Chamber and committees

If you give the go-ahead for the release of young people in your prison, are you concerned about what they are going out to? Is there enough support for them once they are released?

How do you think you are able to reassure the people who will contact you or who have contacted you with their concerns? Are you able to reassure them that they will be safe?

But, if they say to you that their offender could be on it because they are serving less than four years, can you say in general what support will be there for them?

That is interesting.

Lynsey Smith, I would like to ask you pretty much what I asked Sarah Armstrong. Is there enough interagency working going on at this stage for what will happen in a few weeks? What I am really asking is whether the system will be able to cope.

Who will actually recommend the release to you on which you then take the decision?

That is good to hear. Thanks.

Phil Fairlie, roughly how long has this crisis been in your sights? We have come to this crunch point now, and something has to be done, but has this been brewing for a long time?

You are at the receiving end of judicial decisions, I suppose. Do you think that there is enough recognition by the Crown now about what has actually happened? Do you think that there could be a better culture and a better working relationship?

Yes—and also about the decisions that you have to make in normal times.

Good morning, panel members. I want to start with a practical point about how the release will be administered throughout the prison estate. Does each prison have a certain number that it can release? How will that work? Does anyone know?

Good morning, cabinet secretary. I want to ask you about the duty of candour. The Scottish Police Authority has questioned whether the duty of candour will apply to an off-duty police officer and, if so, to what extent? Does there need to be a bit of clarity around that?