Chamber and committees

You mentioned the notional sum of £10,500 that the UK Government has allocated to some schemes but not to others. You expressed concern about equity between the different schemes, but do you have any concerns about the sum itself? What are local authorities expected to cover from it?

Minister, will you say a bit more about the UK’s approach to visas? You mentioned that that approach is very different from the approach in Ireland. As far as we can understand, it is pretty different from the approach everywhere in Europe. How unusual is the UK approach and what conversations are you having with the UK Government about it?

Finally, on another subject, we have alluded a little to rural areas, many of which need new people and also new houses. The Government is putting money into social housing. I appreciate that displaced persons might not want to stay here in the long term, but should local authorities and other agencies be factoring in the needs of displaced persons in planning for housing in rural areas?

First, I thank you for coming here again. I emphasise that the committee has written to the UK Government about seasonal workers; we are very sympathetic to them being on the visa scheme and their applications being processed as quickly as possible.

On a completely different subject, what more do you think that Scotland, its civic society and the Parliament can do to continue to keep the suffering of the Ukrainian people in the public imagination, to ensure that attention does not go away?

Thank you.

Minister, you have set out some of the reasoning, but I wonder whether you could give a practical example of the new process that we are talking about and say how the GB approach would differ from the EU approach. You have given your reasons for taking your own approach, but perhaps you could give us a real-life example.

Dr Goddard, we have had written evidence from the SAWC about the disqualification and deprivation orders. Do you feel that the bill deals with them adequately? There is a provision in the bill about preventing the persons concerned from owning the horse concerned. Does that plug a loophole in the law?

Thank you.

Lord Bonomy, one of the many issues that you have touched on is vicarious liability. I think that you described Scots law makers as being reluctant to go down that route, but can you briefly set out the concept and tell us how unusual it is in Scots law?

Finally, you said that you thought that the bill was already clear in its meaning. Do you feel that the concept of vicarious liability needs to be in it?