Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 January 2026
15 Jan 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
General Question Time
Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (Addition of Sex Characteristic)
I very much appreciate Mrs Thomson’s interest in the matter. I assure her, both personally and politically, that the Scottish Government wants to ensure that women and girls have the new criminal protections that are provided through the 2021 act for other characteristics such as age, disability, religion and so forth.
Mrs Thomson will be aware that we have to follow a super-affirmative process, which is what Parliament agreed when the hate crime legislation was passed. That means that we have to publish a draft SSI and consult on it, and we are obliged to analyse the consultation responses and publish them, where permitted, with the analysis. That will be done when the SSI is laid, and it will be laid in due course.
In the same item of business
1. Michelle Thomson (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
To ask the Scottish Government what the current status is of its plans to add sex to the characteristics covered by the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs (Angela Constance)
SNP
The Scottish Government is currently considering responses to the public consultation that we undertook last year on the draft Scottish statutory instrument ...
Michelle Thomson
SNP
I was listening very intently for something substantive in the cabinet secretary’s response. What I really want is a personal commitment from her that the SS...
Angela Constance
SNP
I very much appreciate Mrs Thomson’s interest in the matter. I assure her, both personally and politically, that the Scottish Government wants to ensure that...
Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
The minister says that the SSI will be laid “in due course”, but we do not know when that will be. Only this Tuesday, at the Equalities, Human Rights and Civ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Always speak through the chair.
Angela Constance
SNP
In summary, I will repeat the essence of what I said to Michelle Thomson: I will lay an SSI well in advance of the end of this parliamentary session, because...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I remind members that, as this is our shortest question session of the week, concise questions and responses are appreciated.