Chamber and committees

We are nearing the end of this evidence session. If any committee member wishes to clarify anything with Lady Dorrian while she is with us, this is the moment for them to do so.

That is on the record.

I welcome Esther Roberton, who, back in 2017, was commissioned to chair the independent review of legal services regulation in Scotland. Her report “Fit for the Future: Report of the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation in Scotland” was published in October 2018. Its main recommendation was that an independent body with a non-legal chair and a non-legal majority should be set up to regulate legal professionals, with the professional body retaining only its role as a representative of the profession. The new system would be financed by a levy on practitioners.

Esther, we are very grateful that you accepted our belated invitation to appear before us. I invite you to make an opening statement before we move to questions.

There is a lot of chat these days about inspirational female hero sporting stars—in particular, female footballers—so I take the opportunity to acknowledge the success of the Scotland women’s team, which has recently gained growing support. It qualified for the 2019 world cup, whereas the last time the men’s team qualified for a world cup tournament was in 1998.

Women’s football in Scotland is not a new thing. It grew in popularity during world war one. While the men were away fighting on the front line, women kept those at home entertained with well-mannered matches. Lily St Clare was reported in The Glasgow Herald as being Scotland’s first-ever goal scorer, in a team wearing

“blue jerseys, white knickerbockers, red belts and high heeled boots”—

which no doubt looked fabulous without being entirely practical. Those who played in the 1918 team demolished their English opponents 3-0—a stunning victory. Of course, they were told to get back to looking after their homes and children upon the men’s return from war.

We know the value of role models, not only in seeing their achievements but as they inspire us to relate to them and think that it is possible for us to get that job or play that sport, and to be valued equally with our male counterparts.

The accelerating popularity of female sports is contributing to that, but this year’s report on female participation in sport by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee also highlighted that there is much more to be done. The fact that 25 per cent of elite female athletes earn less than £10,000 from sports tells us that there is a job to do in promoting female sport as an investment opportunity. Improved funding will open up greater earning potential for elite athletes, as well as improving training and equipment that is better suited to women’s bodies as opposed to those of their male counterparts.

We are getting much better at talking about women’s health. Having more women—and our male allies—in the Parliament has meant that we have been able to talk more openly about matters such as menopause, period health and endometriosis, but that has not yet filtered through to all corners of society. A survey of elite sportswomen that was conducted by the BBC in 2020 found that almost 60 per cent of respondents felt that their period affected their performance, with nearly 40 per cent saying that they felt uncomfortable discussing that with their coach. I know that the committee took evidence on that, and I urge members who have not yet had a chance to do so to read the report, particularly the parts where Scotland goalkeeper and captain Gemma Fay and judo champion Connie Ramsay discuss their experiences. I also echo the words of the minister, Maree Todd, who is quoted in the report praising the female athletes who have begun to discuss openly issues around menstruation, contraception, pregnancy and menopause in sport.

Of course, wider issues such as sexism, misogyny, personal safety and abuse, which are heightened by social media, remain major contributing factors to why fewer women feel safe or comfortable enough to participate in sport. The problem begins early. Girls get more active than boys in early years, but that changes by the time they become teenagers, as we have heard from colleagues. According to the Observatory for Sport in Scotland, by the age of 13 to 15, only 11 per cent of girls are meeting physical activity guidelines, compared with 24 per cent of boys.

Intersectionality plays a big part in discouraging women from participating in competitive sports. For women from ethnic minorities, that can be particularly pronounced. Glasgow Life has pointed out that research consistently shows that Muslim women have among the lowest participation rates for sport. Earlier this year, sportscotland, along with the sport funding councils from across the UK, published a report on tackling racism and inequality in sport. As part of the work on the report, forums were set up that were exclusively for women, where participants came together to discuss the pervasive impact of stereotypes on the involvement of women in sports across Scotland. The report delved into the early effects on confidence and motivation, and how individuals are made to feel out of sync with the expectations that are imposed by their coaches and team leaders.

Participants expressed a sense of being nudged towards certain sports in school based on perceived suitability, which led to feelings of objectification and being typecast. Those encounters were compounded by cultural expectations within communities and families, which resulted in experiences of microaggressions, casual racism and sexism. Many voiced the feeling of being overlooked in team sports, and raised concerns about the media’s portrayal of women of colour across various sports, which they felt contributed to a perpetually negative culture.

My time is running out, but I want to highlight the work of Women on Wheels, which teaches women and children, especially those from ethnic minorities, to cycle in a supportive nurturing environment. I was inspired by the recent world cycling championships, and I am taking lessons with Women on Wheels as an ethnic minority woman who is now on wheels. I do not expect to be an elite cyclist any time soon, but I am enjoying the physical exercise and working towards more active travel.

I commend the report.

It is welcome that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to exchange 50 hostages held in Gaza for a four-day pause in fighting. However, much more work is needed to secure a ceasefire and prevent further loss of innocent lives. What is the Scottish Government’s response to that development, given that the Parliament has expressed its view on a ceasefire?

City centre economies are facing significant challenges, and Glasgow is no different. Currently, a £5.7 million investment in redeveloping Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street is under way, thanks to the city region deal funding. However, there has been a recent decline in the number of hospitality businesses operating in Glasgow. What additional investment similar to the funding that has been announced for Aberdeen’s Union Street is being considered by the Scottish Government to boost the hospitality sector and the night-time economy in Glasgow city centre?

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any plans it has to provide financial support for high street rejuvenation. (S6O-02759)

Are you ready to move on, Paul?

Is it on the back of Roddy Dunlop’s comments?

Do any of the witnesses wish to expand on the arguments that we have heard about the conflict of interests in professional bodies being regulators?