Chamber and committees

Item 2 is on third sector recovery. Third sector organisations have been rightly recognised and celebrated for their innovative and fast response to the challenges posed by Covid-19. However, the pandemic has also inflicted real damage, and today the committee will look at the longer-term resilience of the sector and the challenges that it faces. We will hear from two panels of witnesses today.

I welcome the first panel: Paul Bradley, policy and public affairs manager, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations; Martin Tyson, head of regulation and improvement, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator; Kaja Czuchnicka, senior development officer, TSI Scotland Network; and Duncan Thorp, policy and public affairs manager, Social Enterprise Scotland.

I will invite colleagues around the table to ask a series of questions. First up is Pam Duncan-Glancy.

Paul Bradley wants to come in briefly.

Glenn Liddall wants to come in here, too.

Evelyn Tweed will ask the final set of questions in this panel.

Welcome back. We are grateful to colleagues who have joined us on the second panel. We have Ian Bruce, the chief executive of Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector; Eoin MacNeil, the chief officer of Voluntary Action Barra & Vatersay and partner in Third Sector Interface Western Isles; Glenn Liddall, the chief executive of People Know How; Suzie Burt, a trustee of Letham4All; and Myles Fitt, the strategic lead on financial health at Citizens Advice Scotland.

The first question is from Pam Duncan-Glancy. I again remind colleagues to direct their questions to named witnesses.

I can see that Myles Fitt and Glenn Liddall want to come back in, and I am conscious that we have not heard from Suzie Burt yet. Suzie, if you have anything that you would like to add, please type an R in the chat function.

Under agenda item 3, the committee is invited to consider a negative instrument. The background to the instrument is outlined in paper 9.

If no member has any comment on it, are members content to note the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

That concludes the public part of this morning’s meeting. Next week, the committee will take evidence on the proposed adult disability payment.

I will bring in Jeremy Balfour. I am conscious of the time, but I will run over on the session and delay the minister slightly, so could we have quick questions and answers, please?

Miles Briggs, do you have a question on the final theme?