Hate Crime Strategic Partnership Group minutes: February 2023

Attendees and apologies

• Christina McKelvie MSP, Minister for Equalities and Older People (Chair)

• Age Scotland

• Equality Network

• BEMIS

• CEMVO

• Scottish Human Rights Commission

• Equality and Human Rights Commission

• Interfaith Scotland

• Police Scotland

• Education Scotland

• Respectme

• Youthlink Scotland

• Glasgow Disability Alliance        

• Equality Network    

• COPFS

• COSLA

• Scottish Human Rights Commission

• Equality and Human Rights Commission

Scottish Government officials

• Hate Crime Team

• Safer Marketing

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Minister welcomed members to the meeting of Hate Crime Strategic Partnership Group.

Minutes of the previous meeting

Members agreed minutes of the November 24 meeting.

Hate Crime Strategy and delivery plan

Hate Crime Strategy

The Minister thanked members for their comments on the draft Hate Crime Strategy to date and asked for any further feedback on the latest version.

Partners reflections included need to:

• strengthen the narrative and focus around human rights with particular reference to achievements in compliance, including civil society organisations’ engagement on provision of data through the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021
• ensure lived experience is at the heart of commitments and that the commitment to ongoing engagement is clear
• acknowledge some communities mistrust in police and criminal justice processes

Actions:

• SPG to share any further comments on the strategy with the hate crime team
• a final version of the strategy will be shared with the SPG ahead of publication

Delivery plan

The Minister explained that a delivery plan will follow quickly after the publication of the strategy and that it will set out immediate and medium-longer term activity in support of the strategy. The delivery plan will be developed in partnership, will set out clear accountability and timeframes for delivery and how we will measure progress.

A draft delivery plan will be discussed at the next meeting of the SPG.

Strategy launch

The Minister invited members for views on an event to mark the publication of the strategy. SPG members agreed it was important to mark the publication and were keen to ensure that those who participated in lived experience engagement were able to participate.

Action: Officials to arrange a further discussion with SPG members to agree a suitable approach to a launch event to support the strategy’s publication.

Marketing campaign

Safer Marketing provided an update on the hate crime campaign creatives in development.

Any other business

The next meeting of the SPG will take place in April.

The status of the section 15 guidance was raised.

Action: Officials will send the updated section 15 guidance to members.