Procedure in Trident Hearing raised in Scottish Parliament

The procedures adopted in the Trident hearing have been questioned by a motion put down in the Scottish Parliament. The motion highlights the fact that no official record is being taken of the hearing despite the significance of the case and the substantial public interest in it. The motion is supported by Dorothy Grace Elder (SNP), John McAllion (Labour), Tommy Sheridan (SSP), Dennis Canavan (Independent) and others. Please ask your MSP to support this motion.

The Scottish National Party has called for the proceedings to be held in public. Justice spokeswoman Roseanna Cunningham said:

"I consider it a matter of grave concern that in a case of such public significance, and with such far-reaching consequences there will be no official transcript available for public scrutiny. The world will be watching and waiting for the outcome. It is therefore vital that a complete account of the proceedings is kept to ensure that there can be no misrepresentation of the findings."

The current situation is that Scottish CND, Trident Ploughshares and the World Court Project are jointly paying for a shorthand note of the hearing to be taken by the firm who normally produce the official record. This means it will be possible, at considerable cost, to produce a transcript in future. However this is something which should have been arranged by the Court itself.

Text of motion in Scottish Parliament, 9 Oct:

S1M-1246 Dorothy-Grace Elder: Lord Advocate's Reference in Trident Case—That the Parliament notes the decision of Sheriff Gimblett in October 1999 in the case of the "Trident Women", who were acquitted of causing malicious damage relating to the Trident Missile Programme on the basis that the women’s actions could be regarded as crime prevention through the disarmament of illegal and criminal weapons of mass destruction; further notes that a Lord Advocate’s Reference is being heard on related issues; expresses deep concern that in a case of such substantial public interest, proceedings will not be officially recorded; regrets that, as a consequence, there will be no official transcript available to the public or to the respondents; recognises that this may infringe European human rights law; notes further that the respondents will not be allowed audio recording to assist their own record-keeping in the light of the absence of an official record; questions the use of £100,000 of public money for the Lord Advocate’s Reference hearing, and calls for the official recording of the proceedings to take place. Supported by: Dennis Canavan, Shona Robison, Nicola Sturgeon, Tommy Sheridan, Mrs Margaret Ewing, Fiona McLeod*, Mr John McAllion*, Linda Fabiani*, Colin Campbell*