Chamber and committees

Is it too late to do that now? We are late in the process. You met Shona Robison. Will we see a human rights overlay on the budgeting process?

I am nodding my head because, for three decades before I became an MSP, my role was to look at spend and whether it was delivering the intended outcomes.

It seems as though we go into this budgeting round with an intersectional disconnect. Again, I will quote Dr Hosie. She said in her evidence session to us that the Scottish Government’s approach to massive in-year spending cuts

“was not a very satisfactory process, and it was not transparent.”—[Official Report, Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 29 October 2024; c 40.]

Our committee has been looking at a number of issues. We know that a huge percentage of women with learning needs—90 per cent—have been sexually assaulted. We know that inoculation centres are centralised in rural areas, so we are not surprised that our hospitals are facing a huge issue with flu because people cannot get their jabs. We have mentioned the GP contract for maternity services, and Professor O’Hagan mentioned women giving birth by the side of the road. I have two more examples. We are aware that an increasing number of over-50s with hypothermia are presenting themselves in hospitals. Finally, there has not been a single conviction for female genital mutilation.

I appreciate that you are new to the role—thank you for this helpful session today—but what can we, as a committee, and the Scottish Government do more of to ensure that a human rights perspective is applied to, and overlayed on to, the budgeting process, given that that does not happen right now?

I will come back quickly on that point before I go on to my third question. On primary healthcare, under the 2018 general practitioner contract, rural areas are massively negatively affected. I raise that issue because of the huge number of practices that are closing, threatening to close or handing back their contracts. Primary healthcare is at the front end of our health and social care system. Do you have any comment on that?

Professor O’Hagan has indicated to the convener that she would like to come in. One of the issues that has been raised with the committee is legal aid, and we are considering the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill. That issue is front and centre as well.

Convener, can Professor O’Hagan come in?

The jury is out and it is not happening, but you have hope.

I have three questions on the top priorities—two for Professor O’Hagan and one for Jan Savage. It was good to hear you say, Professor O’Hagan, that, in your work, you are responsive to parliamentary business. I see this meeting as a check-in point with this important committee.

In the past, you have spoken about the importance of having

“a safe home ... decent food and good health and social care”.

Those are some of the key and important themes that we have been working on as a Parliament. However, given that we have the worst statistics on record for homelessness and poverty, with 40,000 homelessness applications in 2023 and 2024 and more than one in five Scots currently living in poverty, and given that hundreds of thousands of people are languishing on national health service waiting lists, is Scotland moving backwards on human rights?

The point about the study that you did leads nicely on to my second question. As a north-east MSP, I am especially interested in rural proofing, and the committee has discussed that issue at length. When Dr Alison Hosie represented the SHRC at a meeting of the committee in October last year, she spoke powerfully about the issue. Your work in the Highlands has identified significant gaps in the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights. Dr Hosie highlighted big issues around access to healthcare, for example. It is clear that a lack of rural proofing by decision makers in Edinburgh is having a hugely detrimental impact on rural communities.

Will you say a bit more about the SHRC’s work in this area and the engagement that you have had with the Scottish Government on the importance of rural proofing?

It sounds as if it is a huge crisis now and women feel that they are being let down. Monitoring is very important, because you cannot manage what you do not measure, so you are measuring, but how are you making sure that the issue is front and centre as one of the Scottish Government’s top priorities?

I have a question and a follow-up, convener. The committee will be considering the Scottish budget in February. Do you have any comment to make on the Scottish Government’s approach to human rights budgeting and on the scrutiny of the budget by parliamentary committees?

Minister, you say that you have not been involved with the issue. It is a horrific crime. It is about mutilation. It is about violence against women and girls. When I read the papers for this meeting, I was disturbed and shocked that nothing has been done in four years. I read Pam Gosal’s question, which was from years ago. I am shocked and appalled. You say, “Oh well, it will happen in 2026”, but 2026 is the next election. Minister, you are kicking the can down the road, and letting women and girls down.

Do you accept that the women who contributed to the consultation on the bill years ago are not just disappointed that the act has not been implemented, but appalled, shocked, upset and let down, especially given that, as my colleague Maggie Chapman said, there is a report saying that there has been a 50 per cent increase in cases? Do you accept that it is not good enough? For you to say that you are not involved is shameful.