Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has had no such discussions with the ScotRail Alliance or operators of cross-border rail services. I am meeting the RMT to discuss this issue.

Network Rail is responsible for managing the delivery of its business, including the deployment of its staff, their terms and conditions and how it contracts for services, and this MITIE contract was procured by Network Rail HQ in Milton Keynes as part of a larger contract. As a UK Government body in receipt of public funding in Scotland, we have a clear expectation that Network Rail will comply with all appropriate statutory policies, guidance and legislation in line with public sector best practice.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-09364 on 27 June 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-09364 on 27 June 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-09364 on 27 June 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

A range of policies and processes on issues such as effective use of public funds and procurement are already in place to guide the use of public money by our enterprise agencies. The Scottish Government is also working with partners, including the Scottish Human Rights Commission and Scottish Enterprise, to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Scotland. In line with internationally recognised best practice, a national baseline assessment was published in October 2016 to underpin the development of the Plan.

The Scottish Government is committed to doing all that we can to prevent and eradicate hate crime and prejudice, including anti-semitism. In our response to the Report of the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion we set out an ambitious yet practical plan of action to make progress in this area.. Our response and these action can be viewed at: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/06/1336

Since 2007 the Scottish Government has been supporting the work of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities to promotes dialogue and understanding between the Jewish community and other communities in Scotland. We have also supported Interfaith Scotland to deliver Scotland’s National Holocaust Memorial Day event each year since 2012 in partnership with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. This event promotes multi-faith and multi-cultural society based on mutual trust, respect and understanding.

The Scottish Government welcomes the opportunity to engage with international governments as appropriate to raise matters of importance and to hear the views and concerns of other countries.

The Scottish Government is determined that there should be no place in Scotland for any form of antisemitism or religious hatred that makes our communities feel insecure or threatened in their daily lives. We are committed to tackling all forms of discrimination and promoting a multi-faith and multi-cultural society based on mutual trust, respect and understanding. Adopting this definition will help to inform our work in this area. We will work with key partners including Police Scotland to explore further how the definition supports efforts to tackle anti-semitism.

As set out in our response to the recommendations of the Report by the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion, the Scottish Government will engage in dialogue around definitions and terminology, taking account of any conclusions that Lord Bracadale’s review of hate crime legislation may offer in this regard. We will continue to engage with a wide range of communities to consider how we can tackle all forms of hate crime and prejudice.

We note that detailed guidance accompanying the definition states that “ Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.” We are happy to continue to engage in dialogue on these issues.

The Scottish Government engages frequently with the Scottish Council for Jewish Communities and others on a range of issues, and one of these has been the International Holocaust Memorial Trust’s working definition of anti-Semitism. The Scottish Government continues to work with representatives to support the needs of the Jewish communities, building strength and eliminating fear in Scotland. We consider the definition to be helpful and it will assist in informing our approach to tackling anti-Semitism.