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Chamber and committees

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee


Agenda: 20 August 2025

Wednesday, 20 August 2025

16th Meeting, 2025

Start time: 09:30am
Location: T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room
Agenda items:

  1. Decision on taking business in private
  2. British Sign Language Inquiry
  3. UK subordinate legislation
  4. British Sign Language Inquiry (in private)
  5. Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill
  6. Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
  7. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
  8. Work programme

Agenda published: Monday, 18 August 2025 12:29pm

Full agenda and available meeting papers


1. Decision on taking business in private

The Committee will decide whether to take items 5 to 8 in private.


2. British Sign Language Inquiry

The Committee will take evidence from—

  • Professor Annelies Kusters
    Professor of Sociolinguistics
    Heriot-Watt University
  • Dr Robert Adam
    Associate Professor in Languages and Intercultural Studies
    Heriot-Watt University
  • Stacey Gourlay
    Disability Liaison Officer
    NHS Forth Valley
  • and then from:

  • Kate Forbes
    Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy
    Scottish Government
  • Andrew Godfrey-Meers
    BSL and Social Isolation Policy Manager
    Scottish Government
  • Alison Taylor
    Deputy Director for Improvement, Attainment and Wellbeing
    Scottish Government

3. UK subordinate legislation

The Committee will consider a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating in a devolved area as set out in the following UK statutory instrument proposal—

Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Act 2020. 


4. British Sign Language Inquiry (in private)

The Committee will consider the evidence it heard under agenda item 2.


5. Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill

The Committee will consider its approach to the scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1.


6. Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (UK Parliament legislation)

The Committee will consider a draft report on the legislative consent memorandum lodged by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (LCM-S6-54).


7. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

The Committee will consider a draft letter to Kaukab Stewart MSP, Minister for Equalities.


8. Work programme

The Committee will consider its work programme.


Official Report

The Official Report of this meeting has not been published yet.

See all of this committee's Official Reports

Meeting Minutes

The Minutes of this meeting have not been published yet