Every year, before the Scottish Budget is announced, committees produce pre-Budget reports or letters making recommendations to the Scottish Government aiming to influence its spending plans for the year ahead.

Find out more about pre-Budget scrutiny and the Budget process

This year, the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee has agreed to focus its scrutiny on issues relating to women’s poverty. The Committee is particularly keen to consider such issues in the context of the Scottish Government’s public service reform strategy and its “defining mission” of eradicating child poverty.

The Committee has also agreed to adopt a human rights budgeting approach to its scrutiny, which will see it following a specific human rights tool called “AAAQ analysis” in its work.

AAAQ analysis:

• Availability – Enough services and supports exist and coverage is stable.
• Accessibility – People can reach and use support without discrimination or unaffordable costs.
• Acceptability – Design and delivery are appropriate and respectful with adaptations where needed.
• Quality – Support is competent and safe and achieves outcomes.

The Committee expects to take evidence at its meetings on 1 and 8 October. It then expects to report its findings to the Scottish Government around late October.

The Committee will not publish a formal call for views to help inform this year’s pre-Budget scrutiny due to the tight timetable it is working to. However, external stakeholders are welcome to share any written comments with the Committee by emailing: [email protected]