This session, the Committee has heard about significant issues of inequality in rural settings.

This has included:

• people in rural areas having less access to legal aid
• people with disabilities living in remote or rural having less access to services

A 2024 report by the Scottish Human Rights Commission also highlighted threats to human rights in rural Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. The report found that people in rural Scotland faced challenges with:

• healthcare
• housing
• food
• fuel poverty
• poor transport

During this inquiry the Committee will explore the impact of rurality on these five issues.

The Committee plans to:

• visit a rural community to hear first-hand about the challenges people face
• discuss concerns with experts and representatives of rural communities in a roundtable format
• hear from the Scottish Government about what it is doing to minimise the impact of rurality on people’s ability to access their rights