Meetings

7th Meeting, 2026

08 October 2026

1. Decisions on taking business in private
2. Maximum Number of Judges (Scotland) Order 2026 [draft] – evidence
Show witnesses
• Neil Gray
  Cabinet Secretary for Justice
  Scottish Government
• Heather McLean
  Senior Policy Officer, Directorate for Justice
  Scottish Government
• Emma Thomson
  Lawyer, Legal Directorate
  Scottish Government
3. Maximum Number of Judges (Scotland) Order 2026 [draft] – motion recommending approval
4. Pre-budget scrutiny 2027-28: Women's poverty – evidence
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• Ivan McKee
  Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform
  Scottish Government
• Simita Kumar
  Minister for Equalities and International Development
  Scottish Government
• Simon Mair
  Deputy Director, Place-Based Service Change and Reform
  Scottish Government
• Rachael McGruer
  Deputy Director, Tackling Child Poverty
  Scottish Government
5. Pre-budget scrutiny 2027-28: Women's poverty – review of evidence
6. Work programme

This is all meetings of Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee held in 2026. On meeting pages you can find agendas, meeting papers, minutes, and links to Official Reports and Scottish Parliament TV.

6th Meeting

01 October

1. Decisions on taking business in private
2. Pre-budget scrutiny 2027-28: Women's poverty inquiry – evidence
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• Anna Ritchie Allan
  Executive Director
  Close the Gap
• Chloe Campbell
  Policy and Parliamentary Officer
  The Poverty Alliance
• Charis Chittick
  Head of Policy, Strategy and Communication
  One Parent Families Scotland
• Sara Cowan
  Director
  Scottish Women's Budget Group
• John Dickie
  Director
  Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland
• Susan McKellar
  Manager
  The Scottish Women’s Convention
3. Pre-budget scrutiny 2027-28: Women's poverty inquiry – review of evidence
4. Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice – review of evidence
5. Work programme

5th Meeting

24 September

1. Decision on taking business in private
2. Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice – evidence
Show witnesses
• Simita Kumar
  Minister for Equalities and International Development
  Scottish Government
• Catherine McMeeken
  Deputy Director for Equalities
  Scottish Government
• Kavita Chetty
  Deputy Director for Human Rights,
  Scottish Government
• Rob Priestley
  Head of Mainstreaming and Strategy Unit
  Scottish Government
and then from:
• Kirsten Oswald
  Minister for Victims and Community Safety
  Scottish Government
• Anna Donald
  Deputy Director, Criminal Justice Division
  Scottish Government
• Denise Swanson
  Deputy Director for Civil Law,
  Scottish Government
• Jo Gillies
  Mainstreaming and Inclusion Strategic Lead
  Scottish Government
3. Instruments relating to fees of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers – evidence
Show witnesses
• Danielle McLaughlin
  Interim Director
  Scottish Civil Justice Council
• Andrew Campbell
  Lord President's Private Office
4. Instruments relating to fees of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers – motions recommending annulment
5. Instrument subject to annulment
6. Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice - review of evidence

4th Meeting

17 September

1. Decision on taking business in private
2. Human Rights – evidence
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• Lorraine Barrie
  Interim Director
  Making Rights Real
• Jennifer Cannon
  Head of Legal and Policy,
  Scottish Human Rights Commission
• Juliet Harris
  Director
  Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights)
• Charlie McMillan
  Director
  Human Rights Consortium Scotland
• Cat Murphy
  Executive Director
  Engender
• Jan Savage
  Executive Director
  Scottish Human Rights Commission
3. Subordinate legislation
4. Human Rights – review of evidence

3rd Meeting

10 September

1. Decisions on taking business in private
2. Equalities – evidence
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• Heather Fisken
  Chief Executive Officer
  Inclusion Scotland
• John Kirkpatrick
  Chief Executive
  Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Jennifer Laughland
  Head of Scotland Legal
  Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Susan McKellar
  Manager
  The Scottish Women’s Convention
• Susan Smith
  Director
  For Women Scotland
• Adam Stachura
  Director of Policy and Communications
  Age Scotland
• Vic Valentine
  Scottish Trans Manager
  Equality Network
• Carol Young
  Deputy Director
  Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights
3. Equalities – review of evidence
4. Pre-Budget scrutiny – approach

2nd Meeting

03 September

1. Decision on taking business in private
2. Civil Justice – evidence
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• Rachael Kelsey
  Solicitor
  SKO Family Law Specialists
• Colin Lancaster
  Chief Executive
  Scottish Legal Aid Board
• Paul McKinlay
  Executive Director of Court Operations
  Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
• Jennifer Paton
  Head of Policy
  Law Society of Scotland
• Paul Reid, K.C.
  Faculty of Advocates
• Kyle Scott
  Policy Manager
  Citizens Advice Scotland
• Jamie Speirs
  Principal Solicitor
  Scottish Child Law Centre
3. Civil Justice – review of evidence

1st Meeting

25 June

1. Declaration of interests
2. Choice of Deputy Convener
3. Decision on taking business in private
4. Work programme