Chamber and committees

Under agenda item 2, we begin our pre-budget scrutiny. We will take evidence from two panels of witnesses today. I welcome our first panel. Dr Alison Hosie, research officer at the Scottish Human Rights Commission, and Dr Angela O’Hagan, chair of the equality budget advisory group, join us virtually, while Emma Congreve, knowledge exchange fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute, and Chris Birt, associate director for Scotland of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, join us in person. You are all very welcome.

I thank you all for your helpful written submissions. I will invite each of you to make a short opening statement, starting with Dr Alison Hosie.

Thank you. Finally, we come to Chris Birt.

I am conscious of time. Members and witnesses will all have to be a little bit tighter and sharper. I guess that we do not have to hear from everyone, although I am sure that Chris Birt is keen to respond to Pam Duncan-Glancy’s questions.

Who would like to go first? [Interruption.] It looks like we have lost both of the witnesses. Angela, are you able to come in? Alison?

We will start with Chris Birt, because he mentioned that area earlier.

To go back to a point that Angela O’Hagan made, the committee has written to other committees to make the point that a human rights approach is not just for this committee; we are asking all parliamentary committees to take such an approach in their budget scrutiny.

There was a reference to Emma Congreve’s organisation, so I will bring her in.

Brilliant.

We will now hear from our second panel of witnesses. Rob Gowans is joining us remotely, and Fulton MacGregor is still with us remotely, too.

I welcome to the meeting Adam Stachura, head of policy and communications, Age Scotland; Jatin Haria, executive director, Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights; Eilidh Dickson, policy and parliamentary manager, Engender; and Rob Gowans, policy and public affairs manager, Health and Social Care Alliance.

I thank the witnesses for their written submissions, which are really helpful for our deliberations. I invite each of you to make a short opening statement, starting with Adam Stachura, please.

Fulton MacGregor wants to come in on this subject before I bring in the other panellists.