Minutes: 24 June 2025

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

17th Meeting, 2025

Start time:10:00am

End time: 11:33am

Location: T1.60-CR4 The Clerk Maxwell Room

Published: Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Committee Members Attendees:

Apologies received from:

Dr Pam Gosal MBE (Member)

Minutes

1. Declaration of interests:

Paul McLennan was invited to declare any relevant interests. No such interests were declared.

2. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 4, 5 and 6 in private.

3. Post-legislative scrutiny and the non-implementation of specific Acts of the Scottish Parliament:

The Committee took evidence on the Domestic Abuse Protection (Scotland) Act 2021; the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Act 2020, in that order, from—

Siobhian Brown, Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Jeff Gibbons, Violence Against Women and Girls Unit Head and Matthew Elsby, Deputy Director, Fiscal Policy and Constitution, Scottish Government;

and then from—

Siobhian Brown, Minister for Victims and Community Safety and Simon Stockwell, Family Law Unit Head, Scottish Government;

and then from—

Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Equalities and Nel Whiting, Violence Against Women and Girls Team Leader, Scottish Government.

4. Post-legislative scrutiny and the non-implementation of specific Acts of the Scottish Parliament (In Private):

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

5. Commissioner for Older People (Scotland) Bill (In Private):

The Committee considered and agreed its approach to the scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1.

6. Temporary and tied visa holders (In Private):

The Committee considered a briefing from the Worker Support Centre and agreed to hold an informal session to explore the issues raised in the briefing further.

7. Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27 (In Private):

The Committee considered and agreed its approach.

8. Civil Legal Aid Inquiry (In Private):

The Committee considered a draft report and agreed to defer further consideration until after summer recess.