Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

The Committee agreed priority areas of focus in the coming months would be:

• The implementation of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) revised Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations
• Community cohesion
• Violence against women and girls
• Legal aid reform and current challenges in the legal aid system
• Artificial intelligence in the civil justice system
• The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) report on economic, social and cultural rights in the South of Scotland
• Progress towards ending the institutionalisation of people with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic
• Annual evidence sessions with the SHRC on its State of the Nation reports
• Pre-legislative scrutiny of the proposed human rights bill More information will be published in due course.

Over the course of Session 7, the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee will:

1. Deliver rigorous, evidence-based scrutiny of legislation, policy and public spending across the Committee’s remit.
2. Ensure that the Committee’s work programme and scrutiny is informed by lived experience, representing a broad spectrum of views and that all parties feel able to share their views and feel listened to.
3. Identify priority areas for in depth scrutiny, with the flexibility to respond to emerging issues within the committee’s remit, and produce an annual tracker report to monitor progress throughout the session.
4. Produce clear, practical and robust recommendations that support improved decision-making and outcomes.
5. Hold the Scottish Government to account for putting human rights and equalities at the centre of its public service reform agenda.
6. Endeavour to undertake cross-committee work where possible and encourage all committees to consider the equalities and human rights implications of all the legislation and policies they scrutinise.

Correspondence

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Official Reports of meetings

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Committee reports

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To consider and report on the following —

1. matters relating to equal opportunities, and upon the observance of equal opportunities within the Parliament;
2. matters relating to human rights;
3. matters relating to civil justice within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.