Humza Yousaf questioned over new hate crime laws

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Green MSP Maggie Chapman asks for an update on what action the Scottish government is taking to deliver the New Deal for Tenants.

Under the plans, longer-term rent controls would be introduced for the private sector.

Local councils will also have a duty to carry out assessments on the state of private accommodation in their area.

The bill - which comes against the backdrop of four local authorities declaring a housing emergency - has been welcomed by tenants' rights groups.

But the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) has warned the legislation would exacerbate Scotland’s housing crisis.

The FM says: "I am delighted that this week the Housing (Scotland) Bill was introduced to this parliament, marking a huge milestone in our commitment to help deliver that new deal for tenants, that we're extremely proud of."

• Read more about the housing bill here.

Labour’s Paul Sweeney asks what the government is doing to expedite the restoration of the Glasgow School of Art (GSA), nearly a decade on from the first fire. He asks if the FM will personally intervene like the French president, Emmanuel Macron, did with the restoration of Notre Dame, following a fire in 2019.

Yousaf mentions the GSA plan for a faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh building, and that it is owned by the GSA who have responsibility for decision making.

He points out that Notre Dame is owned by the French government, though says it is right to question the length of time the restoration is taking.

He also says the building was under control of the fire service for a number of years for investigations.

The Scottish government “commandeering” the project is not the right approach, he says, and adds that funding will come from a whole “range of resources”.

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SNP MSP Christine Grahame asks about regulations relating to XL Bully-type dogs coming into force.

Grahame accuses the UK government of "knee-jerk legislation" resulting in healthy dogs being put down and she calls for clear guidance in Scotland.

New rules on the ownership of XL Bully-style dogs are now in place in Scotland.

Under the laws, the breeding and sale of the animals are now banned, while those already kept as pets must be muzzled in public places.

The legislation was brought in after the breed was linked to a string of serious and sometimes fatal attacks.

It brings Scotland in line with restrictions passed in England and Wales earlier this year.

The first minister explains the Scottish government website provides the definition of an XL Bully dog.

Yousaf pledges "crystal clear guidance" and publicity around it.

Sarwar turns to the record of the SNP.

The last year has seen three defections. He also highlights comment from SNP deputy leader Keith Brown, who said MPs should withdraw from Westminster.

"In one year Humza Yousaf has lost every electoral test he has been set," he says, asking whether Yousaf agrees with former prominent SNP cabinet secretary Alex Neil, who said the SNP's independence strategy is "mince".

Shouting erupts in the chamber prompting the presiding officer to call for quiet.

Yousaf rounds on Sarwar, pointing to UK Labour's praise for Margaret Thatcher's vision. He says in the year he’s been first minister he has stood by his values and principles.

He reiterates the merits of his record, concluding the only consistency of Anas Sarwar is his “inconsistency”.

The first minister says he believes in the verdict of the Scottish people who continue to elect the SNP.

On the issues mentioned, he says there has been record investment in the NHS as well as record numbers of junior doctors and NHS staffing. He also points out there have been no NHS strikes in Scotland, unlike England and Wales

Sarwar calls his response “record levels of denial and bluster” and asks: "How can Scotland afford another two years of this?"

Yousaf defends his record,stating that 100,000 children have been lifted out of poverty.

He also says GPD per head has increased at a greater rate in Scotland than the rest of the UK.

He says Sarwar has "dumped" every principle and accuses him of "falling in line" with Sir Keir Starmer.

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Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar begins his questioning by turning to Humza Yousaf’s record as first minister a year on from taking the top job at Holyrood.

He says Yousaf has led the Scottish government with “no vision, no strategy and no plan”.

Sarwar says experts including Audit Scotland have criticised the SNP government’s approach on the NHS, the economy, the housing crisis and climate change.

He asks does Yousaf agree with the verdict of the experts?

Ross says the police are giving a stark warning that the bill is flawed, and these warnings are being ignored.

The Scottish Tory leader points to the comments of the SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who said that "for many the process will be the punishment".

Ross asks if the FM recognises that the law will have a chilling effect on free speech.

The first minister insists there are protections for freedom of speech in the act. He says in fact there is a triple lock of protections.

Yousaf says he has absolute faith in the police's ability to weed out vexatious complaints.

"The Hate Crime Act will come into force on April Fool's Day but it is no joke," says Ross.

But Yousaf hits back saying everyone should be proud of the law.

Humza Yousaf says he is "not entirely convinced" by the Tory party claim to have a "zero tolerance approach" to discrimination.

He accuses the Conservatives of "tak[ing] money from a racist misogynist and then refus[ing] to give it back".

The first minister was referring to comments allegedly made by a top Tory donor about a black female MP.

He adds that the Hate Crime Act only extends protections to other marginalised groups in the same way he has been protected, because of his race, since 1986.

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First Minister Humza Yousaf was the justice secretary who shepherded the Hate Crime bill through the Scottish Parliament, declaring at the time that it "sent a strong and clear message to victims, perpetrators, communities and to wider society that offences motivated by prejudice will be treated seriously and will not be tolerated."

The law criminalises threatening or abusive behaviour which is intended to stir up hatred against someone who possesses, or appears to possess, certain characteristics.

They are age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics sometimes known as being intersex.

Stirring up racial hatred by using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour was already illegal under the Public Order Act 1986 and that remains the case under the new legislation.

The new law also provides for stiffer sentences for offenders convicted of crimes deemed to be "aggravated by prejudice," — in other words if they demonstrate malice or ill-will towards their victim based on the protected characteristics listed above, with the addition of a category for race, colour, nationality or ethnicity.

Controversially, the protected characteristics in the act do not include sex itself, an omission criticised by some feminist groups.

The Hate and Public Order (Scotland) Act comes into force on 1 April.

• Read more here.

Humza Yousaf says the recording of non-crime hate incidents comes as a direct result of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry.

They have been around for many, many years he adds.

He goes on to quote the chief constable of Police Scotland, who said the recording of hate incidents can be used to give a sense of "community tensions".

The first minister points out the Hate Crime Act has not come into force yet and there is nothing in it that changes how incidents are recorded.

But Ross replies that it sounds like Yousaf believes people should have a police record when they've done nothing wrong.

The Scottish Tory leader calls the Murdo Fraser example unacceptable, and says the incident is "just the tip of the iceberg".

"The controversial new law is ripe for abuse," he adds.

Ross asks if the FM accepts "this law could be weaponised".

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Douglas Ross gets to his feet and begins his first question to Humza Yousaf.

He begins with a question about the new hate crime laws.

The Scottish Conservative leader raises the experience of his colleague, the Tory MSP Murdo Fraser, who faced a "spurious claim" about a social media post that was critical of the SNP government.

In the post, Fraser likened identifying as non-binary to identifying "as a cat". He was speaking last November and referring to Scottish government equality policies.

Police decided no crime had been committed, but the incident was logged as a "hate incident".

Ross asks: "How can it be right that innocent people are put on the police record when they have done nothing wrong?"

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Humza Yousaf may have taken the top role in Scottish politics, but the circumstances have been challenging at times.

In the space of 12 months, the SNP changed leader and first minister, chief executive, president, Westminster leader, treasurer and communications chief.

Then there were the arrests of former chief executive Peter Murrell, former treasurer Colin Beattie and former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, as part of a police investigation into the party's funding and finances. All were released without charge pending further inquiries.

Policy-wise, Yousaf has abandoned a series of commitments from Nicola Sturgeon's time in the job, including a ban on alcohol advertising, an expansion of Highly Protected Marine Areas and gender reform.

Sturgeon's independence strategy has been retained, though activists remain restless about the lack of clear direction.

In the midst of an inflation crisis and a funding black hole, the Scottish government's budget coupled tax rises with funding cuts.

Last year was also marked with personal strife for Yousaf as his wife's parents were trapped in Gaza at the outset of the war.

In happier family news, he will be taking paternity leave in the summer when he becomes the first sitting first minister to welcome a child while in office.

As for the next year? Fierce criticism of the state of the NHS continues - recent revelations including delays to child spinal surgeries - while the polarising Hate Crime Act takes effect from Monday.

A UK general election also looms - the strategy for which is to frame all Tory seats as a straight fight with the SNP, despite a resurgent Labour in Scotland.

Humza Yousaf has been Scotland's first minister for a year and this anniversary may come up during FMQs.

The NHS has also been the headlines, as doctors at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) have told hospital bosses they have no confidence in them dealing with patient safety concerns.

Meanwhile, a mum has been told her ten-year-old daughter's spinal condition is now inoperable after having planned surgery cancelled seven times since September.

The Scottish government continues to come under fire over its new hate crime laws, which are due to come into effect from 1 April. Last week Yousaf rejected claims that Scotland's new hate crime law will be a "shambles from day one".

And the ferries fiasco has been back in the news, after Ferguson Marine's chief executive, David Tydeman, was sacked.

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Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of this week's First Minister's Questions, which will begin about 12:00.

Humza Yousaf will be grilled by opposition party leaders Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar, before backbench MSPs get involved.

We will bring you coverage and analysis here, and you can watch events unfold in the Holyrood chamber by clicking on the 'play' icon at the top of this page.