Debbie Figures from the Scottish Women's Convention says her organisation holds a lot of round table events with women and is very inclusive of all voices of women on social media.

Ms Figures says an event of school age to around 20 years old looking at the Offensive Behaviour at Football Event where there was 20 young women.

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She says another event on the Act had 40 women, but there was widespread input from roadshows.

Ms Figures says 40 women had contacted the Scottish Women's Convention to withdraw their submission over the weekend.

Labour MSP Mary Fee asks how the Act protects women from being groped, sexually assaulted or raped

Ms Figures says using breach of the peace for threatening of rape is not acceptable .

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Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins from Police Scotland, told the committee before the break, that there were 42 professional clubs in Scotland and 24 have been charged under the Act.

Anthony McGeehan from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service outlines some statistics relating to charges reported and action taken:

• 2012-13 267 charges reported and no action taken in three
• 2013-14 206 charges reported and no action taken in 16
• 2014-15 193 charges reported and no action taken in four
• 2015-16 286 charges reported and no action taken in 14
• 2016-17 377 charges reported and no action taken in seven

Anthony Horan from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland, answering the question "Has the Act changed behaviour at football?", says: "My experience is it hasn't appeared to got any worse, but it hasn't got any better either.

"It hasn't changed dramatically."

Debbie Figures from the Scottish Women's Convention, who admits she does not attend footbal matches, says: "I don't know if it's improved in football grounds, but women have told us how they feel that they are in particular scared and feel under scrutiny at football matches."

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Reverend Ian Galloway from the Church of Scotland Church and Society Council says he has led a very sheltered life but he has attended a lot of football matches when he was younger, which were some of the most "frightening events" in his life.

Rev. Galloway says nothing has got worse but he cannot say things have got markedly better.

He says when you got to an event where aggressive thoughts are expressed between two groups of people, then "you have to say that is not very good".

The Church of Scotland says it is easy for us to normalise behaviour at football that should not be normalised.

Image source, SNS

SNP MSP Rona Mackay asks "has the Act led to a change of behaviour at football matches?"

Chris Oswald from the Equality and Human Rights Commission:"I think it's hard to say. I don't know how you could measure that."

Ephraim Borowski from the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities says he is against repealing any hate crime legislation.

Mr Borowski says the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act should not be repealed when their is a review of hate crime legislation.

Debbie Figures from the Scottish Women's Convention says her organisation welcomes any moves to tackle discrimination.

Ms Figures says women are not protected by hate crime and breach of the peace for rape threats and sexual harassment during a match are not enough or acceptable.

Chris Oswald from the Equality and Human Rights Commission says: "Until the wider review has been progressed and its findings put out for discussion and debate, it would be unwise at this point to repeal the Act."

He warns: "While the discussions of the act are around sectarianism, we need to note that protections around disabled people, for trans people, would also be lost.

"The commission recognises freedom of speech are important, they need to be balanced against the international laws against that discriminate or incite violence."

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Reverend Ian Galloway from the Church of Scotland Church and Society Council says when the current Act was being introduced the Church of Scotland cautioned that it was important to see the impact of that piece of legislation.

Rev. Galloway says it is to the government's credit that there has been considerable work on this.

He says: "Sectarianism is still very much an issue."

Rev. Galloway says the Church of Scotland cautioned around the speed of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act and it cautions against the speed of this repeal Bill.

He says it would be wise to not rush repeal or amendment.

Justice Committee convener Margaret Mitchell begins the session by asking the panel how do they feel about the Bill.

Anthony Horan from the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Scotland says: "We were supportive of the broad principle to tackle offensive behaviour.

"Underneath that there are questions of the Act and how it was brought into being.

"It was fast tracked somewhat, and wasn't given the proper scrutiny.

"There is a question over whether it was necessary. There was already legislation in common law which would cover the offences."

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Justice Committee, external convener Margaret Mitchell gets this evidence session on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Repeal) (Scotland) Bill, external underway.

Ms Mitchell introduces:

• Anthony Horan from the Catholic Bishops'Conference of Scotland, external
• Reverend Ian Galloway, from the Church of Scotland Church and Society Council, external
• Chris Oswald from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, external
• Ephraim Borowski from the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, external
• Debbie Figures from the Scottish Women's Convention, external

Read their submissions here., external

The Justice Committee, external will shortly take evidence on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Repeal) (Scotland) Bill, external.

MSPs will take evidence from:

• Anthony Horan from the Catholic Bishops'Conference of Scotland, external
• Reverend Ian Gallowa, from the Church of Scotland Church and Society Council, external
• Chris Oswald from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, external
• Ephraim Borowski from the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, external
• Debbie Figures from the Scottish Women's Convention, external

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and then from:

• Desmond Ziolo from the Glasgow Bar Association, external
• Alan McCreadie from the Law Society of Scotland, external
• Professor Fiona Leverick from the University of Glasgow, external

• Stewart Regan, chief executive officer, Scottish Football Association, external
• Neil Doncaster, chief executive, Scottish Professional Football League, external

Read their submissions here., external

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Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live's coverage of the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 7 November 2017.

The Justice Committee will take evidence on the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Repeal) (Scotland) Bill.

SNP MSP Ruth Maguire will ask about the CPAG report 'The Austerity Generation' during topical questions.

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will issue 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.