At its meeting on 2 November 2021, the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee considered the following instrument:

• The First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Chambers) Amendment Regulations 2021 [draft]

The instrument is subject to the affirmative procedure (Rule 10.6).

The draft SSI was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 28 September 2021 and referred to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

The Tribunals (Scotland) Act 2014 (the “2014 Act”) creates a new two-tier structure for tribunals in Scotland – a First-tier Tribunal (FTT) for initial appeal decisions and an Upper Tribunal (UT) primarily for appeals from the FTT. These tribunals are to be known collectively as the Scottish Tribunals.

The purpose of this instrument is to amend the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Chambers) Regulations 2016, which provide for the division of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland into chambers. A new chamber is created, to be known as the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland Local Taxation Chamber.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee (DPLR) considered the instrument at its meeting on 5 October 2021. The DPLR Committee agreed that it did not need to draw the Parliament’s attention to the instrument on any grounds within its remit.

It is for the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee to recommend to the Parliament whether the Regulations should be approved.

The Minister for Community Safety ("the Minister"), Ash Regan MSP, has, by motion S6M-01467 proposed that the Committee recommends the approval of the Regulations.

The Committee took evidence from the Minister at its meeting on 2 November 2021.

Following the evidence session, the Minister moved motion S6M-01467—That the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee recommends that the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Chambers) Amendment Regulations 2021 [draft] be approved.

The motion was agreed to without division or dissent.