Hate Crime Bill discussions and costs: FOI release

Information requested

1. Could you supply a full list of stakeholders the Scottish Government discussed the hate crime with between the time it was passed at Holyrood in 2021 (April 23 2021 until April 1 2024)?

2. How much has been spent on the hate crime bill since 2023, including a breakdown of costs, i.e. on advertising campaign, etc?

3. Humza Yousaf told the BBC on April 1 that the hate crime bill will deal with a "rising tide of hatred in Scotland" could you supply the evidence to back this up?

-https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-68708583

4. How many hate crime complaints have the Scottish Government been informed about about members of the government?

-Could you supply all correspondence sent and received surrounding this, from between April 1 and April 8?

5. Could you supply all briefings prepared for Siobhian Brown ahead of her media interviews between April 1 and April 5?

6. Could you supply all correspondence between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Football Association about the hate crime bill, including emails, minutes from phone calls and meetings etc, from between January 1 2024 and the date of this FOI?

7. Could you provide the definition of "vexatious" complaint as discussed by Humza Yousaf repeatedly in April?

Response

1. Could you supply a full list of stakeholders the Scottish Government discussed the hate crime with between the time it was passed at Holyrood in 2021 (April 23 2021 until April 1 2024)?

We have engaged with the following stakeholders between the April 23 2021 until April 1 2024 to inform the development of Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. This includes members of the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime Strategic Partnership Group (SPG) as well as wider organisations providing representation across the different hate crime characteristics.

SPG

BEMIS (Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland)
CEMVO (Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations)
COPFS (Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) 

Education Scotland
The Equality Network
Glasgow Disability Alliance
Interfaith Scotland
Police Scotland
RespectMe
SCTS (Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service)
SHRC (Scottish Human Rights Commission)
YouthLink Scotland

Wider Organisations

Disability Equality Scotland
CRER (Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights)
ESAS (East and South East Asian Scotland)
GREC (Grampian Regional Equality Council)
I Am Me
Klinefelters UK
MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development)
SCLD (Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities)
SCoJeC (Scottish Council of Jewish Communities)

2. How much has been spent on the hate crime bill since 2023, including a breakdown of costs, i.e. on advertising campaign, etc?

The information you have requested has previously been published as part of Scottish Government spent overall on the hate crime bill: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

3. Humza Yousaf told the BBC on April 1 that the hate crime bill will deal with a "rising tide of hatred in Scotland" could you supply the evidence to back this up?
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-68708583

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) publish data on Hate Crime in Scotland, which can be found: Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS.

4. How many hate crime complaints have the Scottish Government been informed about members of the government?
- Could you supply all correspondence sent and received surrounding this, from between April 1 and April 8?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we don't have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

5. Could you supply all briefings prepared for Siobhian Brown ahead of her media interviews between April 1 and April 5?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

6. Could you supply all correspondence between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Football Association about the hate crime bill, including emails, minutes from phone calls and meetings etc, from between January 1 2024 and the date of this FOI?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we don't have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

7. Could you provide the definition of "vexatious" complaint as discussed by Humza Yousaf repeatedly in April?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we don't have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

The recording of reported hate crimes and hate incidents is an operational matter for Police Scotland. You may therefore wish to contact them directly in relation to these matters.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202400408748 - Information released - Annex

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