Chamber and committees

Do you want to turn to the issue of fatal accident inquiries, Russell?

Thank you very much. Bearing in mind that we have covered the issue of recruitment to quite an extent, I hand over the questioning to Collette Stevenson.

I thank the minister for her statement and the letter sent to the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, which underline the extent of the engagement that the Scottish Government has had with the sector.

Will the minister outline what constituted the enhanced benefits package that is now the subject of disagreement among legal aid solicitors?

Will the cabinet secretary provide an update on whether Novavax trial participants who are living in Scotland will be offered a full course of an approved vaccine?

I will bring in Superintendent Conway, followed by Natalie Logan MacLean. I ask you to be brief, if you can.

Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the Criminal Justice Committee’s eighth meeting in 2021. There are no apologies.

Under agenda item 1, does the committee agree to take in private items 3 and 4, which are a discussion of our work programme and consideration of today’s evidence?

Members indicated agreement.

That is very helpful. I will ask Louise Stevenson the same question. Will you say a little about your personal experience? How have you been impacted by the way in which we deal with drug misuse issues in the criminal justice system? Do you have any other comments that would be helpful for us?

Thank you—that is very helpful. I think that we have managed to sort out the echo on the line. I now ask Natalie Logan MacLean the same questions.

Thank you, Natalie. You covered some really important and interesting points. Becky, I open the floor to you.

Becky, you have made some really powerful points. I want to give members the opportunity to ask questions of all four of you—Peter, Louise, Natalie and you—so I will stop you there for the moment and open up the meeting to members.