Chamber and committees

Will the member take an intervention?

I recently joined experts at the James Hutton Institute to discuss the Dee catchment management plan, which aims to protect the river catchment ecosystem. Among the issues that were raised was the recent discovery in a remote stream in the Cairngorms of imidacloprid, an insecticide that has been banned for use in agriculture but that is still used in domestic pet flea treatments. A dog or another treated animal entering the stream is the most likely source of the pollution.

Given that nature is our first line of defence against climate change, what action is being taken to ensure that agricultural pesticides are used in accordance with regulations? What action is being taken to halt the use of banned pesticides in domestic pet flea treatments?

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with third sector agencies to improve outcomes for vulnerable people. (S6O-02779)

Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust recently launched its impact report, which highlighted how the charity used the power of football to support communities across the north-east to close the poverty-related attainment gap, improve physical and mental wellbeing and support our most disadvantaged citizens through the cost of living crisis. Will the cabinet secretary join me in congratulating Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust? Does she agree that, when public finances are so constrained, it is all the more important that local authorities and the Scottish Government continue to support such fantastic organisations?

In terms of the existing FAI process, as compared with—

That concludes our business in public. Next week, we will begin phase 2 of our scrutiny of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. We will take evidence on part 4, which is the part of the bill that deals with the proposed abolition of the not proven verdict and changes to jury majorities.

Our next agenda item is a review of the correspondence received on the implementation of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018. Members will recall that the committee undertook a short post-legislative review of the 2018 act and has been following up issues with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs.

The clerk’s note in paper 2 sets out the details of that and the cabinet secretary’s most recent reply. Do members have any comments?

Can I clarify that? Are you referring to the first recommendation on the establishment of an independent process?

We can certainly follow that up, because it is a fair point to raise.

I thank members for their comments. Some very relevant and helpful points have been made across two key areas. First, there have been comments on the terms of the review and the report that led to the work that Gill Imery undertook. Secondly, some wider questions and concerns have understandably been raised about issues that are not specific to the report but are nonetheless important. I would include myself in the category of those who have such concerns. For example, what brings someone to the point where they become one of the statistics on deaths in custody? It is helpful that such questions have been asked.

I probably land with John Swinney and Rona Mackay in that I have taken some reassurance from the submissions that we received. In relation to Sharon Dowey’s point about pinning down the timescales, I acknowledge that that is missing from some of the correspondence.

I suggest to members—I will seek your agreement on this—that we follow up on the points that have been made and the requests for further information. It is obviously appropriate for us to keep the matter under review. I propose that we engage again with Gill Imery and seek an update on her current situation. In the correspondence from the cabinet secretary, we are made aware that she has engaged with Gill Imery. There is quite a bit for us to take away. The final thing is John Swinney’s point about some further correspondence with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Are members in agreement on that?