MSPs to take evidence on Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 impact on race and employment

MSPs are to investigate the effect that the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the coronavirus pandemic have had on race and employment in Scotland.

The Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee will hear evidence from a range of representative bodies and local authority officials as part of its inquiry into race equality, employment and skills.

The committee says it wants views on the extent to which institutional racism plays a role in employment and how it can be addressed.

The broader inquiry will be looking into what is being done by public authorities to make sure minority ethnic communities have the same employment, training and career progression as others.

It’s focus will be on public authorities covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010, and the steps they are taking to increase the number of people they employ from minority ethnic communities.

Its first evidence session on Thursday will hear from Dave Black, General Manager, Grampian Regional Equality Council; Ruth Boyle, Policy and Parliamentary Officer, Close the Gap, Close the Gap; Silence Chihuri, CEO, Fair Justice System for Scotland Group; Lori Hughes, Partnership and Communities Manager, PKAVS Minority Communities Hub and Dilraj Sokhi Watson, Co-CEO (Acting), Amina Muslim Women’s Resource Centre.

Later it will take evidence from Thom Hughes, Senior Corporate HR Officer, Glasgow City Council; Kath McCormack, HR Manager, East Renfrewshire Council and Stuart Oliver, Senior Manager, Economic Development and Communities, Stirling Council.