Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill: SEA

Pre-Screening Notification

SEA Pre-Screening Document

Responsible Authority:

Scottish Government

Title of the plan:

Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill

What prompted the plan:
(e.g. a legislative, regulatory or administrative provision)

The Deputy First Minister made a statement to Parliament on 23 October 2018 in which he committed to establish a financial redress scheme for survivors of abuse in care. This was in response to recommendations from a Review Group which had consulted and engaged widely on redress. It recommended that a redress scheme is set up by legislation before the end of this Parliamentary term in March 2021.

Plan subject:
(e.g. transport)

Financial redress for survivors of historical child abuse in care

Brief summary of the plan:
(including the area or location to which the plan related)

The Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill seeks to establish a financial redress scheme for survivors of historical child abuse in relevant care settings in Scotland, and, where eligible, their next of kin. The main purpose of the scheme is to acknowledge and provide tangible recognition of the harm suffered as a result of historical child abuse whilst residing in relevant care settings in Scotland.

The scheme will also provide for non-financial redress elements of reparation - such as acknowledgement, apology and support, and it will sit alongside existing measures that the Scottish Government has put in place for survivors of historical child abuse.

The Bill establishes a new Non-Departmental Public Body (“Redress Scotland”) which will carry out the decision making and review functions of the scheme.

Brief summary of the likely environmental consequences:
(including whether it has been determined that the plan is likely to have no or minimum effects, either directly or indirectly)

We considered the following activities for their likelihood of environmental effects.

• The setting up of a public body within a separate building.
• The amount of paper that will be used for the applications process and supporting documents.

These potential impacts are organisation dependant and are considered to have no or minimal effect in relation to the environment. Based on this opinion we have reached the view that Bill can be considered exempt, as per Section 7 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Contact details:

redress@gov.scot

Date of opinion:

19/02/2020

When completed send to: SEA.gateway@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or to SEA Gateway, Scottish Government, Area 2H (South), Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ

¹ Please note: (A) The plan has to fall into Section 5(4) of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 & (B) you should apply the criteria specified within Schedule 2 of this Act to reach a conclusion on no or minimal environmental effects: www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2005/15/contents (delete this note before submission)