Meeting of the Parliament 23 February 2016
I thank all members who have contributed to a good debate this afternoon. From the tenor of the speeches, it is clear that there is a strong degree of consensus around the positive impact of SNAP since its inauguration. The success and value of SNAP is testament to the hard work of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and its chair, Professor Alan Miller.
In his recent evidence to the Justice Committee, Professor Miller reminded us that, when the Scottish Parliament established the SHRC in 2007, it did so
“with a fair degree of hesitation.”
He went on to acknowledge that the commission’s
“relevance and credibility are now beyond question.”—[Official Report, Justice Committee, 26 January 2016; c 39.]
That is an important legacy, and one of which he and his team can be justifiably proud.
On a personal note, I benefited hugely from Professor Miller’s experience and wisdom during the passage of my Apologies (Scotland) Bill, which he recognised would help to deliver effective remedies for survivors of historical child abuse. Members might be interested to know that the Apologies (Scotland) Act 2016 received royal assent today.