Chamber and committees

Concerns have been raised about the possible impact on the aim of increasing women’s participation and representation in public life, because of the dubiety or discord that exists. Is it possible that that outcome could be affected?

Vic, do you want to add anything to that?

My second question touches on the impact on women and girls, which is probably the area of the bill that has caused the most controversy. You have touched on the debate in social media and the media, and in his initial statement, Colin Macfarlane talked about fact, evidence and truth.

This aspect of the bill has provoked the most opposition, because of the threat that women and girls feel when it comes to women-only spaces, such as the changing room, the refuge, the hospital ward or the toilet. Those are the areas that people have given as examples. At present, the Equality Act 2010 allows for trans people to be excluded from single-sex spaces. With reference to those current provisions, and the exclusions that are already in place, what is the expectation that anything will change under the bill that we are discussing? How will the application of the bill’s provisions have an effect and impact on women and girls? Is anything going to change as a result of some of that impact? Perhaps Colin Macfarlane can unravel some of that.

Good morning, and thank you for your comments and evidence to date. I will start with a question on the legal recognition of non-binary people. You have already touched on that, but it would be good to get more of a flavour of your views.

In some of your presentations, you have talked about non-binary people being let down by the bill. The bill does not include legal recognition of non-binary people, but the Scottish Government has set up a non-binary working group to identify some of the issues. It would be good to get your views on the legal recognition of non-binary people and how you see that progressing.

So your submission, including the answer that you just gave, is that the bill does not pose a threat to women and girls.

Thank you.

As the convener has indicated, we are interested in finding out how surgeons in Scotland could learn from the skills, training and techniques that are used in the Shouldice hospital. What additional training and support would be required for them to fully understand what you are doing, so that they could use your approach to benefit patients in Scotland?

Surgeons in general hospitals are not as skilled in non-mesh techniques. Do you expect recurrence rates following non-mesh repairs to be higher than the rates for those who are treated at Shouldice hospital?

Would a ban of the use of mesh in hernia repairs be a good thing? Would that change some of the dynamics?

Amendment 9 in my name looks at the wording of the bill. As has been indicated, there is a vagueness and lack of specifics with regard to the phrase “similar gathering”, and that kind of imprecision might lead miners and their families to mistakenly believe that they had been pardoned for participating in events not covered by the bill. Amendments 10 to 12 are of a similar nature.

As for other amendments in the group, amendment 2 in the name of Keith Brown clarifies that theft “meets condition C”. That condition is set out in amendment 3, which improves the clarity around who will be pardoned and also widens the scope of the pardon. Pam Duncan-Glancy’s amendment 3A slightly changes the drafting of amendment 3. As it appears to be a slight improvement, we will support it.

Amendment 17 seeks to widen the offences under section 7 to cover violence and intimidation and damage to property. I am unhappy and concerned about the process in that respect, and perhaps Richard Leonard will give us some more clarity on that when he speaks to the amendment. At this stage, I am a little concerned about how the process of what the amendment seeks to do would be managed, so I look forward to hearing what the member has to say.

Finally, I note amendment 5, which works with previous amendments to include theft as a qualifying offence when committed as a result of economic hardship due to unfair conditions.