FM To Apologise To Gay Men For Old Law

7 November 2017, 07:55 | Updated: 7 November 2017, 07:56

The First Minister will apologise today on behalf of the Scottish Government to all men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences.

Nicola Sturgeon will make the apology at Holyrood to coincide with the publication of new legislation to provide an automatic pardon to all those convicted prior to 2001 under discriminatory laws.

The legislation was promised by Ms Sturgeon when she presented her programme for government in September.

It will enable people to apply to have such convictions removed from central criminal conviction records.

A Scottish Government spokesman previously said the move would "right a historic wrong and give justice to those who found themselves unjustly criminalised simply because of who they loved".

The apology and the bill were welcomed by the Equality Network last month.