Chamber and committees

Good morning, and welcome to the 30th meeting in 2022 of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. We have received no apologies this morning.

We are joined today by Shona Robison MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, and Scottish Government officials. We are also joined by a number of MSPs who have lodged stage 2 amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, and others might join us throughout the meeting. We have a full public gallery. I welcome everyone who is participating in the meeting today and those who are observing, either in the room or online.

We made good progress with our consideration of stage 2 amendments last week, and I hope that we will manage to conclude our consideration today. However, we still have a large number of amendments to dispose of. I intend to allow as much debate as is needed for each amendment but, as with last week, I ask members to be as concise as possible and to keep to points that they are required to make in relation to their amendments. We will take regular comfort breaks throughout the morning as required, as we did last week.

Our sole agenda item today is to continue our stage 2 consideration of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. Members should have a copy of the marshalled list and groupings of amendments. If votes are required, I will call for yes votes first, then for no votes, and then for any abstentions. Members should vote by raising their hand. Clerks will collate the votes and pass them to me to read out and confirm the results.

I remind the cabinet secretary’s officials that they cannot speak during this stage. However, they can communicate with the cabinet secretary directly.

After section 13

As I said earlier, I will now suspend the meeting for a 15-minute comfort break.

Amendment 23, in the name of Rachael Hamilton, is grouped with amendments 24, 25, 74, 75, 101, 103, 104, 37, 110, 151 and 152.

I resume the meeting. I call Brian Whittle to speak to amendment 103 and other amendments in the group.

We have other—

I am sorry to interrupt, cabinet secretary, but Rachael Hamilton and Pam Gosal would like to make interventions.

I should say to members that the group that we are discussing is on reviewing the impact of the act and the next group is on the interaction of this legislation with the 2010 act.

I see that Foysol Choudhury wants to come in again.

I will take other folk who want to come in.

I call Jamie Greene to wind up and press or withdraw amendment 133.

The result of the division is: For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0.

Amendment 101 disagreed to.

Amendment 103 moved—[Brian Whittle].