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I have some sympathy with your line of questioning. However, in my previous answer, I gave a clear indication of the extensive work that we are undertaking. It is not a shelving; it is a delay in order to be able to advance that work and get it right. There are many treaties that are being incorporated, and getting all those different things to align is a hefty piece of work. There are treaties that have not been adopted by other countries, so, in that sense, some of this work is groundbreaking.

It requires time to take everybody with us—to make sure that duty bearers know what they are doing and how they are doing their work, and to find out what implications there will be for future legislative change in many different portfolio areas. It also requires time for rights holders to be able to take up their rights. Therefore, it is absolutely not a shelving; it is a reasonable delay to make sure that that work can be undertaken in full consultation with all the civic organisations, including stakeholders. The SHRC is a very valued partner in that.

In relation to the SHRC’s enforcement powers, it does an amazing amount of work, and its spotlights really home in on particular areas—those are really valuable. I have absolute sympathy for that point, and it will come out as the bill advances. Enforcement powers are absolutely not off the table.

We also need to bear in mind that, due to circumstances, some women may not be able to work. It is important that they get access to the benefits that they are entitled to. I am aware of the intersectionalities around women and girls.

I cannot speak on behalf of other portfolios, but I can give you an indication of what is being done in mine. In order for women and girls to feel empowered to access equal opportunities in relation to the right to work, for instance, given the disadvantages and detriment that they face, they need equitable access to economic resources and decision making and to be able to live their lives free from violence, abuse and harassment. In 2025-26, we are providing more than £2 million to 10 gender equality organisations. Of that, £1.8 million is being provided through the equality and human rights fund. The money that we are putting towards women and girls in my portfolio area makes up 22 per cent of the equality and human rights fund. Both of the figures that I mentioned are in addition to the £21 million that is being provided to organisations via the delivering equally safe fund, which is for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls. I hope that that provides you with some examples.

Absolutely. The current equality evidence strategy seeks to make improvements to the availability and analysis of equality data across the Scottish Government. That is running until December 2025 and work is under way to develop its next iteration.

The equality evidence finder is a web-based platform that was established to disseminate equality data to analysts, policy makers and the general public. Work is under way to advance the data that is included in that tool and to improve its accessibility and usability. Just because the data is there does not mean that everybody is able to access it equally. We are working on that and we have seen good progress.

Obviously, there is always more to do to refine it. However, an evaluation of the current evidence strategy, which runs from 2023 to December 2025 will, alongside the collaboration with analysts, policy makers and external bodies, directly inform the next iteration about which I was talking. That is happening in real time. I hope that that gives you an answer.

It is always strange when your words are quoted back to you, and I stand by them. I gave an outline in my opening statement of the work that I have been doing. That kind of infrastructural work of doing cultural change, enabling conversations and increasing knowledge, competence and capability, does not grab the headlines, but it makes the foundations for future decisions more robust and connected, as you say. That all feeds into some of the remarks that you said came out of the first evidence session this morning.

In that sense, none of that surprises me. Thanks for the opportunity to reinforce what the role of an equalities minister is. I take very seriously the right demand for mainstreaming. With my support and challenge to colleagues, I can say that, yes, they are speaking to one another, and they always have done.

I think that what sometimes gets lost, with the best will in the world, because we referred to it earlier, is that everybody has their different portfolios and people are very keen on getting on with their job. Having somebody who can take a wider view and see all the connections and then offer that view has been very well received by my colleagues. One massive demonstration of that is the fact that the cabinet secretary and I are both here during a pre-budget scrutiny evidence session. That is another indication that we are coming out of our silos.

I always say that everybody wants everybody else to come out of their silos until I turn around and say, “You come out of yours.” That is always a bit more challenging.

There is also the annual ministerial budget workshop, which is a great opportunity when everybody is in the room at the same time. It means that clear connections can be made between portfolio decisions in the room in real time, and I am able to add my voice to that as well. The focus on protected characteristics, socioeconomic disadvantage and children’s rights, for instance, embeds equality and human rights into decisions that ministers make.

The new equality outcomes were published in April this year. We have taken a new approach to the equality outcome-setting process, so that it provides the consistency that Pam Gosal asks for and leadership across Government.

The three key outcomes that act as enablers of that system-wide change, which is what we all want, focus on improving the use and awareness of equality evidence, improving how we are informed by lived experience and participation and strengthening the relevant impact assessments. Each outcome is underpinned by short-term and long-term actions over a four-year period.

I hope that that gives you a clear indication of our commitment to drive meaningful, long-term change by addressing the structural barriers that impact equality across all of the Scottish Government, as we are very much aware. I hope that that is enough information.

I am very grateful to the Alnisa service for working with us. The Government is benefiting from the experience, knowledge and expertise that that service has to offer. I reassure the committee that we are listening very carefully to its opinions and that we will continue to work with it.

Thank you for that question. You will be aware that the act was passed in 2020, so if it is all right to do so, I will bring in Nel on that point.

That is a really good point. As I said in my opening remarks, officials are undertaking a mapping exercise to identify the existing training in sectors such as education, health and policing, which will enable us to identify gaps and opportunities. Once that exercise has been completed, officials will engage with stakeholders to co-design appropriate training solutions. It is essential that they are co-designed and that we hear from people who have experience of the matter, whether they be victims or those who support or provide services, so that we have a joined-up approach. That is one of the reasons why it has taken a bit of time to do the work, but we are determined to do it well and to ensure that our approach is sustainable.

The training materials and the awareness-raising materials will be developed for the professional sector and for the wider public, because there is a need for education and awareness raising across society. As I said, the materials will be culturally appropriate and available in multiple languages. We will ensure that inclusive formats are used so that the materials are accessible to everybody.

In order to further raise awareness, officials are exploring the option of organising an event to mark the international day of zero tolerance for FGM in February 2026. That is an example of work not only with sectors and communities but with civic society at large.

I alluded to materials being developed with our advisory group for ethnic minority women and girls. We are drawing on that group’s expertise to ensure that the content is appropriate, accurate and targeted.

I can give you reassurance that that work is well under way. The development of the materials will begin in late summer or autumn. I am establishing a timeline for you over the next year, because we are absolutely on track for implementation in 2026.

Absolutely. Experience from England and Wales shows us that increased awareness and training among professionals led to a rise in the number of applications for FGM protection orders. That clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of awareness raising and training being part of implementation.

I am sorry, but could you repeat the last bit of your question? I am afraid that I am a bit hard of hearing.

Based on the awareness that I have gained while I have been in post, I think that it is difficult to pre-empt everything, especially when a piece of legislation cuts across other legislation and across many other domains; for instance, this legislation falls under child protection, too. When that happens, you have to deal with multiple organisations, and bringing people together always takes time. That is, it can be done quickly, but I think that for legislation such as this to be implemented consistently and to be done well, it takes time to iron it all out.

I am aware that the Minister for Parliamentary Business spoke to the committee in December. Like him, I accept that there have been disruptions and delay that we would not have wanted. He outlined clearly some of the reasons for that delay. In that sense, I understand Ms Chapman’s point that it has taken time, but we need to keep that in perspective. There are complexities in bringing together many agencies. As I said, the implementation of the FGM act is not within just the Scottish Government’s gift. Many other people have responsibilities, and we need to make sure that everybody works together in step. There were clearly also other reasons for the delay. Many things got caught up in Covid—that was well rehearsed at the December meeting, so I will not go into it further. Yes, there has been a delay, but that delay is not entirely to do with the work. I hope that I have demonstrated the clear progress that has been made since the committee was last updated in December.