Equalities, Human Rights & Civil Justice Committee

We have received correspondence relating to responses to the @EHRC's code of practice consultation. Read the letter from @ScotGov: - ow.ly/qvfn50WvhQQ Read the letters from The Equality Network and Scottish Trans: - ow.ly/aolk50WvhSt - ow.ly/W84o50WvhTc

What impact would a Commissioner for Older People have on Scotland? The Commissioner for Older People Bill proposes that people over the age of 60 have a representative who would work to promote and safeguard their rights and interests. Share your views: ow.ly/7FsW50WuthH

What are your views on proposals to change how children can withdraw from religious education and how public bodies uphold children’s rights? Help inform our inquiry: ow.ly/R1l250Wm7lJ

What impact would a Commissioner for Older People have on Scotland? The Commissioner for Older People Bill proposes that people over the age of 60 have a representative who would work to promote and safeguard their rights and interests. Share your views: ow.ly/FUoL50Wgmii

At 10am Tomorrow we will take evidence on the the non-implementation of the Domestic Abuse Protection Act 2021, the Children Act 2020 and the Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) Act 2020. We'll hear from Siobhian Brown MSP and @kaukabstewart.

At the end of April we took evidence on Scotland's compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). We've now written to @kaukabstewart requesting more information: ow.ly/ntt250WeypA

A call for views has just opened on a Bill proposing changes to how children can withdraw from religious education and how public bodies uphold children’s rights. Learn more about the Bill and share your views: ow.ly/mQHK50WccUF

This week we took further evidence as we continued our inquiry on 2015's British Sign Language Act. Robert Adam from @HeriotWattUni shared his thoughts on the impact of the Act. Watch the meeting: ow.ly/rytt50WbRVy

This week we held informal meetings with BSL users as part of our British Sign Language Act 2015 inquiry. On Tuesday we'll hear from public authorities & @_KateForbes. Find out more about the meeting: ow.ly/INq950W8uJW Watch online from 8.45am: ow.ly/YoaE50W8uJV

"It really needs people to work together in more local settings so that people can, stay in their hometowns." - Lucy Clark, deaf domestic abuse researcher, advocate and trainer Watch our evidence session on the impact of the British Sign Language Act: ow.ly/e2Ce50W5xF4

"I think the funding for public services is what is really needed to give them the support that they need. And a lot of people are hungry, you know, they want to develop these services..." - Avril Hepner, @BDA_Deaf Catch up with this week's meeting: ow.ly/Ta6450W5mb4

This week we met to explore whether the changes brought in by the British Sign Language Act have improved the lives of BSL users. Lucy Clark, a deaf domestic abuse researcher, advocate and trainer was one of the witnesses. Watch back: ow.ly/Y9Jh50W4Ioo

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts in our call for views on the impact of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015. Our evidence sessions in this inquiry start tomorrow. Watch live, with BSL interpretation, from 9am tomorrow: ow.ly/uZoY50W2F8p

"There is a risk that we simply pay more for what we're already getting." - Colin Lancaster, @ScotsLegalAid This week we continued to take evidence in our inquiry into Civil Legal Aid. Watch the session: ow.ly/6Hlp50W0IQT

"Our view is strongly that we need a new statutory structure for the legal aid system..." - Colin Lancaster, @ScotsLegalAid Catch up on yesterday's civil legal aid inquiry evidence: ow.ly/a13W50VZWgw

We're taking further evidence in our civil legal aid inquiry this morning. We'll hear from @ScotsLegalAid, followed by Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety. Watch live now: ow.ly/oL6w50VZ1YW

"The depth of unmet needs, and unmet human rights is really something that can't continue." - Professor Katie Boyle, @lawstrath Watch last week's evidence session on Civil Legal Aid: ow.ly/qwT250VXgPB

"While it's positive that there are some reforms to legal aid outlined in that paper, they're very minor and they don't really touch the sides..." - Ben Christman, @ERCScot Watch our latest Civil Legal Aid evidence session: ow.ly/Av8A50VXeVj