Each year the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee looks at what the Scottish Government should consider during the development of its Budget.
The Committee previously agreed a three-year pre-budget scrutiny plan to look at each principle of human rights budgeting in turn:
For the 2025-26 period, the Committee focussed its work on Budget transparency. The Committee was particularly interested in transparency in the context of human rights budgeting, and the role of National Outcomes in supporting transparent and data-driven decision-making and mainstreaming equalities across portfolios.
The Committee’s scrutiny also explored the Scottish Government’s progress on implementing the recommendations made by the Equalities and Human Rights Budget Advisory Group (EHRBAG) in 2021.
The inquiry was discussed at the following Committee meetings:
The Committee has sent and received the following correspondence during the inquiry:
Written submission from the Scottish Women's Budget Group, 13 February 2025
Written submission from CRER - Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, 13 February 2025
Written submission from Audit Scotland, 12 February 2025
Joint written submission from the Equality Network, Inclusion Scotland and CEMVO Scotland, 4 February 2025
Letter from the Convener to stakeholders, 29 January 2025
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, 19 December 2024
Letter from the Minister for Equalities, 5 December 2024
Letter to the Minister for Equalities, 20 November 2024
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, 20 November 2024
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, 19 September 2024
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, 28 June 2024