Citizenship and Democracy
Equalities
Establish a Citizens’ Assembly for under-16s
Last updated 3 years ago
SNP Manifesto 2021, p.18Create a Citizens Assembly for U16s: Building on the success of the first Citizens Assembly, we will establish an assembly for children and young people under 16 to ensure their better representation….
Our verdict
Status
This promise is in progress. The Scottish Government indicated that they would introduce an under 16s Citizens’ Assembly in the 2021-22 Programme for Government, released in September 2021. Furthermore, announcing their November 2021 response to the inaugural 2019 Citizens’ Assembly report, the Scottish Government stated that plans were in progress for an under 16s assembly.
A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 (Scottish Government, 7th September 2021)
“Commitment to future citizens’ assemblies” (Scottish Government, 23rd November 2021)
Other pledges
The SNP also promised to respond to the report of the first Citizens’ Assembly, hold citizens’ assemblies annually and run them on a variety of topics, including council tax reform, the role of local government, assisted dying, drug decriminalisation, and issues surrounding the type of country and independent Scotland would be.