From the Bishops' Conference of Scotland website, external:

The Bishops' Conference of Scotland enables the Roman Catholic Bishops in Scotland to work together, undertaking nationwide initiatives through their Commissions and Agencies.

The members of the Bishops' Conference are the Bishops of the eight Scottish Dioceses. Where appropriate the Bishops Emeriti (retired) provide a much welcomed contribution to the work of the conference. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland is a permanently constituted assembly.

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Anthony Horan from Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland says he is pleased to participate in this inquiry.

Mr Horan says he has an overview of the Catholic Church and its various agencies.

He says the conference is very keen to assist the committee to eradicate bullying in any form.

The committee will now hear from:

• Anthony Horan from Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland
• Rev Dr Richard Frazer from the Church of Scotland
• Imam Hassan Rabbini from the Muslim Council of Scotland
• Samena Dean from Scotland Against Criminalising Communities and author of Islamophobia in Edinburgh Schools
• Scottish Council of Jewish Communities youth worker Brittany Ritell
• Charlie Lynch from the Scottish Secular Society

SNP MSP David Torrance asks Girlguiding Scotland to expand on why the anti-bullying strategies have been so successful.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says it is about education at a young age and that is starts at the bottom.

Ms Brisbane says it is peer led.

Scouting Scotland SHQ commissioner Anne Whiteford says it is about the leadership and training and creating a positive environment for scouts and guides.

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Committee convener Christina McKelvie asks if bullying should be a public health issue.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness saysa: "Yes because it stops girls doing what they want to do."

She says she hated P.E because she watched girls getting assaulted and being cat-called in co-ed classes.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says schools often protect the perpetrator not the girls who have their mental health affected.

Committee convener Christina McKelvie asks about the links between bullying and mental health.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane clear link between bullying and harassing and mental health.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says there is a Think Resilient scheme to help with mental health from an early age and it is tailored to friendships and bouncing back when things are difficult.

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Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan says there are some co-educational and some single sex groups for P.E.

Mr Allan says modest kit is perfectly acceptable for girls to wear.

Kirkcaldy High School student Cameron Bowie says he took P.E as a subject and there were more males than females.

Mr Bowie says he saw no form of sexual harassment in P.E in school.

SNP MSP Gail Ross says social media did not exist when she was at school and picture sharing has "ramped up bullying".

Ms Ross asks if there is any gaps between local authorities or is it based on a school by school basis.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says they cannot break down the research like that because it is UK wide.

Ms Ross says a difficult time for her at school was during P.E. lessons and asks what can be done to tackle harassment in that setting.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says it is something that needs to be looked into and that as a girl organisation she believes having a girl only space is important.

Committee convener Christina McKelvie asks if it was easier to report issues out of school.

Niamh McGeechan from the STAMP Project at Lanarkshire Rape Crisis says: "Absolutely."

Ms McGeechan says it looks like not much has happened at her old school but young people want something to happen.

She says all things done at Kirkcaldy High seems alien to her but it seems amazing.

Ms McKelvie asks how under-reporting can be dealt with.

Niamh McGeechan from the STAMP Project at Lanarkshire Rape Crisis says one of the reasons people might not report is because they are made to feel that it is their fault.

Ms McGeechan says she attended a Catholic school where everything is swept under the carpet.

She says there must be a greater sense that your body is yours and that it does not belong to anyone else and people must respect that.

Ms McGeechan says it is about giving people a place where they can talk about things if they want to do so.

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Scouting Scotland SHQ commissioner Anne Whiteford says there is a policy when people apply to be leaders of the movement there is a paper trail and interview where their views on LGBTI and gender scouting can be asked.

Ms Whiteford says: "Depending on the answers we can say no to people."

She says there are resources for anti-bullying and resources to help combat cyber-bullying.

What is Snapchat streak? And why is it worrying some kids?

Newsround's Ricky Boleto explains.

Mr Balfour says online bullying is an issue because children cannot escape it outside school ours.

The Tory MSP says his niece was badly bullied online and asks if teachers see that as something that is not there responsibility because it's happening outside school time.

Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan says "no" it is still something that schools should help and get involved with.

Mr Allan says that Snapchat can be one of the worst apps for bullying because what is posted disappears after 30 seconds.

He says that Kirkcaldy High School uses social media to engage with pupils in a positive way.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says girls need to know that they will be taken seriously and the incident will dealt with.

It's the luck of the draw what you are going to get with teachers she says and there must be guidance for teachers.

Mr Balfour thanks the witnesses for what they are doing as an MSP and a father of two daughters.

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour says what is being talked about this is "criminal" and asks why the witnesses think that teachers often turn a blind eye.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says she thinks that the culture is just so strong and that some of the female teachers are intimidated too.

Ms McGuiness says that schools need to give teachers more support and that there are stories of them being harassed and filmed by teenage boys too,

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says that teachers often turn a blind eye to issues too.

Mr Balfour asks what could make a difference.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says that earlier education is important in trying to change the culture and encourage more girls to come forward.

Labour MSP Mary Fee asks what the reaction of the teaching staff was when instances were reported.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says the teachers said that they were monitoring the situation and senior teachers sat in on lessons but that it was never dealt with.