Minutes: 18 November 2025

Tuesday, 18 November 2025

26th Meeting, 2025

Start time:09:31am

End time: 12:40pm

Location: T1.60-CR4 The Clerk Maxwell Room

Published: Wednesday, 19 November 2025

Minutes

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 3, 4 and 5 in private.

2. Human rights, equalities and access to services in rural areas of Scotland:

The Committee took evidence in a roundtable format from—

Juliana Amaral, Chief Executive Officer, Borders Community Action;

Wendy Hand, Deputy and Facilities Manager, Voluntary Action Shetland;

Kirsty Harding, Senior Development Officer, Highland Third Sector Interface;

Megan MacInnes, Board Member, Community Land Scotland;

Artemis Pana, National Coordinator, Scottish Rural Action;

Alasdair Ross, Policy and Consultations Officer, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action;

Sheena Stewart, Chief Officer, Uist Council of Voluntary Organisations;

Alan Webb, Chief Executive Officer, Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway;

Dr Luis F. Yanes, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Lead, Scottish Human Rights Commission.

3. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered, and agreed, its work programme.

4. EU Law Tracker (In Private):

The Committee considered correspondence from the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee and agreed to issue a letter to the Minister for Equalities.

5. Human rights, equalities and access to services in rural areas of Scotland (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard under agenda item 2.

6. Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill (In Private):

The Committee considered, and agreed, a draft Stage 1 report.