Chamber and committees

Would you like to add anything, Kate?

We move to our second panel of witnesses, who are representatives of several organisations that represent various groups, including victims of crime or people who might be classed as vulnerable witnesses during court proceedings. I welcome Dr Louise Hill, who is head of policy, evidence and impact at Children 1st; Bill Scott, who is director of policy at Inclusion Scotland; and Graham O’Neill, who is a policy manager at the Scottish Refugee Council. A warm welcome to you all.

We will have around an hour for the evidence session. As with the previous session, I will open with a general question, which I will put first to Dr Hill and then to the other witnesses, working across the room.

Can you give us your views on the pros and cons of creating the post of a victims and witnesses commissioner?

That is a helpful opening commentary. We move to Bill Scott.

Thank you. I will bring in Graham O’Neill.

Thank you very much indeed.

I will bring in other members now, because what you have just outlined, Marsha, is something that we are all very sensitive to. Russell Findlay is first.

That is the sort of answer that we like.

Katy Clark is online. Katy, do you want to come in? Your microphone seems to be showing as on—can you hear us?

Earlier this month, the price of Australian lamb reportedly sat at around less than half the price in Scotland, and Australian lamb exports to the UK reportedly almost trebled in August to 1,028 tonnes. Now, the Australian red meat sector looks poised to make further inroads, having launched the Aussie Beef and Lamb brand. What would the cabinet secretary say to those farmers who, while working tirelessly to provide food of unparalleled quality, might be fearful about what the consequences of this Brexit-based Tory betrayal could mean for the future of their livelihoods?

To ask the Scottish Government what its most recent assessment is of any impact of the United Kingdom-Australia free trade agreement on Scotland’s agricultural sector. (S6O-02584)

Last week, Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor told the Scottish Police Authority that there are now more than 60 co-locations of police with partners and that that provides

“more sustainable, more modern, and safer workplaces for our people.”

Will the cabinet secretary outline some of the benefits of that approach, and will she confirm that the Scottish Government is still committed to having police at the heart of our communities?