Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-15782, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on pathways to global human rights: towards a stronger hum...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

It is a delight and an honour to open this debate marking human rights day 2024. This year’s theme is “Our rights, our future, right now”. We are asked to re...

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

Is the Government’s intention to introduce that bill in this parliamentary session? Will we see the bill before the next election?

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I have been clear—and I will come back to this point later in my remarks—about the Government’s continued commitment to the human rights bill. The bill will ...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

I recognise what the cabinet secretary has said about moving the bill into the next parliamentary session, but does she recognise that we can take steps in t...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I am not sure whether Mr Cole-Hamilton can read my speech from where he is sitting, but the next page is on next steps, so I will go on to talk about some of...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Tess White to speak to and move amendment S6M-15782.2. 15:36

Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer—again, I apologise for being late to the chamber. On this human rights day, we are reminded of the importance of protect...

Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) SNP

Will the member give way?

Tess White Con

I have a lot to get through—if I have time at the end, I will. For the past two weeks, the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee has taken ev...

Kevin Stewart SNP

Will the member give way?

Tess White Con

No. Those are more broken promises, and more people who feel left behind or ignored. There is also the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill. The social ca...

Kevin Stewart SNP

Will the member give way?

Tess White Con

No.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Will the member give way?

Tess White Con

No. Meanwhile, the SNP rushed through the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill before Christmas two years ago, with “feminist to her fingertips” Nicola...

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased to open on behalf of Scottish Labour in this debate marking human rights day. Presiding Officer, “it is right and proper, that today is also a...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Paul O’Kane Lab

I will take an intervention on that point.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I thank Paul O’Kane for allowing me to put this on the record. The Scottish Government welcomes the fact that we now have a UK Government that allows us to f...

Paul O’Kane Lab

I thank the cabinet secretary for her intervention. I have more to say about the Conservative amendment and the prevailing attitude of the Conservatives towa...

Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con) Con

Made a request to intervene.

Paul O’Kane Lab

I turn to the Conservative amendment—I will make this point before I take an intervention. It is disappointing that the Conservative amendment would remove...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We will have an intervention from Pam Gosal, who joins us remotely—if she still wishes to make one.

Pam Gosal Con

I am sorry, but I did not request to intervene. I do not know what happened there.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

All right. I do not think that Ms Gosal is trying to intervene.

Paul O’Kane Lab

That is fine. It is fairly difficult to defend wanting to remove any reference to the Council of Europe and the European convention on human rights, but ther...

Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green) Green

We know that human rights matter. We, in the Scottish Parliament and Scottish civil society, have been talking for nearly two decades about the incorporation...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

It gives me great pleasure to speak for the Liberal Democrats in this important debate, as I have done in each of the eight years that I have been a parliame...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

We move to the open debate. 16:02