Tags: Scotland
Hate crime bill passes and blasphemy law abolished in Scotland
Posted: Thu, 11 Mar 2021
Scotland's hate crime bill, which will introduce 'stirring up hatred' offences and abolish the blasphemy law, has passed its final vote. Read More »
Don’t renege on free speech protection, NSS tells justice minister
Posted: Fri, 26 Feb 2021
The NSS has urged Scotland's justice minister not to dilute protection for free speech on religion in the current hate crime bill. Read More »
Confusion over free speech protection on religion in hate crime bill
Posted: Thu, 18 Feb 2021
New proposals could substantially weaken the protection for free speech on religion in the Scottish government's current hate crime bill. Read More »
MSPs back ‘general principles’ of Scottish hate crime bill
Posted: Thu, 17 Dec 2020
MSPs have approved the 'general principles' of a proposed bill on hate crime, but many have called for stronger free speech protections. Read More »
Amend hate crime bill to protect free speech, Scottish government told
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2020
A group of MSPs has called for changes to Scotland's current hate crime bill, after taking evidence from groups including the NSS. Read More »
Success: free speech clause in hate crime bill to be strengthened
Posted: Tue, 24 Nov 2020
The NSS has welcomed the Scottish government's decision to strengthen a clause on free speech on religion in its current hate crime bill. Read More »
NSS gives evidence to parliamentary committee over hate crime bill
Posted: Wed, 11 Nov 2020
The NSS has said a planned hate crime bill will "intimidate" free speech in evidence to the Scottish parliament's justice committee. Read More »
Stronger free speech protection needed over hate crime bill, says NSS
Posted: Thu, 29 Oct 2020
The NSS has urged the Scottish government to protect free expression after ministers hinted at possible concessions in a hate crime bill. Read More »
Plan to amend Scottish hate crime bill isn’t enough, says NSS
Posted: Wed, 23 Sep 2020
The NSS has welcomed plans to amend Scotland's current hate crime bill, but warned that they don't go far enough to protect free speech. Read More »
Religious belonging in decline in Scotland, official survey finds
Posted: Thu, 17 Sep 2020
The NSS has called for a rethink of religion's role in Scotland's schools after a survey found most Scots don't belong to a religion. Read More »
Plans on ‘stirring up hatred’ threaten free expression, warn MSPs
Posted: Thu, 10 Sep 2020
MSPs from across the political spectrum have warned that Scotland's hate crime bill threatens free expression during a Holyrood debate. Read More »
NSS welcomes move to enshrine children's rights in Scots law
Posted: Fri, 04 Sep 2020
The NSS has welcomed plans from the Scottish government to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into law. Read More »
Ditch ‘stirring up’ offences in hate crime bill, say NSS and others
Posted: Mon, 24 Aug 2020
The NSS is among signatories to a letter which expresses "grave reservations" over proposed 'stirring up hatred' offences in Scotland. Read More »
Minister will ‘seriously consider’ concern over hate crime bill
Posted: Thu, 20 Aug 2020
Scotland's justice secretary has said he'll seriously consider a warning that a hate crime bill would undermine free expression. Read More »
Widespread concern over hate crime bill must prompt rethink, says NSS
Posted: Wed, 29 Jul 2020
The NSS has reiterated its call for a rethink of Scotland's hate crime bill as concerns mount over its implications for free expression. Read More »
Don’t erode free speech, NSS warns Scottish parliament
Posted: Thu, 23 Jul 2020
The NSS has warned the Scottish parliament that proposals to outlaw 'stirring up hatred' would unacceptably erode freedom of expression. Read More »
'Free to Disagree' campaign urges rethink of Scottish hate crime bill
Posted: Fri, 17 Jul 2020
The NSS has joined Christian campaigners and others in calling for a rethink of plans to criminalise 'stirring up hatred' in Scotland. Read More »
Hate crime bill threatens free speech on religion, NSS tells minister
Posted: Fri, 03 Jul 2020
The NSS and Edinburgh Secular Society have warned the Scottish government that its hate crime bill threatens free speech on religion. Read More »
Minister to correct record on hate crime bill after NSS intervention
Posted: Fri, 26 Jun 2020
Scotland's justice secretary will offer to correct the parliamentary record after he misrepresented part of a bill on hate crime. Read More »
NSS welcomes Scottish government proposal to abolish blasphemy law
Posted: Fri, 24 Apr 2020
The NSS has welcomed a proposal from the Scottish government which would abolish the country's blasphemy law. Read More »
