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Every contribution to the Official Report — chamber and committee — searchable in one place. Pulled from data.parliament.scot, indexed for full-text search, linked through to every MSP.

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Showing 60 of 2,355,091 contributions. Latest 30 days: 148. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 14 May 2026.

Alison Harris Con Committee

I am content with those responses. Thank you, cabinet secretary.

Alison Harris Con Committee

Will you commit to create and resource a human rights tracker tool for Scotland, which would benefit all stakeholders, officials, public authorities and rights holders?

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Good morning. The subject of human rights has officially been added to the committee’s remit. What impact, if any, will that have on the scrutiny of human rights in the Scottish Parliament?

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

International Women’s Day 2021

It is a privilege to be closing today for the Conservatives. It is quite fitting that my final speech in the chamber will be to mark international women’s day, particularly because of this year’s theme, #ChooseToChallenge, which urges people to call out and challenge the gende...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Equality and Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

I found that very interesting. Obviously, the tracking of the money is absolutely essential to measuring the outcomes. If people are not able to do that, that is very worrying. Judith Robertson’s comments are very helpful.

Alison Harris Con Committee

Equality and Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

Would you mind? My question is about budgeting. Actually, I can ask it now. I am sorry about that. The committee has made calls in this session for the development of human rights budgeting. The recent “Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement 2021-22” outlined 10 key ri...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Equality and Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

This is not going well, convener. I am sorry, but I do not know what has happened.

Alison Harris Con Committee

Equality and Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

My computer has just gone off. That is sod’s law. I am sorry about that.

Alison Harris Con Committee

Equality and Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

No, thank you. That was interesting. Thank you.

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Equality and Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

The committee has made calls this session for the development of human rights budgeting. The recent “Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement 2021-22” outlines the 10 key risks to progressing national outcomes as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the EU exit, and cons...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I press amendment 3.

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Regular reporting and public scrutiny play an essential role in embedding children’s rights in decision making. Accordingly, the duty on listed authorities to report every three years on the steps that they have taken to ensure compliance with UNCRC requirements has been widel...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Although I listened to what Gillian Martin said, I feel that my amendment 5 is the most child-friendly focused option, because it would require the Scottish ministers to publish a report that children could understand. It is only right that such a report, given that it will be...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I am pressing the amendment.

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The necessity for amendment 2 can be demonstrated through existing case law. In recent years, courts have begun having regard to unincorporated international treaty provisions and general comments as important sources of law and of interpretation. For example, in a case befo...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 2 would ensure that the courts “must” rather than “may” consider the sources of interpretation, while recognising that they are not determinative. That would strengthen the bill and ensure that Scotland kept pace with the highest standards of protection international...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

The debate about autonomy for local authorities in Scotland has gone on for some time in the Scottish Parliament. Most parties have, at various points and from various perspectives, made the case for councils to have more power. Unfortunately, the only party that seems to be r...

Alison Harris Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Out-of-school Care Services

I thank the cabinet secretary for acknowledging that out-of-school care services are vital for thousands of parents in every part of Scotland. Worryingly, however, many of those services will not be able to reopen when the time comes. When Scotland is able to get back to work,...

3. Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Out-of-school Care Services

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with third sector and community organisations providing out-of-school care services. (S5O-04979)

Alison Harris Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Covid-19 Lockdown (House Parties)

The Scottish Government recognises that house parties are a major source of the spread of coronavirus, which is why the police are being called on to attend to disperse them. Why are the very same police officers not being prioritised to receive the Covid-19 vaccine when the G...

2. Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Covid-19 Lockdown (House Parties)

To ask the Scottish Government how many house parties police have been called on to disperse since the current Covid-19 lockdown was imposed. (S5O-04938)

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

As a member of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee, I am pleased to speak about children’s rights today. I hope that we are able to do the issue justice in progressing the bill over the few weeks that we have left in this parliamentary session. It appears that there is b...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

I, too, agree with the comments that have been made by my colleagues.

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Covid-19 Education Update

I appreciate that the cabinet secretary is making temporary financial support available to the providers of day care for children. He says that he is considering further support to childminders. When will that support be available for them?

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

No one is under any illusion that running an education system in the middle of a global pandemic is easy. All across Europe, Governments have been forced to take unpopular and unprecedented decisions about schools, universities and early years. No one is seriously suggesting t...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

The committee has received written submissions offering mixed views on whether it is correct to exclude the period when a young person is under 18 in calculating the time limit for raising court proceedings under section 7. The Faculty of Advocates raised a concern that the ti...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Let us move on to section 10, which specifically empowers the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland to raise court proceedings in respect of the duty on public authorities. More generally, section 7 states that an individual or an organisation can raise court proce...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning, Deputy First Minister. The committee has heard strong views that section 4, on the interpretation of the UNCRC requirements, should be expanded to take account of the CRC general comments and concluding observations, as well as other opinions and international hu...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Valuing the Third Sector

Before I begin, I declare an interest: I am involved with a third sector charity. I refer members to my entry in the register of interests. The third sector in Scotland is in a dire situation. All across the country, organisations that cover every imaginable cause have never ...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Valuing the Third Sector

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

On the time limits for bringing court proceedings, the committee has received written submissions offering mixed views on whether it is correct to exclude the period when a young person is under 18 when calculating the time limits for raising court proceedings under section 7....

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning. My question is about court proceedings. Section 10 specifically empowers the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland to raise court proceedings in respect of the duty on public authorities. More generally, section 7 says that an individual or organisati...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I would like to ask about time limits for bringing court proceedings. The committee has received written submissions offering mixed views on whether it is correct to exclude the period when a young person is under 18 when calculating the time limits for raising court proceedin...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I would like to discuss court proceedings. Section 10 specifically empowers the children’s commissioner to raise court proceedings in respect of the duty on public authorities. More generally, section 7 says that an individual or organisation can raise court proceedings in res...

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

This is my final question. Are there any areas in which the bill should go further in order to advance the rights of children and young people?

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I would like to discuss resources and costs with you. Do you have any comment to make on the potential impact on resources and the cost of the bill to your organisation, to public authorities generally and to the third sector?

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

No, it is part of it.

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you, convener. Would the witnesses like to comment on the time limit for bringing court proceedings, and will an extended timeline be an onerous burden of record keeping, as is suggested by the Faculty of Advocates?

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I had a brief question about going further with the bill, but I am happy to leave things as they are.

Alison Harris Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I want to ask about resources and costs. Do you have any comments to make on the potential impact on resources and the cost of the bill to your organisation, to public authorities generally, and to the third sector?

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning, panel. I want to discuss incompatible legislation. Part 4 of the bill sets out the significant powers in respect of incompatible legislation. Do you want to make any comments on part 4 of the bill? We are particularly interested in your views on the approach to t...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

How can the interests of the consumer be best represented and enforced in projects where there is no single responsible party?

Alison Harris Con Committee

Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I would like to explore the question of multiple parties. How will projects where there are multiple parties—Scottish Water in Stirling, for example—be regulated? Will there be a degree of flexibility in the consents and regulatory frameworks to accommodate projects of that na...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Will an expansion of college capacity be a priority for the forthcoming budget?

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Good morning. I want to look at the modern apprenticeship programme. Due to the 80 per cent drop in starts, less money is being spent on the training element. Where will that budget be allocated—where will it move to?

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Panel members have answered most of my second question—I had been going to ask whether there has been an increase in demand for services. For what types of services has demand increased? Has demand for any services decreased? Have any client groups increased in number or dropp...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Good morning. What impact has the pandemic had on the groups and communities that you work with?

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Where have you seen an increase in demand for services, what type of services have increased and have any decreased? Also, which client groups have increased or perhaps dropped off the radar? Interruption. I apologise—that is my dog barking.

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

Good morning, panel. What has been the impact of the pandemic on the groups and communities you work with?

Alison Harris Con Committee

Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Okay. I will move on to my final question. Given that part 5 of the bill requires building assessment reports to be carried out only on publicly owned buildings, is there a risk that community-owned buildings and other potential anchor buildings that “require considerable and...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Are the key criteria set out in section 39 adequate for the designation of all possible and/or relevant anchor buildings? What do you think about that?

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Following on from that line of questioning, how can the interests of the consumer be best represented and enforced in projects with no single responsible person or body?

Alison Harris Con Committee

Race Equality, Employment and Skills Inquiry

Good morning. The Scottish Government has a vision to be a world-leading diverse employer and is committed to race equality and inclusion. It works with race-based organisations on recruitment, and for its modern apprenticeship programme it targets minority ethnic students. Wh...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Race Equality, Employment and Skills Inquiry

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work and the recognised civil service trade unions signed the fair work agreement in November 2018. The Scottish Government states that “It illustrates the commitment to embedding Fair Work into local employment policy and p...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Race Equality, Employment and Skills Inquiry

Good morning. Increasing the diversity of the parliamentary workforce is a key priority of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. There has been success through the parliamentary apprenticeship scheme in increasing the number of BME staff. What other approaches have been t...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

That is a challenge—thank you, Presiding Officer. I, too, am a member of the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee. Since Daniel Johnson introduced the bill, MSPs have received a number of worrying reports about the extent of the abuse, violence and threats that our shop wo...

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Prioritising Education

The Scottish Government must regret saying that education would be its number 1 priority and the issue that it wanted to be judged on by parents across Scotland. It was clear, even before the coronavirus pandemic, that that was not the case. As we heard from my colleague Liz S...

Alison Harris Con Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2021-22

How confident are you that state aid permission will be secured for the SNIB from the European Commission before the end of 2020?

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Committee

Equalities and Human Rights Committee 18 March 2021

18 Mar 2021 · S5 · Equalities and Human Rights Committee

Item of business

Human Rights

Harris, Alison Con Central Scotland Watch on SPTV

I am content with those responses. Thank you, cabinet secretary.

In the same item of business

The Convener (Ruth Maguire) SNP

Good morning and welcome to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee’s eighth meeting in 2021. This is our final meeting in the current session of Parliamen...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

Good morning, convener. It is a real pleasure to give evidence to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee today. The Scottish Government is committed to e...

The Convener SNP

Thank you, cabinet secretary. We move straight to questions.

Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

Good morning. The subject of human rights has officially been added to the committee’s remit. What impact, if any, will that have on the scrutiny of human ri...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

That decision, which the Scottish Government has supported, is to be warmly welcomed. It is not only correct in principle—in addition, the committee’s work d...

Alison Harris Con

Will you commit to create and resource a human rights tracker tool for Scotland, which would benefit all stakeholders, officials, public authorities and righ...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Our response to the committee’s report, “Getting Rights Right: Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament”, and the recommendations that it set out, showed tha...

The Convener SNP

Alison, are you content with that?

Alison Harris Con

I am content with those responses. Thank you, cabinet secretary.

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

Good morning, cabinet secretary. I would like to touch on the human rights framework. In your opening statement, you talked about the task force report. We a...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

It is to be expected, when there is a large group of passionate people around the table, that there will be a range of views during the process. What is rema...

Alexander Stewart Con

It is good to hear that there was a shared ambition for what we are trying to achieve on human rights. You touched on the fact that the proposed human right...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

It is partly a case of ensuring that we continue to work in a collaborative manner. The task force might have reached its conclusion, but the issue will not ...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP

I will follow on from Alexander Stewart’s question. It is proposed that the bill will contain a section on equality that aligns with the Equality Act 2010. T...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Absolutely—we need to analyse all our policies to ensure that human rights are dealt with. As the committee will be well aware, we already have a variety of ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

That is really important. In your opening statement, you made the point that human rights is not just the responsibility of equalities ministers. The impact ...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

First, I pay tribute to the work that Mary Fee has done on issues around Gypsy Travellers during her entire time in Parliament. She has challenged the Govern...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

Thank you. That was helpful.

Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Good morning, cabinet secretary. I will ask you to say a bit more about mainstreaming human rights. First, I will pick up on Joe FitzPatrick’s point about Gy...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I absolutely take on board Mary Fee’s first point; that is why we will miss her in Parliament. We have moved forward on Gypsy Traveller issues, but there is ...

Mary Fee Lab

That is very helpful. I welcome your commitment to keep pushing on Gypsy Travellers—I really appreciate it. One issue that we hear about every time that we ...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Again, the transparency of our budget is an area in which I think that the Scottish Government is doing well in comparison with other parts of the UK and oth...

Mary Fee Lab

That is very helpful. Finally, can you give us a timetable or an estimated timescale for the introduction of the human rights bill?

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I am not able to give a firm time for introduction. However, I can assure the committee that we will need to look at it very early in the new session. I have...

Mary Fee Lab

That is helpful. Thank you.

The Convener SNP

I ask the cabinet secretary about the UK Government review of the Human Rights Act 1998. The committee has responded to the consultation, as has the Scottish...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

As you said, our response made very clear our view that no changes should be made to the 1998 act without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. That is in ...

Duncan Isles (Scottish Government)

It is a difficult question to answer in the abstract, as the cabinet secretary has said. At this point, we really do not have a clear indication of what the ...

The Convener SNP

Cabinet secretary, in your opening statement, you mentioned that it has been a good week for human rights in Scotland, with the passing of the United Nations...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

There will be no conflict between the Human Rights Act 1998 and the proposed framework bill. The future bill will incorporate a wide range of new rights into...