Scottish Parliament Justice Committee seeks views on repeal of Offensive Behaviour at Football Act

Margaret Mitchell MSP - Image credit: Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee is seeking views on proposals to repeal the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.  

Labour MSP James Kelly has introduced a member’s bill to repeal the 2012 act, with the support of all the opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament.

A consultation on Kelly’s proposal earlier this year had a record 3,200 responses, with a majority of respondents in favour of repealing the act.

RELATED CONTENT

Scottish Labour launches motion to repeal the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act

Opposition parties unite to call for repeal of 'illiberal' Offensive Behaviour at Football Act

Overwhelming support for Labour campaign to scrap abusive behaviour at football law

Now that the bill has been introduced, the committee is keen to hear the public’s views about the details as well as the principle of repeal.

They want to know whether people agree with repealing the offensive behaviour act and why they have come to that conclusion, as well as whether they agree with plans to stop further convictions under the act.

Other questions are whether the act has helped tackle sectarianism and whether a repeal would cause a gap in laws.

Justice Committee Convener, Margaret Mitchell MSP, said: “The act has aroused strong and opposing views about its necessity and effectiveness.

“The Justice Committee is keen to hear the full range of opinions about this significant proposal to remove a law from the statute books.”