Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Repealing the Hate Crime Act

Russell Findlay S6M-12855 That the Parliament believes that the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 should be repealed. Siobhian Brown S6M-12855.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-12855 in the name of Russell Findlay (Repealing the Hate Crime Act), leave out from "should" to end and insert ", as supported by the majority of the Parliament, will provide greater protections for those who are targeted victims of hate crime; notes that the Act was developed following a review into hate crime by senior retired judge Lord Bracadale, who recommended specific legislation to recognise the impact and harm caused by hate crime; further notes that around a third of hate crimes in Scotland involved a victim who experienced the incident at their place of work or whilst undertaking duties as part of their occupation, most of whom were working in retail or other service industries, and that a quarter of recorded hate crimes had a police officer victim, and recognises that the impact on victims of hate crime can be traumatic and life changing." Pauline McNeill S6M-12855.4 As an amendment to motion S6M-12550 in the name of Russell Findlay (Repealing the Hate Crime Act), leave out from “believes” to end and insert “recognises that the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 was intended to improve protections for individuals and communities from hate, but has been let down by the chaotic implementation of it by the Scottish National Party administration; acknowledges the Scottish Government’s failure to properly communicate the changes in the legislation, or to give adequate training to Police Scotland; requests that the Criminal Justice Committee carry out an urgent review into the operation of the Act, specifically the new provisions, and calls on the Scottish Government to urgently address the flaws in its implementation of the Act, to use its powers under section 12 of the Act to add the characteristic of sex as an aggravator and protected characteristic under the Act, and to review the recording of hate incident reporting to make sure that it is compliant with human rights law and prevents the recording of vexatious complaints."