Chamber and committees

I have to draw this session to a close. I thank our witnesses for attending this morning. We will have a short suspension to allow a changeover of witnesses.

As the daughter of a grocer, I am utterly loyal to local convenience stores and am very much enjoying the debate.

I know that he has just started to describe this, but does Gordon MacDonald agree that local stores also have a health and wellbeing benefit? For example, if Mrs Smith who is usually in three times a week has not been appearing, staff in a store will recognise that. There is an extended benefit in that respect.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how its winter preparedness plan will aim to reduce pressure on the national health service. (S6O-02688)

An important strand of ensuring that mental health services are accessible to young people involves ensuring a high standard of community-based mental health support, which the minister referred to. Will she provide an update on the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to support community-based mental health services?

The additional funding that is set out in the plan for hospital at home is welcome, and it will, no doubt, reduce pressure on our accident and emergency departments this winter. Can the cabinet secretary say any more about how the expansion of hospital at home will help people across Scotland, including my constituents, this winter?

In 2017, Michael Gove—the then UK Government minister for fisheries—promised that leaving the EU was a “sea of opportunity” for the fishing industry in my Aberdeen South and North Kincardine constituency and across Scotland’s coastal communities. He indicated that we would be able to “dramatically increase” the amount of fish that we catch. Can the cabinet secretary advise whether the trade and co-operation agreement that was negotiated by the Tories has delivered on that?

Will the minister outline what actions the Scottish Government is taking to support preventative services, such as cashback for communities and the violence reduction framework, which aim to prevent such behaviours from happening in the first place?

I do not know whether we will have time, because Russell Findlay also wants to ask a brief supplementary. As I said, we have a hard stop at five minutes past two.

Thank you for that update, minister. The previous meeting, which, unfortunately, you were unable to attend, was a very positive one. Given the timing of that meeting, the focus was very much on the recent announcements on the safe consumption room pilot facility in Glasgow. We very much welcomed that, as did the members of our panel. As an Aberdeen MSP, I am interested in the proposals to extend the provisions that are being developed in Glasgow to drug-checking facilities. Could you provide some details on the expected timescales for that? What exactly would a drug-checking facility look like?

I am sure that the minister will be planning to keep the committees updated on that. It is good to hear that that work is under way.

I turn to the issue of evaluation. At the previous meeting, a range of views were expressed about evaluation, including when it should begin. Obviously, the evaluation process will continue, now that things are under way with the Glasgow service. There has been comment that, in the meantime, work could be taken forward at other locations and facilities, and there is a range of views on what that might look like.

I am interested in your views on whether or not the evaluation should be undertaken before we consider the lessons learned and make decisions as to how we move that work forward.