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Members should have copies of the most recent correspondence. Shona Robison has already raised the matter of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which the race group will take on board. There was also a letter from the Commission for Racial Equality asking us to support its submission on the new race relations bill. The Queen's speech is scheduled for 17 November, so it is too late for the committee to discuss and take a formal position on the matter. If members of the committee want to do what Dharmendra Kanani has suggested and write to the Home Secretary, they should do so today. A summary of the commission's suggestions has been sent out to members and is also available from the clerk.
Are the CRE and the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland coming to the committee or will we wait until they have written their report?
There will be a joint submission on the improving schools bill.
Will that be before Christmas?
The timing is up to them.
That leads on to a question about the time scale for the education bill.
The consultation document contains a draft proposed bill. We will move to stage 1 when the Executive presents the bill to the Parliament. I do not know the precise time scale for the bill.
So if we hear evidence on the matter, we can make comments at stage 1?
We can make comments on the general principles of the bill.
We will probably be able to make comments in the new year.
Yes, and amendments would be made at stage 2. We will hear evidence quite early in the process. I have asked Martin Verity to invite the teaching trade unions to give evidence on the equality aspect of the bill. If anybody feels that there are organisations that they want to take evidence from, they should contact Martin.
At our previous meeting, we discussed the possibility of briefings on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Capability Scotland had said that it would contact Martin. Has he received any information yet?
We have not been able to move that forward but will do so as soon as we can. We have to get a handle on all the requests that are coming in and arrange a timetable.
Meeting closed at 11:28.
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