a different determination.

Where the Review Oversight Committee determines that a death is not to be reviewed, it can reconsider whether the death should be reviewed following new or additional information. The Review Oversight Committee Chair can still seek advice from the Scottish Ministers or refer the sift decision to them for their determination where there is a lack of consensus. Where this is the case, relevant information must be provided to support advice to be provided or a decision to be reached by the Scottish Ministers.

Similarly, should the Review Oversight Committee reach the same outcome as previously that a review should not proceed, the rationale for reaching this outcome must be provided to the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Ministers may step in and direct the Review Oversight Committee to establish a domestic homicide or suicide review.

Where a previous sift decision not to carry out a review was made by the Scottish Ministers following a referral by the Review Oversight Committee Chair, Ministers equally may reconsider that decision where new information has come to light.

The reconsideration is to be done by whoever made the original decision (either the Review Oversight Committee or the Scottish Ministers). Where a decision was made at sift stage previously (i.e. it was decided the death was reviewable, but a review should not be carried out) then it is the decision-maker at the sift stage who must perform the reconsideration. Therefore, if the Review Oversight Committee decided the death was reviewable but then referred the sift decision to Ministers, it is Ministers who must carry out the reconsideration.

5.13. How Reconsideration Works

When a death is reconsidered, the same process used for first-time decisions is to be followed again. Where there has been a previous decision not to review, this means that there must be reconsideration both of whether the death is reviewable and if so, whether a review should be carried out. In many cases there will be no need to consider reviewability more than briefly, unless there is also additional information relevant to that.

The Review Oversight Committee Chair may ask the Scottish Ministers for advice in relation to the decision on whether a reviewable death should be reviewed. They can also ask Scottish Ministers to make the determination if the Review Oversight Committee cannot reach unanimous agreement. In such cases the Scottish Ministers would take over the Review Oversight Committee’s role and decide whether the death is reviewable and whether a review should take place.

The result of a reconsideration is treated in the same way as the initial decision. This means any steps that must follow a section 19 decision also follow a reconsideration, and the reconsideration decision can itself be reconsidered again if new information later emerges. If a case is reconsidered more than once, ‘the previous decision’ always means the most recent one.

5.14. Confidentiality and Information Governance

All information shared as part of a review request must be handled in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. Personal data must only be shared where there is a lawful basis to do so. Information sharing agreements will be in place where necessary in order to facilitate the safe and secure sharing of information.

All information processed for the purposes of a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review will be processed in line with data protection legislation.

Information will be stored in a secure electronic system within the Scottish Government which will be restricted access only.

5.15. Secretariat

Each aspect of the domestic homicide and domestic abuse related suicide process will be supported by a dedicated Secretariat within the Scottish Government. The Secretariat is the central point for the review model and supports the delivery of high quality domestic homicide and domestic abuse related suicide reviews. Prior to a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide being established, the Secretariat will:

• receive and acknowledge all death notifications and referrals
• maintain a secure national log of all notifications, referrals, decisions, and outcomes
• seek additional information and prepare documentation to support the Review Oversight Committee to determine whether a death is reviewable and if so, whether a review should be established
• discuss with relevant Single Points of Contact where a combined and/ or joint review could be undertaken
• work closely with the Review Oversight Committee Chair, Deputy Chair, members, notifying bodies, Scottish Ministers, partner agencies including cross border agencies, specialist experts, and individuals who have drawn a death to the attention of the Scottish Ministers such as families, friends, neighbours, colleagues and relevant others who knew the victim and/ or perpetrator
• ensure timely communication with notifying bodies and other relevant agencies and persons regarding next steps and decisions

The role of the Secretariat at this stage is primarily procedural and facilitative. The Secretariat does not determine the reviewability of a death or whether it proceeds to review – this is the responsibility of the Review Oversight Committee.

Where a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review is to be undertaken, the Secretariat will provide practical and administrative support to the appointed Case Review Panel Chair and panel. This support includes but is not limited to:

• communicating with families including accompanying the Case Review Panel Chair at the initial meeting with families
• ensuring families are allocated a dedicated advocate should they choose to have one
• co-ordinating panel appointments and conflict of interest declarations
• liaising with Single Points of Contact where there is to be a combined and/ or joint review
• coordinating and tracking responses to information requests for relevant agencies and working with agencies to arrange facilitated learning events
• ensure updates are provided to families at their requested frequency
• arranging meetings, managing documentation, and maintaining secure records
• supporting the report drafting, quality assurance, and publication processes
• coordinating engagement with local partners on review findings, recommendations, actions and timescales
• arrange for the family to meet with the Case Review Panel should families wish to
• acting as a liaison point between the panel, participating agencies, and the Review Oversight Committee

The Secretariat does not direct the analytical work of the panel or influence its findings. Its role is to ensure that the review process operates efficiently, consistently, and to a high standard providing support across all aspects of the review process.

The Secretariat will track and monitor progress on the implementation of learning and recommendations from domestic homicide and suicide review reports at a local and national level. The Secretariat will liaise with Single Points of Contact within the relevant agencies on implementation of learning, recommendations, actions and impact. The Secretariat will also liaise with those within Scottish Government and the Scottish Ministers on national recommendations and local recommendations with national applicability.

In undertaking these functions, the Secretariat is key to the integrity, consistency, accountability and effective operation of domestic homicide and domestic abuse related suicide reviews.

Further detail on the support the Secretariat will provide the review process is provided throughout the statutory guidance.