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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 4 May 2021
  6. Current session: 13 May 2021 to 22 October 2025
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Displaying 899 contributions

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Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

Speak through the chair, please. Sorry—I am bringing order to this. I will allow you to continue, professor.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

Agenda item 3 is our second evidence session on the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill. I welcome to the meeting Brian Inkster, chief executive officer of Inksters Solicitors; Chris Kenny, former chief executive of the Legal Services Board of England and Wales and currently CEO of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland; Professor Stephen Mayson from University College London; and Naeema Yaqoob Sajid, solicitor and director of Diversity+. Welcome to you all.

I refer members to papers 2 and 3. I note that the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee is taking evidence on the bill this morning from the Minister for Victims and Community Safety.

I invite each of the witnesses to make some brief opening remarks should they wish to do so, starting with Brian Inkster.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

If someone has anything to add, that is grand. If not, I suggest that, in the interests of time, we move on.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

Naeema, do you want to comment?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

Thanks very much to all of you.

We have a range of questions from members. I will just advise our witnesses that, although you might well be tempted to stray into other areas, I must ask you to focus on the essence of the question that has been put. It would be helpful if you did that, as other members will come in on other areas.

To start us off, I call Meghan Gallacher.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Reconsideration Stage

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

We now move to our fourth agenda item, which is our final evidence session on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill at reconsideration stage. I welcome to the meeting Shirley-Anne Somerville, who is the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and her officials. Liz Levy is unit head of children’s rights and the bill lead, Shona Spence is from the bill team and Rachel Nicholson—who is joining us remotely online, and has just popped up in front of me—is a lawyer in the Scottish Government’s legal directorate. Welcome, and thanks to you all.

I also welcome Martin Whitfield, who has joined us for this evidence session. I will, depending on the time, allow Martin to ask questions.

I refer members to papers 4 and 5, and I invite the cabinet secretary to make an opening statement.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

Thank you. Naeema, would you like to comment in 30 seconds as well?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

That concludes our questions. I thank all our panellists. It has been a very interesting and enlightening session. I will suspend the meeting briefly to allow a changeover of witnesses.

10:59 Meeting suspended.  

11:03 On resuming—  

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Reconsideration Stage

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

We would welcome being kept informed about that. When you are in a position to issue timescales, please write to the committee and let us know.

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Reconsideration Stage

Meeting date: 7 November 2023

Kaukab Stewart

That was helpful. The bill has been around for a long time and, as far as young people are concerned, I think that the good-will winds are, in a sense, behind it. Obviously, though, the committee has a duty to look underneath and work together on the detail.

On that note, I thank the cabinet secretary for her extensive contributions and her officials for appearing before the committee. That concludes this morning’s formal business, and I thank everyone again.

11:57 Meeting continued in private until 12:12.