About the Bill
The Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 29 May 2019.
The purpose of the Bill is to strengthen statutory protections for women and girls at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM). The Bill creates a new FGM Protection Order, a form of civil order which can impose conditions or requirements upon a person for the purpose of protecting a person or persons from FGM, safeguarding them from harm if FGM has already occurred, or for the general purpose of reducing the likelihood the FGM offences will occur. The Bill also provides for Scottish Ministers to issue statutory guidance about FGM and a duty of Scottish Ministers to issue statutory guidance on FGM Protection Orders.
Read the Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Bill and accompanying documents.
Current Status of the Bill
The Committee publised its Stage 1 report on 5 December 2019 and debated at Stage 2 on 23 January 2020.
Stage 1
The Equalities and Human Rights Committee was designated the lead Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny on the 5 June 2019.
The Committee published its Stage 1 report on 5 December 2019.
The Stage 1 took place on 18 December 2019.
The Scottish Government issued its response on 11 December 2019.
Stage 2
On 23 January 2020, the Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2. You can read the Minutes of the meeting here:
Minutes
Evidence
The Committee launched a call for views which ran from 14 June to 30 August 2019.
Read the Call for Views
Read the summary of written evidence
Submissions received from:
Visits and Events
Notes from Visits:
Summary of responses from third-sector organisations:
Summary of Toolkit Responses (211KB pdf)
Correspondence
Letter from Minister for Older People and Equalities, 21 June 2019 (286KB pdf)
Letter from Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 14 October 2019 (373KB pdf)
Letter from Victoria Atkins MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Vulnerability, 31 October 2019 (52KB pdf)
Letter to Victoria Atkins MSP, Minister for Safeguarding and Vulnerability, 10 December 2019 (80KB pdf)
Letter from Minister for Older People and Equalities, 15 January 2020 (308KB pdf)
Letter from Director of Social Work Scotland, 5 March 2020 (296KB pdf)