Chamber and committees

Karen, I discouraged you from commenting on this topic earlier. We have done a few others and we have come back to it; do you want to come in now?

Jatin, I know that you said you were disagreeing with your colleagues, but there was lots of nodding while you were talking, and I think that that indicates how complex the issue is and that we have to make sure that we look at it properly.

Rachael Hamilton, is your question about employment?

Rachael Hamilton, do you want to come back in?

It has been covered. It might also be the case that other members’ questions have been answered, because we have crossed over on a number of points, but I will check whether members are content. Pam Gosal, would you like to come in?

Pam Duncan-Glancy, did you have a question?

Welcome back. We now come to agenda item 3.

We will hear from our second panel of representatives from organisations, in round-table format. They are: Pervin Ahmad, strategic development manager, Saheliya; Pinar Aksu, human rights and advocacy co-ordinator, Maryhill Integration Network; Mariam Ahmed, chief executive officer, Amina—the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre; and Graham O’Neill, policy manager, Scottish Refugee Council. You are all very welcome.

As this is a round-table session, it will be a bit more conversational. We want to hear about issues and concerns relating to race inequality, to help guide us in our inquiry work. We will go round the table and ask folk to introduce themselves, starting with Pervin Ahmad.

Farah Farzana is looking to come in on that, too.

As we go through the meeting, members and witnesses should indicate to me when they want to come in. Graham O’Neill has obviously introduced a significant topic. Maggie Chapman, would you like to kick off with that?

That is useful, because it is a topic that has come up before.