Chamber and committees

Can I ask my last question, on the English language, convener?

Does anyone else have views?

I am not clear, convener. I would like to press Nick Hobbs on the UNCRC stuff and embedding children’s rights in Scots law. You mentioned a new Scottish strategy of incorporating the UNCRC. Are you asking the Government to publish a timetable?

A number of members of the panel have mentioned the gaps around ESOL provision. Each of you is trying to integrate people in the community and the country by giving people the tools to communicate. What more can we do in Scotland to ensure that people have that provision?

Thank you.

I have a question on a couple of issues that Savan Qadir and Pinar Aksu have raised about the local authorities. Why do you think that the local authorities have not taken on board the criticisms of the current hotel provision and are going down that route? You also mentioned the idea of the third sector moving into this space. However, we already know that 10,000 children in Scotland live in temporary accommodation, so how would you suggest that that be done differently?

Have you come across examples of refugees returning to their home countries because of a lack of services, whether it is education, transport, housing or health services?

Mr Bird, why did you say in your letter in response to the SAWC that the report was not objective and that there were some inaccuracies in it?

None of you has answered the question specifically about what organisations are doing to support farmers to work out how we reach that point. So far, we have anecdotal information about route maps and a strategic review. Unfortunately, farmers are being asked to put all the eggs in one basket and we are scrutinising that. Farmers are feeling under pressure from the expectation that they are to be part of meeting net zero by 2045.

As far as I can see from the pre-legislative scrutiny so far, we have not reached the stage at which there is a clear indication of what farmers can practically do, with support from organisations and the Government, to get to that point. It seems as though, as I say, they are under pressure and that everyone expects a lot of them to get to that point. Do you understand where I am coming from, Kate Rowell?

Given that this formed such a large part of your response to the SAWC report, I want to go back to my original question about whether the report was objective. I cannot find the reference to it now, but have you seen the report by the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross?