7. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the report by the chair of the advisory group on tackling sectarianism in Scotland. (S5F-01017)

I take this opportunity to thank Dr Morrow for undertaking this important review. He gathered evidence from a wide range of sources, including all parties in Parliament, and I thank everyone for their constructive contributions.

It is clear from the review that work remains to be done and that we all have a responsibility to meet the challenge. The Scottish Government is fully committed to building on Dr Morrow’s work. We have invested £12.5 million over the past five years to tackle sectarianism, including £9.3 million directly invested in community-based projects across Scotland—more than any public expenditure in this field in advance of this announcement.

One of the responses that came to Dr Morrow was from Action of Churches Together in Scotland, which covers a number of denominations. It mentioned the concern and the worry that, if any changes were made to the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012, that c ould be viewed “as ‘legitimising’ sectarianism.” Does the Deputy First Minister share my concern that we must not do anything that would legitimise sectarianism?

I agree that we must do absolutely nothing to legitimise sectarianism.

The Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs made a statement just the other week about the steps that the Government has taken to commission a review into all of our hate crime legislation to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the coming period.

The approach that we are determined to take is to look for alternatives and to see how the measures in the 2012 act can be improved. In line with constructive views that have been offered by the Equality Network, Stonewall and the Law Society of Scotland, the independent review of hate crime legislation will include an analysis of the

Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. That will set out the issues that we must address in ensuring that we have legislation that is fit for Scotland in the 21st century.

I do not doubt the Deputy First Minister’s words on opposing sectarianism. However, they are undermined slightly by the fact that the Government has cut by £2 million funding to initiatives that have been fighting sectarianism in their communities.

The Government’s flagship policy for combating sectarianism has been the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. Unfortunately, one of the policy outcomes of that act has been to criminalise young men and introduce them to the criminal justice system for the first time. That is not consistent with Scottish Government justice policy, and it was not the intention when the Government introduced the legislation. Will the Deputy First Minister take the opportunity to rethink the Government’s approach to that failed legislation, and its overall approach to tackling sectarianism?

The Government has taken such steps by commissioning the independent review to consider the issues that are raised on sectarianism in the context of hate crime legislation. That is an open process that should be welcomed across Parliament.

The financial commitments that the Government has made to tackling sectarianism have resulted in the investment of £12.5 million over the past five years. That is more than any other Government has done in the past and it is a measure of our commitment to ensuring that we tackle the issue effectively through the support that is in place.

I appreciate Mr Kelly’s strong views on the question, and he acknowledged my commitment in the points that he made. However, I ask him to accept that the Government is determined to tackle the issues in a way that addresses the wider questions that have to be considered on the matter, which is important.

The Presiding Officer:

That concludes First Minister’s questions. We will take a few moments to change seats before we move to members’ business.