The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 903 contributions
Social Justice and Social Security Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 September 2024
Marie McNair
Good morning. On the back of Mr O’Kane’s questions, what engagement have you had with, for example, Scottish Women’s Aid, which raised concerns about the fact that the equally safe framework did not align with the bill and other issues, such as victims not being notified of perpetrators being released from prison and the impact that that has with regard to homelessness?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 September 2024
Marie McNair
That was the next question that I was going to ask. Are funders expecting you to provide the real living wage without giving you the funding to do so? Does anyone else have any other examples of that happening?
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Meeting date: 3 September 2024
Marie McNair
That would be helpful to the committee. Thank you.
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Meeting date: 3 September 2024
Marie McNair
It is just about giving people reassurances, though. That is their concern, so we need to reassure them. Time will tell.
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Meeting date: 3 September 2024
Marie McNair
Good morning to you and your officials, minister. I want to know your thoughts on the financial and resource estimates in the financial memorandum. Do you think that they are an underestimate of the set-up cost?
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Meeting date: 3 September 2024
Marie McNair
Concerns were raised in the two evidence sessions by several stakeholders that the funding required for the disability commissioner could divert funding away from other policies that are aimed at disabled people. You also touched on that in your opening speech. It seems that you think that that is likely to be the case, so can you say more about that?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 27 June 2024
Marie McNair
Absolutely. As you know, a woman is most vulnerable when she is trying to leave. We know the statistics on that. I do not know whether any of my colleagues want to come in on that specific point; we have had a wee bit of discussion on it.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 27 June 2024
Marie McNair
It is really important that we simplify the process. On average, a woman will leave seven times before she finally leaves, so it is about putting in place the means to enable her to move. It is good to see that there is good practice in local authorities. Police and partnerships that deal with violence against women are already working together, but we need to build on that.
The bill provides that social landlords will have to consider whether domestic abuse is a factor in rent arrears cases as part of the social landlord’s pre-action requirement. It has been mentioned that there is a gap in those requirements as, obviously, they do not apply to private landlords. Why is that the case?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 27 June 2024
Marie McNair
Good morning, minister and officials.
Some respondents to the call for views supported the domestic abuse provisions, but they stated that the existing legislation and strategy—particularly the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021 and the “Improving housing outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic abuse” report—must be implemented to make a difference. How are you ensuring that the domestic abuse provisions in the bill can be as effective as possible through a more joined-up approach between the existing legislation and the policy?
I know that you touched on that earlier, but is there anything more that you would like to add?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 27 June 2024
Marie McNair
What provisions does the bill contain in relation to the transfer of tenancies from perpetrators to victims? There is good practice in some authorities. Have previous provisions been enacted yet?