Chamber and committees

Good morning. First, I want to put on record that I stay in the Cairngorms national park for a good part of the year.

Are there circumstances in which you would support designations of further national parks, for example, following further reviews and consultation with rural stakeholders and industry?

The committee could write to the Scottish Government to highlight the Royal College of Nursing’s report on nursing student finance and ask what consideration it has given to the report’s recommendations.

I am going to surprise you, convener. I want to keep the petition open, so that I can get information from the Scottish Government on what consideration it has given to the total allowable catch limits on commercial wrasse fishing and what discussions it has had with the UK Government on the development of its wrasse complex fisheries management plan. Specifically, I want to know what consideration has been given to developing similar measures in Scottish waters.

I wonder whether the committee would consider writing to the Scottish Government to ask how the engagement, pilots and investment in the early adopter communities will benefit children at nine months old in those communities, and how that work will inform its development of a targeted offer for one and two-year-olds.

I welcome our witnesses. First, I will continue on a theme that the convener asked about—that of communities, businesses and industry in national parks. As somebody who has visited Aviemore for 35 years and who watched its decline, I have seen the huge investment that has been put into the area, especially in the tourism and hospitality industries, following the designation of the Cairngorms national park. However, there are also negatives. Housing to accommodate workers was a huge problem in Aviemore, and it is still a huge problem.

John, could you highlight the positives of what has happened to areas such as Aviemore, such as the investment that has been put in? I will come on to the negatives.

The key drivers for designating more national parks are the climate and nature crises. How important are national parks as a mechanism for tackling the climate and nature crises?

In the light of an earlier answer from Mr Kelly, I want to ask what discussions you have had with Highland Council and NHS Highland about the impact of potential changes. In evidence last week, the committee heard that they were in support of the Government’s stage 2 amendments, but earlier you said that all council leaders are in support of what you are doing.

Rachel Cackett touched on my next question. How should the breadth of stakeholder views be represented on a national care board to ensure that it remains responsive to everyone who is affected by board decisions, including service users and providers?

Good morning, everyone. My questions are on the accountability and functions of the national care service board. What do you understand to be the board’s purpose? To what extent could it or should it contribute to fundamental reform of the social care landscape?

I have no further questions.