Published 26 November 2018 SP Paper 431 6th Report, 2018 (Session 5) Equalities and Human Rights Committee Comataidh Co-ionnanachd agus Còraichean Daonna Getting Rights Right: Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament Published in Scotland by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. All documents are available on the Scottish For information on the Scottish Parliament contact Parliament website at: Public Information on: http://www.parliament.scot/abouttheparliament/ Telephone: 0131 348 5000 91279.aspx Textphone: 0800 092 7100 Email: [email protected] © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliament Corporate Body The Scottish Parliament's copyright policy can be found on the website — www.parliament.scot Equalities and Human Rights Committee Getting Rights Right: Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament, 6th Report, 2018 (Session 5) Contents Foreword from the Convener _____________________________________________1 Summary of Key Recommendations _______________________________________5 Introduction ____________________________________________________________8 Background ___________________________________________________________8 The need for an inquiry ________________________________________________8 Our approach ________________________________________________________8 Commission on Parliamentary Reform_____________________________________9 Appointment of an adviser _____________________________________________10 Human rights development ____________________________________________10 Evidence gathering and engagement activities _____________________________10 Human rights challenges facing Scotland __________________________________14 The UK's withdrawal from the European Union _______________________________14 Need for monitoring for EU human rights protections ________________________15 Keeping pace with EU human rights protection _____________________________16 Perceived threat to the European Convention on Human Rights _______________16 Conclusion _________________________________________________________16 Austerity ____________________________________________________________17 Socio-economic disadvantage _________________________________________18 Human rights-based approach to budgeting _______________________________18 Scottish Government approach to tackling poverty __________________________18 Barriers faced by protected characteristics groups and other vulnerable groups _____19 Rights for people experiencing mental health problems ______________________20 Children's rights _____________________________________________________20 The need for rights' advocacy support ___________________________________20 Conclusion _________________________________________________________21 Leadership in Human Rights _____________________________________________22 Civic society _________________________________________________________22 The Scottish Government _______________________________________________22 The Scottish Parliament_________________________________________________23 Conclusion _________________________________________________________23 The Human Rights 'Voice' in the Parliament _________________________________24 Conclusion _________________________________________________________24 The human rights framework ____________________________________________25 Background __________________________________________________________25 Equalities and Human Rights Committee Getting Rights Right: Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament, 6th Report, 2018 (Session 5) Understanding the human rights framework _________________________________26 International human rights framework ______________________________________26 International treaty monitoring ___________________________________________28 The Universal Periodic Review _________________________________________29 Scottish Government accountability against international human rights standards _29 Parliaments' engagement with the United Nation ___________________________30 Conclusion _______________________________________________________31 A Scottish mechanism for implementation, reporting and follow up______________32 Scotland's National Action Plan for human rights ___________________________33 Conclusion _______________________________________________________33 Third sector involvement in UN rights treaty monitoring ______________________34 Conclusion _______________________________________________________34 European human rights protections _______________________________________36 The European Convention on Human Rights ________________________________36 EU Charter of Fundamental Rights ________________________________________36 Access to justice for human rights breaches _______________________________38 Routes for legal redress ________________________________________________38 Roles of inspection, regulatory and complaints bodies _________________________38 Improving current enforcement and remedies _______________________________39 Conclusion _________________________________________________________40 Incorporation of international human rights law into Scots Law __________________40 Alternatives to incorporation _____________________________________________42 Conclusion _________________________________________________________43 Building a culture of human rights ________________________________________44 Embedding human rights across the Scottish Parliament _______________________44 National human rights institution ________________________________________45 The equalities and human rights remit ___________________________________46 Conclusion _______________________________________________________48 Permanency of the human rights remit _____________________________________48 Conclusion _________________________________________________________49 Human rights scrutiny __________________________________________________51 Human rights and legislative competence ___________________________________51 The Scotland Act 1998________________________________________________51 Statements on legislative competence____________________________________51 Conclusion _________________________________________________________52 Availability of human rights information to inform parliamentary scrutiny ___________53 Equalities and Human Rights Committee Getting Rights Right: Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament, 6th Report, 2018 (Session 5) Human rights memorandums __________________________________________54 Conclusion _________________________________________________________55 Legislative and policy impact assessments _________________________________56 Human rights impact assessment _______________________________________56 Conclusion _______________________________________________________57 Joint equalities and human rights impact assesment ________________________58 Conclusion _______________________________________________________58 Systematic legislative scrutiny ____________________________________________59 Conclusion _________________________________________________________60 Potential further areas ________________________________________________61 Implementation of delegated powers _____________________________________61 Post-legislative scrutiny _______________________________________________62 Conclusion _______________________________________________________62 A human rights-based approach to conducting scrutiny ______________________64 Balancing rights _______________________________________________________64 Human rights-based approaches _________________________________________65 Participation and engagement __________________________________________68 Conclusion _______________________________________________________68 Childrens and young people's participation ________________________________69 Conclusion _______________________________________________________70 Increasing awareness about human rights ________________________________71 Conclusion _______________________________________________________71 Building capacity ______________________________________________________71 Human rights professional development __________________________________72 Conclusion _______________________________________________________72 Human rights Champions _____________________________________________73 Conclusion _______________________________________________________73 Implementation and resourcing ___________________________________________75 Annex A - Gypsy Travellers in Scotland - A Human Rights Case Study __________76 Acronyms used in this Annex_____________________________________________80 Annex B - Extract from Minutes __________________________________________81 Annex C - Glossary of terms and acronyms ________________________________82 Annex D - Written Evidence ______________________________________________85 Bibliography___________________________________________________________86 Equalities and Human Rights Committee Getting Rights Right: Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament, 6th Report, 2018 (Session 5) Equalities and Human Rights Committee To consider and report on matters relating to equal opportunities and upon the observance of equal opportunities within the Parliament (and any additional matter added under Rule 6.1.5A). In these Rules, “equal opportunities” includes the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions such