Chamber and committees

Thank you for your passionate opening statement. You have lived experience and you know exactly what the issues are. As you rightly identified, individuals’ dreams, aspirations and hopes can be dashed if the transition is not seamless—I have worked in the sector and have seen that. It can have an impact on people for the rest of their life. There are real opportunities to try to manage and support the process of transition.

Is there a possibility that, by not carrying out another consultation, opportunities might be missed? Another consultation might strengthen the case and give more opportunity for individuals to express their views. As you say, every time that we progress, some things are left behind and do not progress, for various reasons. Do you believe that, if you do not do another consultation, you might miss something out?

In the past, there has been discussion about loopholes. One issue is how to tighten up things to ensure that there are no loopholes in any new legislation, should a bill be agreed to, and that there are no unseen consequences or problems, or aspects that are open to manipulation. That would be about ensuring that, in relation to the organisations that you mentioned, things cannot, once again, be hidden or put into a different context.

It would be good to get a view on how you think that issue should be tackled, not least because of the potential for there to be that “dark underbelly” that you mentioned—that is, that these practices will be contained, managed and manipulated so that, on the surface, everything looks like all is going well and that things are being done as they should, while underneath there are still concerns about people’s sexuality, a ban is being flouted, loopholes are being used and individuals are still being put through the conversion process.

I am delighted to join the committee, convener, and I have no interests appropriate to this committee to declare.

I concur with Bill Kidd and David Torrance. I think that the petition raises important questions about trust in statistics and data. It gives us an opportunity to seek more views and opinions from stakeholders so that we can make progress on the matter and take a measured approach to what is a very sensitive and delicate situation. It is important that we engage in that way and try to gain as much information as we can so that a more balanced approach can be taken in the process.

In your opening statement, you acknowledged that individuals have been let down and dismissed, and you talked about the risks that are associated with the complicated situation that many individuals find themselves in. You have talked about lessons being learned, which is vital. What you have said is helping me to think that that is happening as a result of this process.

Where are we with longer-term research on hernia? We have learned from the transvaginal mesh issues and gone through those, but is longer-term research being done when it comes to hernia? If there is no research, how are you taking forward some of the issues that have been raised by individuals who have suffered?

Minister, you mentioned the role of the health and social care partnerships, but I want to tease out what part the local authorities play. Have you identified any councils that require more support in order to provide these services or in which this is a key area of concern?

Has it been recommended or proposed that autism services be placed with the proposed national care service? If so, where would responsibility for scrutiny and accountability lie?

Obviously, the pandemic has had huge implications for the NHS, with individuals not having the opportunity to have operations. What is the Government doing to ensure that people do not have to seek private treatment? With the mesh situation, individuals had to seek private help. Due to the waiting times and lists, they could not get an opportunity, and they felt that they had no option other than to go private to ensure that they received the care that they required.

Thank you for coming. We need to pay tribute to Elaine Smith for what she did. Thank you for taking on the role.

We have heard that, in your opinion, it is enough that the previous consultation went out to a large number of individuals and organisations. We have also heard about the human rights bill and the good food nation bill that the Scottish Government proposes to introduce. How do you see the process moving? Will there be resource implications depending on how matters develop, because other organisations and other bills will be involved? How does that fit in the process?

Organisations such as COSLA and many from the third sector have raised issues with the budget process. What changes to the process are being considered to reflect the points from COSLA and the third sector? With the new human rights landscape, what changes will there be to handling the budget process? Will things need to be revised in the budget process in the context of the national performance framework?