Light on legislation, but new vision is not short on potential for controversy
WITH less than eight months before Holyrood shuts for the 2021 election, and a parliamentary backlog created by Covid-19, Nicolas Sturgeon’s seventh Programme for Government is unusually light on legislation.
There are only four new bills planned, one of which is the annual Budget Bill. The other three are:
The Domestic Abuse Bill, which will introduce emergency orders to protect people who are at risk of domestic abuse
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) Bill, which will force public authorities uphold the rights of all children in Scotland
And a bill to remove a legislative ban preventing St Andrews University awarding medical and dentistry degrees
There are also seven bills which have already been introduced will continue their progress.
The most contentious of these is the Hate Crime and Public Order Bill, which has been condemned by campaigners, the Scottish Police Federation, the Law Society of Scotland and others as potentially gagging freedom of speech.
The First Minister defended the objective of introducing a “stirring up” hatred offence yesterday, but also signalled she was willing to consider amendments.
Also controversial is the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) Bill, which aims to ensure Holyrood keeps pace with new EU rules and laws after Brexit, with one eye on an independent Scotland rejoining the EU. The bill clashes directly with UK Government plans for a harmonised UK internal market after Brexit, and there could be a legal challenge from London if MSPS pass it.
The other bills cover Defamation and Malicious Publication, Forensic Medical Services, Heat Networks, Redress for Survivors of Historical Child Abuse in Care, and Social Security Administration and Tribunal Membership.
Conspicuously not revived are controversial bills on Tourist Tax and Gender Recognition, which were parked because of Covid.
More relevant to the election are the plethora of measures on tackling the economic wreckage left by the pandemic, such as the £60m “youth guarantee” of a job, education or formal training for 16 to 24-year-olds and a £100m green jobs fund.
The draft referendum bill is also designed to gee up support for the SNP even though – and indeed because – it cannot become law.