Committee
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee 06 May 2025
06 May 2025 · S6 · Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Item of business
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Our second agenda item is an evidence session on the Scotland-specific issues that were raised in the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concluding observations and recommendations to the Scottish Government at the end of a five-year review of compliance with the ICESCR.
I refer members to papers 1 and 2, and I welcome to the meeting Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Equalities. I also welcome her supporting officials from the Scottish Government: Ian Davidson, deputy director for social security policy; Alexandra Devoy, human rights policy lead, treaties and international; Andrew Fraser, child poverty briefing and strategy team leader; and Cat McMeeken, deputy director of the equality division. I invite the minister to make a short opening statement.
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
Our second agenda item is an evidence session on the Scotland-specific issues that were raised in the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultur...
The Minister for Equalities (Kaukab Stewart)
SNP
Thank you, convener. I am grateful to the committee for inviting me to give evidence. I welcome the role of the Parliament as a human rights guarantor for th...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you, minister. What is the Scottish Government’s current timeline for introducing the human rights bill, and will it include full incorporation of ICES...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
It remains our intention to introduce the human rights bill in the next parliamentary session—subject to the outcome of the 2026 election, of course. In the ...
The Convener
SNP
Will mechanisms be included to ensure public participation and accountability in the implementation of human rights?
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Proposals for the bill have been informed by extensive engagement over a number of years with a range of rights holders, duty bearers, civil society represen...
Evelyn Tweed (Stirling) (SNP)
SNP
Good morning. Will the Government commit to ensuring that duties in the human rights bill apply across all public bodies, not just to the Scottish Government...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Undoubtedly, that is a complex area, and we continue to work through it. For instance, the UK Supreme Court’s 2021 judgment on the United Nations Convention ...
Evelyn Tweed
SNP
You touched on this in an earlier answer, but perhaps you can expand a bit. How will the bill embed effective remedies and accountability for rights breaches?
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
That is a good question. There are two main strands to the work to increase accountability for human rights under the bill. The first involves establishing a...
The Convener
SNP
We have heard a bit about the accountability of different departments and people in relation to delivery. Will you tell us a bit about the treaty body tracki...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Yes, I can give an overview, and then perhaps the convener will be minded to allow Alexandra Devoy to come in on that, as she has been working on the tool qu...
Alexandra Devoy (Scottish Government)
I will build on what the minister has said. In autumn last year, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice committed to publishing a tracker by March 2026. We...
The Convener
SNP
We move to questions from Marie McNair, who joins us online.
Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
Minister, in your opening contribution, you set out what the Scottish Government is doing to eradicate child poverty. How is the Government responding to CES...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
I am sorry, but I missed the end of that.
Marie McNair
SNP
I was asking you to respond specifically with regard to how the Scottish Government is responding to CESCR’s recommendations on food insecurity.
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Thank you for repeating that. Eradicating child poverty in Scotland is a national mission and the First Minister’s top priority for the Government. The Scot...
Marie McNair
SNP
What steps are being taken to embed intersectionality and equality into all anti-poverty and social security strategies?
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Forgive me, Ms McNair—I will just touch on the food bit of your previous question. I did not hear it the first time, and it went out of my head the second ti...
Marie McNair
SNP
Sure. What steps have been taken to embed intersectionality and equality into all anti-poverty and social security strategies.
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Thank you for that really important question. We must remember that everything regarding social security benefits goes through robust equality impact assessm...
Marie McNair
SNP
It is so important that the voices of those with lived experience shape our future policies and strategies. I certainly welcome your assurance that such enga...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
We are identifying the six priority groups that are at the highest risk: lone parents, minority ethnic families, families with disabled adults and children, ...
Marie McNair
SNP
Thank you.
The Convener
SNP
We will move on to questions from Tess White.
Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
My question is on the rights of women, disabled people, the LGB community, the TI+ community and racialised minorities. You said at the start of the meeting ...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
We take the participation, accountability, non-discrimination and equality, empowerment and legality—PANEL—approach to policy making. We actively engage with...
Tess White
Con
That is welcome, particularly bearing in mind that we had a whole session on the public sector equality duty and all nine protected characteristics. You hav...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
There was a meeting on 30 April about the Supreme Court judgment. However, I was not privy to that, so I think that it would be fair to pass that question to...