Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee 16 December 2025 [Draft]
Good morning and welcome to the 30th meeting in 2025 of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee in session 6. We have received no apologies this morning.
Our first and only agenda item is stage 2 consideration of the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. I will briefly explain for anyone watching the procedure that we will be following in today’s meeting.
Members should have with them a copy of the bill, the marshalled list and the groupings. These documents are available on the bill webpage on the Scottish Parliament’s website for anyone observing.
I will call each amendment individually in the order on the marshalled list. The member who has lodged the amendment should either move it or say, “Not moved” when it is called. If that member does not move the amendment, any other member present may do so.
The groupings of amendments set out the order in which they will be debated. There will be one debate on each group of amendments; in each debate, I will call the member who lodged the first amendment in the group to speak to and move that amendment and to speak to all other amendments in that group. I will then call other members with amendments in the group to speak to—but not move—their amendments, and to speak to other amendments in the group, if they wish.
I will then call any other member who wishes to speak in the debate. Members wishing to speak should indicate as much by catching my attention or the attention of the clerk. I will then call the cabinet secretary, if she has not already spoken in the debate.
Finally, I will call the member who moved the first amendment in the group to wind up and to indicate whether he or she wishes to press or to withdraw the amendment. If the amendment is pressed, I will put the question on it. If a member wishes to withdraw an amendment after it has been moved and debated, I will ask whether any member present objects, and if there is an objection, I will immediately put the question on the amendment. Later amendments in the group are not debated again when they are reached. If they are moved, I will put the question on them straight away.
If there is a division, only committee members are entitled to vote. Voting is by a show of hands, and it is important that members keep their hands raised clearly until the clerk has recorded their names. If there is a tie, I must exercise a casting vote.
The committee is also required to consider and decide on each section and schedule of the bill as well as the long title, and I will put the question on each of those provisions at the appropriate point. Finally, I should note that the aim is to complete stage 2 consideration today.
Section 1—Pupil’s involvement in decision about withdrawal from religious instruction or religious observance