Minutes: 21 September 2021

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 5 and 6 in private.

2. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Children’s Legal Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendments and Consequential Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 from—

Ash Denham, Minister for Community Safety, Jill Stephen Poller, Legal Aid Policy Officer, Access to Justice Unit and Martin Brown, Solicitor, Constitutional and Civil Law Division, Scottish Government.

3. Subordinate legislation:

Ash Denham (Minister for Community Safety) moved—S6M-00998—That the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee recommends that the Children’s Legal Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendments and Consequential Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 be approved.

The motion was agreed to without division.

4. Petition PE1817 End Conversion Therapy:

The Committee took evidence from—

John Wilkes, Head of Scotland, Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland;

Barbara Bolton, Head of Legal and Policy, Scottish Human Rights Commission;

and then from—

Dr Igi Moon, Chair, Memorandum of Understanding Coalition Against Conversion Therapy (MOU);

Jen Ang, Director of Development and Policy, JustRight Scotland.

5. Petition PE1817 End Conversion Therapy:

The Committee considered the evidence it heard under agenda item 4.

6. Petition PE1817 End Conversion Therapy:

The Committee considered and agreed its approach to future engagement, evidence and a draft report on the petition.