Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you. I come from a background of regulatory services and trading standards, so I thought that it would be good to ask a question about how we would enforce any provisions.

In relation to the urgency around the bill, what more can we do so that we do not hinder anyone’s religious beliefs and practices and, instead, focus more on the actual ban? We have talked a little bit about information and education around the bill, but I would like to hear further views.

Thank you for your opening statement. How do you see the Scottish Government turning the proposed bill around with full support and engagement from all the necessary organisations? What organisations do you think that the Scottish Government should be working with to ensure smooth delivery?

Today, we have heard that conversion therapy happens in the home, the community and religious settings. I want to ask about the enforcement agencies and complaints system around the ban, should it be implemented. Given what you know about other countries that have worked on such measures, who should be responsible for enforcement? Should we outsource that to a public body, such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission, or should the third sector be involved as well?

I thank the witnesses for their helpful opening statements. I know that you have all touched on this, but does increased participation deliver better budgets, and what needs to be in place for it to be successful? What is your experience of creating and delivering opportunities for participation?

Thank you, convener, and good morning, Rhoda.

We hope that we are getting over Covid, and we are in a very different place. Rhoda, you said that no further consultation is needed, but would there be a benefit in talking again to organisations, given that they were consulted more than a year ago?

I vote yes.

I welcome the panel. You have all said that the pandemic has had a devastating impact on gender equality. It has been said that women have been set back by decades. I would like to ask about the risk that women’s unfair responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work might get worse and reduce their ability to find paid work and income.

First, are we looking at the prospect of having a two-tier workplace where men go back but women stay at home? Secondly, a survey for the BBC that was published this morning says:

“just over half (56%) of women said they thought working from home would help them progress at work, as childcare and caring duties become less of a hindrance to working full-time.”

Would a shift to flexible work patterns create a more equal playing field for some women?

With human rights budgeting being so new, do you know of any lessons learned from international comparators on equalities and human rights budgeting? Which countries and regions can Scotland learn from?

With human rights budgeting being so new, do you know of any lessons learned from international comparators on equalities and human rights budgeting? Which countries or regions can Scotland learn from?