Information regarding the Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for further information regarding the Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board, including details of previous meetings and the future of the Board beyond 31 March 2023. I have also sent a physical copy to your address as requested and have listed your questions and responded to each in turn below.

Response

1. ‘Has the Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board met since its last published minutes meeting on the 7th of December 2021?’

Yes - since 7 December 2021 the Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board has met in April 2022 and December 2022.

2. ‘Have any minutes been made of these meetings? If so, can I get a copy, if not why not?’

The information you have requested regarding the April 2022 meeting of the Board is now available on the Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board website - https://www.gov.scot/groups/human-rights-bill-governance--engagement-advisory-board-executiveboard/

Minutes for the December 2022 meeting will follow in due course and once Board members have had the opportunity to review these, as per the Board’s usual process for clearing minutes of its meetings.

Under section 27(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information that is going to be published within 12 weeks . 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. ‘The last minutes on gov.scot refer to a meeting in April 2022, did this occur?’

Yes – minutes for this meeting are now available on the Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board website - https://www.gov.scot/groups/human-rights-bill-governance-- engagement-advisory-board-executive-board/

4. Is the Board still intended to dissolve 31 March 2023, as per Human Rights Bill Governance and Engagement Executive Board: terms of reference - gov.scot.

The Board is expected to continue beyond this date. The Board’s Terms of Reference Terms of Reference states that:
‘The Executive Board will meet three times per year (every four months), until the end of its lifetime on 31 March 2023, with the potential to extend this lifetime should the Scottish Government require further engagement on the framework.’
Extending the lifetime of the Board will be discussed by the Executive Board at its next meeting and its Terms of Reference updated to reflect the outcome of these discussions.

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.