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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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2,354,908
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1999–2026
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Showing 56 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
19 Sep 2013
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
I welcome everyone to the 23rd meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask that electronic devices be set to flight mode or switched off.We will start by introducing ourselves. To my left are our clerks, our research team and the official reporters and around t...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
03 Oct 2013
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 25th meeting in 2013. I ask everyone to switch any electronic devices to flight mode or to turn them off.At the table we have our clerking and research team, together with official reporters. Around the room we are supported by br...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
26 Sep 2013
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Welcome to the 24th meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off.Our clerking and research teams and official reporters are here. Around the room, we are supported by broadcasting services and securit...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
10 Oct 2013
Draft Budget Scrutiny 2014-15
Welcome to the 26th meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone present to switch off all electronic devices or put them on flight mode. We have received apologies from Alex Johnstone.I will begin with introductions. At the table we have our clerking a...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
12 Sep 2013
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Welcome to the 22nd meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask those present to switch off or put into flight mode any electronic devices. The Parliament’s photographer is present and will be here for a few minutes while he takes some photographs. At the table...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
31 Oct 2013
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the 27th meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or put them off.I will start with introductions. At the table we have our clerking and research team, together with our budget adviser, official reporters...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
19 Dec 2013
Decision on Taking Business in Private
I welcome everyone to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 32nd meeting in 2013 and I ask all who are present to set any electronic devices to flight mode or turn them off.I will start with introductions. At the table, we have our clerking and research team, official reporters ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
16 Jan 2014
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Happy new year, everyone, and welcome to the first meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please turn off any electronic devices or set them to flight mode.I start with introductions. At the table we have our clerking and research team, official reporters and br...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
28 Nov 2013
Work Programme
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 31st meeting in 2013. I ask everyone to switch off their electronic devices or put them into flight mode.Around the table are staff from our clerking and research teams, the official report and broadcasting services. We are also s...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
20 Mar 2014
Fathers and Parenting
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s sixth meeting in 2014. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off, please.Today’s only agenda item is an evidence session on our fathers and parenting inquiry. We will start the session with ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
30 Jan 2014
Witness Expenses
Welcome to the second meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please switch off any electronic devices or set them to flight mode.We will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerking and research staff, official reporters and broadcasti...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
13 Mar 2014
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the fifth meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off.Today’s first agenda item is a decision on taking business in private. The committee is asked to agree to take item 3, on our inquiry ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
20 Feb 2014
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s third meeting of 2014. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or off. We will come to the usual introductions in a moment. Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Members are asked to agree to take it...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
06 Mar 2014
Fathers and Parenting
Welcome to the fourth meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to turn off their electronic devices or set them to flight mode. Today’s only agenda item is an evidence-taking session for our fathers and parenting inquiry. We will start the session ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
25 Sep 2014
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Welcome, everyone, to the 14th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or to the off position, please. The only item on the agenda is evidence on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We will start ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
05 Jun 2014
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Welcome to the 11th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. Agenda item 1 is an update from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We agreed to seek an update from it on a range of policy ar...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
02 Oct 2014
Having and Keeping a Home
Welcome to the 15th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set their electronic devices to flight mode or to turn them off. Today’s only agenda item is an evidence-taking session for our having and keeping a home inquiry. We will start the ses...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
09 Oct 2014
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the 16th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to switch off electronic devices or set them to flight mode. Do members agree to take item 3, which is consideration of our work programme, in private? Members indicated agreement.
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
27 Mar 2014
Decisions on Taking Business in Private
I welcome everyone to the seventh meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set their electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off. We will begin with introductions. At the table, we have our clerking and research team, together with o...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
19 Jun 2014
Female Genital Mutilation
I welcome everyone to the 12th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee and ask everyone to set their electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off. The first agenda item is an evidence session on female genital mutilation. We will start the session with...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
06 Nov 2014
Draft Budget Scrutiny 2015-16
I welcome everybody to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 17th meeting in 2014. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off, please. I would like to start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerking and research tea...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
13 Nov 2014
Draft Budget Scrutiny 2015-16
I welcome everyone to the 18th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Will everyone please switch off their electronic devices or put them into flight mode? I like to start with introductions. We are supported by clerking and research staff, official reporters,...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
20 Nov 2014
Decisions on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the 19th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to switch their electronic devices to flight mode or turn them off altogether. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerking and research staff, official ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
11 Dec 2014
Subordinate Legislation
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 21st meeting in 2014. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official reporters and broadcasting services and, around the room...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
14 Aug 2014
Having and Keeping a Home
I welcome everyone to the 13th meeting in 2014 of the Equal Opportunities Committee and ask that any electronic devices be set to flight mode or switched off, please. Agenda item 3 is on the delegation of the payment of witness expenses in the youth homelessness inquiry. Memb...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
15 Jan 2015
Interests
Happy new year, everyone, and welcome to the first meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to switch off their mobile devices or put them in flight mode. We have received apologies from John Finnie. Agenda item 1 is a declaration of interests. I w...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
05 Feb 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the second meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or turn them off, please. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official reporters a...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
19 Feb 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the third meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. We will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official reporters and broadcasting ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
05 Mar 2015
Age and Social Isolation
Welcome to the fourth meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerking and research staff, official reporters...
The Convener Lab Committee
05 Mar 2015
Age and Social Isolation
Again, I welcome everyone to the fourth meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee and remind people to set electronic devices to flight mode or the off position. My name is Margaret McCulloch and I am the committee’s convener. For the benefit of witnesses, members w...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
26 Mar 2015
Age and Social Isolation
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s sixth meeting in 2015. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. We will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official reporters and broadca...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
02 Apr 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the seventh meeting of the Equal Opportunities Committee in 2015. I ask everyone to set their electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off, please. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official r...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
23 Apr 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
I welcome everyone to the eighth meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off, please. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, off...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
11 May 2015
Age and Social Isolation
Madainn mhath. Fàilte gu coinneamh na comataidh. Welcome to the ninth meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to switch their electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off altogether. We will begin with introductions. We are supported a...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
28 May 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the 10th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or turn them off. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking, research, official report and broadcasting staff and, aroun...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
04 Jun 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the 11th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please turn off any electronic devices or set them to flight mode. I start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerk, research staff, official reporters and broadcasting services, a...
The Convener Lab Committee
18 Jun 2015
Tackling Sectarianism
Again, I welcome everyone to the meeting and ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off, please. We will start with our usual introductions. I am the committee’s convener. I invite members to introduce themselves in turn.
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
25 Jun 2015
Race, Ethnicity and Employment
I welcome everyone to the 13th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please switch off any electronic devices or put them into flight mode. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerking and research staff, official reporters an...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
03 Sep 2015
Interests
Good morning and welcome to the 14th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set their electronic devices to flight mode or to switch them off. I will start with introductions. I should point out first of all that we are supported at the table ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
17 Sep 2015
Race, Ethnicity and Employment
Good morning everybody and welcome to the 15th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerk and research staff, official r...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
24 Sep 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 16th meeting in 2015. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. I start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, an official reporter, broadcasting services and,...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
01 Oct 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the 17th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. Apologies have been received from Sandra White. I start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research s...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
12 Nov 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
I welcome everybody to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 18th meeting in 2015. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official reporters and broadcas...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
19 Nov 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
I welcome everyone to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 19th meeting in 2015. Please set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by the clerking and research staff, the official reporters and br...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
26 Nov 2015
“Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland” (Scottish Housing Regulator Report)
I welcome everybody to the 20th meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to put any electronic devices into flight mode or switch them off. Apologies have been received from Drew Smith. Under agenda item 1, we have an evidence session with the Scot...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
10 Dec 2015
Decisions on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 21st meeting in 2015. I ask members to switch any electronic devices to flight mode or off, please. The first agenda item is a decision on taking business in private. Members are asked to agree to take in private item 2, which is...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
17 Dec 2015
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome, everyone, to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 22nd meeting in 2015. I ask members to switch any electronic devices to flight mode or off. The first agenda item is a decision on taking business in private. Do members agree to take in private agenda item 2, which is...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
21 Jan 2016
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s second meeting in 2016. I ask everyone to switch electronic devices to flight mode or off, please. Under agenda item 1, members are asked to agree to consider in private agenda item 3, which is our approach to this session’s lega...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
04 Feb 2016
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s third meeting in 2016. I ask members to set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. Our first agenda item is a decision on taking business in private. Do we agree to take in private item 3, which is consideratio...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
11 Feb 2016
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the fourth meeting in 2016 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Please switch off any electronic devices or set them to flight mode. I will start with introductions. We are supported at the table by clerking and research staff, official reporters and broadcasting ...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
25 Feb 2016
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the fifth meeting in 2016 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask everyone to set any electronic devices to flight mode or switch them off. We have received apologies from Drew Smith. Agenda item 1 is a decision whether to take in private item 4, which is consi...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
10 Mar 2016
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee’s sixth meeting in 2016. Please switch all electronic devices to flight mode or off. Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Does the committee agree to consider in private at agenda item 3 its approach to this s...
Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
08 Mar 2012
Tourism
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the future of tourism in Scotland, given the importance of the sector to the Scottish economy. The future of large and small businesses and of a range of attractions and services in other sectors depends on the resilience and succe...
The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab Committee
16 Mar 2015
Interests
Welcome, everyone, to the fifth meeting in 2015 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Anyone who has an electronic device should put it in flight mode or switch it off, please. I welcome Annabel Goldie to the meeting as a new committee member, and ask her to declare any regis...
Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
01 Apr 2014
Scotland: A Good Global Citizen
The world that we live in is constantly changing and evolving. Economic change, technological change and political change have shaped a world that is very different from the one that I grew up in. We have seen the end of the iron curtain and the introduction of the European si...
The Convener Lab Committee
05 Jun 2014
Female Genital Mutilation
Item 2 is an evidence session on female genital mutilation. I remind everyone who has just come in to switch off any electronic devices that they may have. We will start with introductions. At the table, we have our clerking and research team as well as official report and br...
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Committee

Equal Opportunities Committee 19 September 2013

19 Sep 2013 · S4 · Equal Opportunities Committee
Item of business
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
McCulloch, Margaret Lab Central Scotland Watch on SPTV
I welcome everyone to the 23rd meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask that electronic devices be set to flight mode or switched off.We will start by introducing ourselves. To my left are our clerks, our research team and the official reporters and around the room we are supported by broadcasting services and the security office. I also welcome observers in the public gallery.I am the committee convener. I invite members and witnesses to introduce themselves in turn.

In the same item of business

The Convener (Margaret McCulloch) Lab
I welcome everyone to the 23rd meeting in 2013 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I ask that electronic devices be set to flight mode or switched off.We w...
Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) SNP
I am the deputy convener of the committee and MSP for Edinburgh Central.
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) Con
I am an MSP for North East Scotland.
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Ind) Ind
I am a Highlands and Islands MSP.
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) SNP
I am the MSP for Glasgow Shettleston.
Siobhan McMahon (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab
I am an MSP for Central Scotland.
Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP
I am an MSP for North East Scotland.
Dr Kelly Kollman (University of Glasgow)
I am from the University of Glasgow.
Aidan O’Neill QC
I am a member of Matrix Chambers in London and also practise in Scotland. I suppose that I practise in European Union and human rights law, and I have a part...
Lynn Welsh (Equality and Human Rights Commission)
I am head of legal at the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Karon Monaghan QC
I am a barrister at Matrix Chambers specialising in equality and human rights law.
The Convener Lab
Thank you. Our only agenda item is evidence taking on the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill at stage 1, and perhaps I should start by telling ou...
Marco Biagi SNP
My first question concerns the opt-in protections in the bill and whether any attempt on human rights grounds to require a faith group that had not opted int...
Lynn Welsh
In short, the commission believes that the opt-in provision will work and will not be open to human rights challenge. Obviously, anyone can challenge it but,...
Aidan O’Neill
I never like to say that a human rights challenge will not be successful. Constitutionally, one difference between England and Scotland relates to the Church...
Marco Biagi SNP
Would article 9 of the European convention on human rights offer strong protection to a church against such a challenge?
Aidan O’Neill
Yes. Article 9, which stipulates“the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion”,is a rather overlooked ECHR provision. In addition to those absolu...
Marco Biagi SNP
Dr Kollman, are you aware of challenges in other countries that have similar protections for churches to opt out that have sought to require religious author...
Dr Kollman
As I said when I responded to the invitation to attend the committee, I am not a legal scholar, so I do not know the ins and outs of any kind of legal challe...
Marco Biagi SNP
I want to move on slightly, so if anybody else wants to comment on the issue, this would be a good time.
John Mason SNP
I have a question for Dr Kollman on that point. It has been suggested that churches in Denmark do not have the freedom to opt out. Is that the case?
Dr Kollman
I have heard that on several occasions. Again, I qualify my comments by saying that Denmark is not one of the cases that I have studied in depth, but my unde...
Aidan O’Neill
As I understand it, in Scandinavian countries, the established church, which is the Lutheran church, has been seen as a department of state, in a similar way...
Christian Allard SNP
That has answered part of the question that I was going to ask. I am interested in the relationship between church and state. Is there the same kind of relat...
Aidan O’Neill
I think that the Scandinavian countries are the only ones that have that Erastian settlement, as it is known, whereby, at the time of the reformation, the ki...
Dr Kollman
On a point of reference, Sweden is the one Scandinavian country that has de-established its church. Not all the Scandinavian countries have an established ch...
Christian Allard SNP
If there is a legal problem with the bill, is the relationship between church and state a bigger issue than equal marriage?
Aidan O’Neill
I think that that is a problem. I am anticipating an issue that might arise. The bill is rather unusual in that it purports to give to dissenting ministers o...
Karon Monaghan
I agree with Aidan O’Neill that the issue creates a difficulty. Of course, article 9 protects religious organisations and churches as well as individuals—it ...
Marco Biagi SNP
How does that work for denominations such as the United Reformed Church, or the Unitarians, which have no specific creed in a lot of areas and might, as a ma...