- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working (a) in Scotland and (b) with the UK Government to ensure that everyone has the right to live and work freely from discrimination and harassment, regardless of gender identity.
Answer
The Scottish Government believes in equality and fairness for all. Our 2025-26 Programme for Government includes a commitment to create safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community - funding work that tackles discrimination and upholds the human rights of this group, including through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, and progressing actions within the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan.
Protections from discrimination and harassment for those with protected characteristics are guaranteed under the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act 2010 is a mainly reserved piece of legislation and is regulated and enforced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Any changes to the Equality Act 2010 would be for the UK Government to consider and take forward.
The Scottish Government continues to engage with the UK Government on the importance of protecting the rights of all to live freely from discrimination and harassment.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) accountability and (b) monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish Enterprise’s review of its human rights due diligence processes is undertaken in line with relevant international human rights standards.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s human rights due diligence guidance sets out recommendations on how we, our executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies should undertake due diligence on an individual or company’s human rights record before entering into an investment relationship.
It is for the accountable officer of each agency and non-departmental public body to ensure that their organisation complies with guidance issued by Scottish Ministers.
Scottish Enterprise is progressing in its work on its review and the Scottish Government continues to stay in close contact with Scottish Enterprise on this. I will update Parliament and wider stakeholders once the review has concluded.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998, how it will ensure that the human right to respect for private life is protected in the implementation of any measures that it is taking as a result of the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
Answer
The Scottish Government is considering carefully the implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment. In taking any steps to implement the judgment, we will do so in a manner that is consistent with our human rights obligations, including those under the Human Rights Act 1998. In our updates to public bodies, we have highlighted the importance of compliance with legal obligations.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects Scottish Enterprise to have finalised the review of its human rights due diligence processes.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36648 on 29 April 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has provided to Scottish Enterprise regarding the (a) scope, (b) timescales and (c) terms of reference of the review of its human rights due diligence processes.
Answer
In line with the Labour Party Motion, it is for Scottish Enterprise to decide the scope, timescale, and terms of reference of the review. The Scottish Government has remained in close contact with Scottish Enterprise on this work, exchanging relevant advice and views.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the emergency composite motion, “Legal Protection for Gender Identity and Trans Rights”, which was passed at the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Dundee on 30 April 2025.
Answer
The Scottish Government notes the emergency composite motion from the Scottish Trades Union Congress.
The motion calls for updates to be made to the Equality Act 2010 with respect to the protected characteristic groups as defined in the 2010 Act. As the Equality Act 2010 is a mainly reserved piece of legislation any updates to protected characteristics under the Act would have to be brought forward by the UK Government.
The Scottish Government believes in equality and fairness for all. Our 2025-26 Programme for Government includes a commitment to create safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community - funding work that tackles discrimination and upholds the human rights of this group, including through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, and progressing actions within the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan.
- Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to develop guidance for schools on responding to racism and racist incidents.
Answer
I can confirm that guidance on responding to racism and racist incidents in schools was published today: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836916987
This guidance forms part of a wider whole school approach to addressing and responding to racism and racist incidents, being developed by the Anti-racism in Education Programme’s racist and racist incidents workstream. The whole school approach will be published in early 2026.
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many transgender prisoners have had their criminal records erased, following a self-identification process and changing of their birth name.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2025
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to reduce ambulance turnaround times at hospitals, in light of figures showing that so far in 2025 more than half of conveyances recorded a turnaround time of longer than 45 minutes.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2025
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2025
Question to be taken in Chamber.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2025