Local authorities will be carefully scrutinised to ensure that the removal of ring-fencing does not impact negatively on domestic violence services, Human Rights Commissioner Morag Alexander told MSPs yesterday.

Alexander said that the Gender Equality Duty would be an invaluable tool in keeping an eye on what is happening in different council areas at a time when two women in the UK are killed by domestic violence every week.

She said that domestic violence was both a cause of and indicator of gender inequality, and that this problem would be a key priority for the Commission.

Alexander is the Scottish Commissioner for the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission, which has a Scottish committee. It replaces separate equality organisations such as the Disability Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality.

The new Commission has powers to hold public inquiries into a range of issues if it deems this necessary, although in Scotland it must do this with the express permission of the Scottish Human Rights Commission.

"We will be looking at gender equality schemes to make sure all local authorities in Scotland are providing acceptable services and acting lawfully," Alexander said.

One council representative suggested that it would be useful if council leaders could have their attention drawn to their obligation on gender duties, and Alexander said that this could be done.

Ring-fencing is being removed from the Supporting People fund, which represented a "substantial pot of money" for domestic violence services, according to Lily Greenan of Scottish Women's Aid. She said this was a good deal more than the Violence Against Women fund, which is project-based and guaranteed for the next three years.

In the 2003 – 2006 period the Supporting People funding that was allocated to services for women experiencing domestic abuse amounted to £22 million.

It was also suggested at the event that, as judicial and criminal authorities are also public, they too have a responsibility under the Gender Equality Duty and should "not be left off the hook". Alexander said that she would also keep a close eye on them as well.

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