Judith Robertson

In its annual report, the commission referred to the use of its legal powers to intervene in civil litigation for the first time in the Serco lock changes litigation.

Judith Robertson, chair of the commission, said: “Although we were disappointed with the ultimate judgment by the court, our intervention was important in raising matters of wider public interest and we will continue to actively explore future opportunities for strategic litigation.”

The commission’s work on human rights budgeting also began to have an impact this year, she said.

“We published a series of practical briefings in partnership with a range of civil society and academic partners, which were widely shared and accessed, and provide us with a strong foundation for continued influencing work in this strategically important area.”

She added: “More broadly, the commission continued to build, strengthen and deepen its engagement with a range of core audiences and stakeholders for its work. This included the Scottish Parliament, both in terms of individual MSPs and the Parliament’s Committee structures, and with a wide range of civil society and third sector groups, including a focus this year on proactive engagement with Scotland’s black and minority ethnic communities.

“The commission also consulted extensively with a wide range of stakeholders in the development of its new strategic priorities. This both shaped and reaffirmed our direction of travel and core work going forward.”