Chamber and committees

Ben Macpherson has a brief supplementary question.

Before we begin, I advise members that, earlier, I omitted to ask whether they agreed to take agenda item 3 in private. Do we now agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Our final panel consists of senior representatives of the Scottish Police Authority. I am pleased to welcome Fiona McQueen, vice-chair; Lynn Brown, chief executive; and Alasdair Hay, board member.

I intend to run allow around 60 minutes for this session. I invite Fiona McQueen to make a short opening statement.

Ben Macpherson has a short supplementary question.

Before Ms McQueen comes in, one of the earlier witnesses—I am not sure whether it was the chief constable—spoke about some of the work that has been done to pull the commitment arising from major events, such as football matches, parades, and so on, away from Police Scotland, to take a more risk-positive approach. I think that that was said in response to a question from Ben Macpherson. Purely from a budget perspective, could more be done in and around that?

Thank you for that update on the very important body of experts that is deployed on a regular basis. We appreciate that helpful update.

That takes us slightly over time, so I thank you all for coming along and providing very helpful evidence.

I will have to close the evidence session there. Thank you for a very useful insight and update and for your evidence. The committee will have a short suspension to allow for a change of witnesses.

Our second panel of witnesses consists of senior representatives of Police Scotland. I am very pleased to welcome Chief Constable Jo Farrell; Katy Miller, director of people and development; and Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs, who has responsibility for people and professionalism.

I intend to allow around 60 minutes for the evidence session, and I invite the chief constable to make a short opening statement.

Thank you very much, chief constable. As usual, I will ask the first question and then open it up to members. You mentioned in your introductory remarks the long-term vision for the service and the three-year plan to deliver the next wave of policing reform, which is welcome. Can you expand on how that piece of work will impact on officer and staff wellbeing and to what extent that will be addressed in that work?

Thank you very much. That is very helpful.

I will kick off our questioning by picking up on a point that you made early in your opening remarks. It is about your work to ensure that clear plans will be in place at Police Scotland, one of which will be the wellbeing action plan. I am interested in hearing a little more about what that will involve.

I would also like to raise a point that I raised with the chief constable, and which David Threadgold also mentioned. Police officers feel that there is a disconnect from their immediate line managers, which can potentially impact on their wellbeing and on opportunities for a preventative approach to work as it could do. Do you intend to scrutinise that aspect in the context of how Police Scotland is delivering such plans, particularly with regard to mental wellbeing?