Chamber and committees

I would like the session to run on a little bit to 11.40, so we have about seven minutes left. We will bring things to a close by looking at aspects of reform and different models for change.

I am afraid that time is against us. Mr Moir would like to come in, after which we will close this part of the meeting.

Good morning, and welcome to the sixth meeting of the Criminal Justice Committee. No apologies have been received.

The first agenda item is a decision on whether to take in private item 6, which is consideration of today’s evidence. Do we agree to take that item in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Our final item is post-legislative scrutiny of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010. I invite the committee to consider a letter that we received from the Public Audit Committee and I refer members to paper 6.

The Public Audit Committee’s predecessor committee carried out post-legislative scrutiny of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 and made a series of recommendations for the Scottish Government. It appeared to be frustrated with the pace of the Scottish Government’s response. The session 6 Public Audit Committee has brought the issue to the attention of a number of parliamentary committees, including us. We might want to consider whether there is any merit in repeating the post-legislative scrutiny exercise that was carried out by the session 5 Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee.

Does anybody want to raise any queries?

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support general practitioners and other healthcare professionals to engage with traditionally hard-to-reach groups. (S6O-00204)

The long-standing challenge of the unworried unwell, whereby people who are impacted by poverty, unemployment and austerity are less engaged with primary healthcare services, will be further exacerbated by the United Kingdom Government’s choice to end universal credit, which is the biggest overnight cut to social security since world war two.

What reassurance can be given that the Scottish Government is doing everything that it can do to ensure that those who are most vulnerable to health inattention access the healthcare services that they need?

Statistics that have been published today show that recorded crime in Scotland remains at one of its lowest levels in nearly 50 years. Can the cabinet secretary outline how measures that are detailed in the programme for government will build on that good progress and help to keep Scotland safe?

To what degree will Scotland achieving its targets be dependent on policies that only the UK Government can deliver and on international agreements?

Oops—we seem to have a problem with Professor Burman. Hopefully, we will be able to come back to her later.

If no one else has any questions, I will bring in Mr Findlay to pick up on the earlier point about delays in criminal cases. Do you want to direct your question to a particular witness?

Thank you very much. At this point, I will try to bring in Professor Burman, who is now on the screen. Hopefully, we have managed to get you back, Professor Burman.