Sturgeon makes gay convictions apology

Summary

The Justice Committee takes evidence on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Repeal) (Scotland) Bill
SNP MSP Ruth Maguire asks about the CPAG report 'The Austerity Generation' during topical questions
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issues an apology to all those convicted of same-sex activity that is now legal.
MSPs will then debate the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson leads a member’s debate marking Respect for Shopworkers Week

Live Reporting

Craig Hutchison and Andrew Southwick

Postpublished at 14:31 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Postpublished at 14:30 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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'Wiping the slate clean'published at 14:30 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
Ms Dugdale says the pardon will lead to the crucial formality of disregards.
She says: "In other words wiping the slate clean."
The former Scottish Labour leader says women caught for loving other women were punished and painted out of history.
She says the LGBT community has marched together and this apology is a product of their work and sweat and tears.
'Today is a landmark day in Scotland's LGBT history'published at 14:29 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale offers her "congratulations and appreciation to the government for this apology today".
She says: "This matters because it effects men who are alive today. But it also matters to those who are no longer here.
"We can not risk complacency, and upholding anti-discriminatory laws is critical.
"Today is a landmark day in Scotland's LGBT history."
Ms Davidson adds her 'unequivocal and wholehearted apology to that of the first minister'published at 14:26 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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The gallery applauds Ms Davidson's speech
Ms Davidson says the Scottish government's approach to disregard is proportionate and correct in its fundamentals.
The Scottish Conservative leader says her party will scrutinise the Historical Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) Bill
Ms Davidson says she adds her "unequivocal and wholehearted apology to that of the first minister".
'The jigsaw of equal rights is not yet complete'published at 14:25 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says "the jigsaw of equal rights is not yet complete.
"Acts that were innocent were once perceived as immoral.
"Thousands will now be pardoned, both living and dead. We're not talking about a few unlucky individuals.
"My hope for those men and their families is they now feel a weight lifted.
"My hope for the young men for today is they never fear their love being found out."
Postpublished at 14:22 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Postpublished at 14:21 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Postpublished at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Postpublished at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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'I categorically, unequivocally and wholeheartedly apologise for those laws 'published at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Ms Sturgeon says: "Today as first minister I categorically, unequivocally and wholeheartedly apologise for those laws and for the hurt and the harm they caused to so many."
She says she hopes this apology will provide some comfort to those that endured these injustices.
Tears in parliament as First Minister apologisespublished at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Two men in the chamber are emotional as they listen to Nicola Sturgeon's speech
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon: "For people who were convicted of same sex relationships, the wrong was by the state to them, not by the individuals.
"The simple fact is that parliamentarians supported or accepted laws that we now recognise to be completely unjust."
Postpublished at 14:16 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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'The Bill we have published today rights a historic wrong'published at 14:16 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says this morning the the Historical Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) Bill was published.
Ms Sturgeon says it is shocking that men were criminalised just for loving each other in her life time.
She says the legislation published today legislation will give an automatic pardon to gay men convicted under historical discriminatory laws.
The first minister says the parliament recognises that a wrong was done to these men.
She says: "The Bill we have published today rights a historic wrong."
Background: Gay men to receive Scottish government apologypublished at 14:12 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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The first minister will now apologise on behalf of the Scottish government to gay men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences.
Nicola Sturgeon's apology will coincide with new legislation giving an automatic pardon to those affected.
The legislation was promised by Ms Sturgeon when she presented her programme for government in September.
The law will also allow the removal of such crimes from criminal records.
A Scottish government spokesman said that Ms Sturgeon would apologise to those convicted prior to 2001 under discriminatory laws against same-sex sexual activity that is now legal.
Read more here.
'We will endeavour always to increase our efforts to help those in need'published at 14:12 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Cabinet secretary Angela Constance
Background: Gay marriage law comes into effect in Scotlandpublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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Image caption,
Douglas Pretsell and Peter Gloster formalised their marriage in Sydney
Scotland's law on same-sex marriages came into effect on 16 December 2014.
Existing civil partnerships can now be converted to a marriage and other same-sex couples can give notice of their intention to wed.
The legislation was used for the first time shortly after midnight when one couple upgraded their civil partnership at the British consulate in Sydney.
The first gay weddings in Scotland took place on Hogmanay.
Read more here.
Background: Coming Oot: The fabulous history of gay Scotlandpublished at 14:10 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
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For many years Scotland just did not do gay. Homosexuality was dangerous and taboo, and it was actually against the law right up to the 1980s. So how did a country that seemed to take pride in its prejudices end up with the best gay rights in Europe?
Post-war Scotland was a deeply conservative place. In fact, half the country voted Tory in 1950 and most people attended the Kirk on a Sunday. Sex was rarely, if ever, mentioned.
If talking about the birds and bees in the 1950s was taboo then mention of the possibility of bees getting together with each other was totally forbidden.
Dr Jeff Meek, the author of Queer Voices in Post-War Scotland, says: "There was almost a bar on talking about same-sex desire."
He says homosexuality was something families, religious institutions, the medical profession and society at large all chose to ignore.
Read more here.
Apology to those convicted for same-sex sexual activity statementpublished at 14:09 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
The first minister will now deliver an apology to those convicted for same-sex sexual activity that is now legal.
Child Poverty Bill debate tomorrowpublished at 14:09 Greenwich Mean Time 7 November 2017
Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says the parliament will debate the Scottish government's Child Poverty Bill.
Mr Tomkins says the Bill has been strengthened by the opposition
Ms Constance says she hopes MSPs can unite across the chamber to push forward with the Child Poverty Bill.