Minutes: 13 May 2025

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take item 4 in private.

2. Civil Legal Aid Inquiry:

The Committee took evidence from—

Pat Thom, Convener, Civil Legal Aid Committee, Law Society of Scotland;

Aaliya Seyal, Chief Executive, Legal Services Agency Ltd;

and then from—

Sally Mair, Principal Solicitor, Shelter Scotland;

Hyo Eun Shin, Senior Policy Officer, Citizens Advice Scotland;

Andy Sirel, Partner and Legal Director, JustRight Scotland.

3. Civil Legal Aid Inquiry (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard under agenda item 2.

4. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed:

• to invite the Ministers with responsibility for the following Acts to appear on their non-implementation:
  • Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Act 2020,
  • The Children (Scotland) Act 2020,
  • Domestic Abuse Protection (Scotland) Act 2021;
• to hold evidence sessions on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s new statutory Code of Practice in September;
• a programme of oral evidence to inform those sessions;
• to hold inquiries on Neurodivergence in Scotland and Rurality;
• to write to the Scottish Government following-up on the Committee’s previous work on suicide prevention and HIV treatment and awareness in Scotland.