Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 5 June 2024.
Tess White
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 since it came into force on 1 April 2024. (S6O-03531)
Siobhian Brown
Scottish National Party
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 sends a strong message to victims, perpetrators and communities that offences that are motivated by prejudice will not be tolerated. The act consolidates, maintains and extends protections that are aggravated by prejudice, as well as including stirring up of hatred offences for all characteristics covered in the hate crime legislative framework.
The offence of stirring up racial hatred has been in Scots law since 1986. We have worked closely with Police Scotland and other justice partners to ensure the 2021 act’s effective implementation, and we will continue to do so.
Tess White
Conservative
I have been liaising with Police Scotland about engagement with women’s groups on the implications of the hate crime act for their lawful meetings. Disappointingly, Police Scotland has indicated to me that it will not participate in that vital engagement while it is in the process of developing longer-term policies around the 2021 act.
Does the Minister or the Cabinet secretary agree that input from women’s groups should influence the process and should not occur after it has concluded? Will the minister and the cabinet secretary make representations to Police Scotland to ensure that women’s voices are heard?
Siobhian Brown
Scottish National Party
Yes, I agree. We have been told that Police Scotland will consult internally and externally.
Emma Roddick
Scottish National Party
Police Scotland data shows us that the volume of reports has consistently reduced week on week. Does the Cabinet secretary believe that the early high numbers of reports were due to widespread misinformation about the 2021 act, including, unfortunately, from members in the chamber?
Siobhian Brown
Scottish National Party
Recent Police Scotland data shows that the volume of reports at week 7 has reduced by more than 99 per cent from the first week of the act’s commencement. The fact that we have seen so many reports since implementation reinforces the importance of the hate crime act.
Although the commentary surrounding the act during its implementation included misrepresentation, it is important to remember that the act was passed by 82 members of the Parliament. People and communities who are at the sharp end of hatred in their daily lives, simply for being who they are, should rightly look to this Parliament to stand with them, which the Scottish Government will continue to do.
Annabelle Ewing
Scottish National Party
That concludes portfolio questions on justice and home affairs. There will be a very short pause to allow front-bench teams to change positions.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
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The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
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War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
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