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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 31 July 2025
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Displaying 1502 contributions

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Meeting of the Parliament

General Question Time

Meeting date: 19 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

I thank Jeremy Balfour for highlighting the concerns of disabled people’s organisations, which I acknowledge. I also thank him for sharing my commitment to pursuing equality for disabled people and his offer of further engagement on a cross-party basis, which I accept. I encourage members from across parties to contact my office so that we can make that happen.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

The report highlighted the fact that many service users received an excellent service, although some were significantly let down by Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre.

I have lost track of the question, I am afraid. [Interruption.]

As I stated in my previous answers, the Government’s role was in funding. Through that legitimate route, we will continue to work with Inspiring Scotland to make sure that all the conditions are met.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

Women’s safety is paramount for the Scottish Government, and we continue to fund Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre to support survivors of rape and sexual assault, as we do rape crisis centres across the country, because such funding is needed for the vital work to support survivors. The Scottish Government can discontinue funding if those funds are not used in line with the conditions of the grant being met.

Vicky Ling’s report highlights the positive impact of the services that Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre provides to a significant number of survivors who have used the services. Our fund manager, Inspiring Scotland, will continue to work with ERCC’s board as it implements the necessary changes that are recommended by Vicky Ling’s report.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

It is not for us, as the Scottish Government, to comment on individual organisations’ employment and retention processes. The board of Rape Crisis Scotland is responsible for decisions about the employment of its staff.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

The needs and safety of survivors of rape and sexual assault must be the utmost priority of support services. As the report makes clear, it is totally unacceptable that survivors were let down by a core failure of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre to deliver services to national service standards. The report highlights important areas where action is needed to ensure that survivors can confidently continue to access support from Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre. I welcome the intention of the centre’s board to implement all the recommendations.

The employment decisions of ERCC are a matter for its board, and I cannot comment on individual cases. I hope that the board and the interim chief executive who is now in place can be given the space to continue to rebuild the service and confidence in it.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

Rape Crisis Scotland continues to provide a service. Mr Choudhury is correct in saying that no external referrals are being taken, but women can self-refer.

I reiterate that violence against women is a fundamental violation of human rights and is totally unacceptable. We must root that out and tackle the toxic masculinity and gender inequality that lead to violent harassment, misogyny and abuse against women. We should stand against it and call it out when we see it.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

I am very sympathetic to the needs of survivors, and I believe that they should have their needs put before anything else. I think that I have stated that quite clearly.

I remind the Parliament that the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was not, in fact, enacted.

Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Topical Question Time

Meeting date: 17 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

The Scottish Government strongly supports the separate and single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act 2010, which allow trans people to be excluded when that is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. It is service providers’ responsibility to interpret and comply with the 2010 act.

We would expect the wishes of survivors about the sex of their support worker to be followed. I am pleased that the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre board has publicly stated that single-sex provision has been reintroduced at the centre.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 12 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

The Scottish Government’s population strategy, which was published in 2021, includes a more balanced work strand that focuses on ensuring that our population is sustainably distributed. That work strand recognises the pressures of both population growth and depopulation.

Last year, our ministerial population task force considered exploratory research to expand our evidence base with regard to the drivers and challenges of population growth, the findings of which will inform future policy development.

We continue to work closely with local authorities. The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities are members of the population programme board and jointly chair the local government population round table.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 12 September 2024

Kaukab Stewart

Work is on-going. We take the issue very seriously and our population programme considers the challenges of population growth, as I mentioned. It has been a key consideration for the population round table, which, as I said, is jointly chaired by the Scottish Government, COSLA and representatives from all local authorities. I would be happy to meet Mr Briggs to discuss the issues that he raises in more detail.

The ministerial task force will continue to consider taking appropriate steps to address those challenges, in collaboration with key partners such as local authorities.