The committee has been issued with briefing notes on part 1 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, on mentally disordered offenders and disposals in cases in which the accused is found to be insane and how that relates to the Mental Health (Scotland) Bill. The notes are intended to inform members about the stage 2 consideration of that part of the bill. Members will recall that in our private briefing session we asked for a simplified note of the connections between the Mental Health (Scotland) Bill and the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill. We now have that and I hope that members have had the opportunity to look at it.
The note that was supplied has been particularly useful in that it has cleared up some of the genuine confusion that reigned last week. Frankly, until then the appropriate documentation and explanations had not been all that clear. I am now in a reasonable position to make any determinations that are necessary in terms of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill. I do not feel the need to raise the matter with the Health and Community Care Committee in any respect. It is approaching the Mental Health (Scotland) Bill from a different angle, which is quite proper given our different remits, and I am reasonably relaxed that we are now in a position to proceed.
Having read some more of the material that is available to me and having considered what was said last week, I am no longer concerned by some of the issues with which I came into last week's meeting. I am happy to pass on without further comment.
If there are no further comments I shall take it that the committee is satisfied that all the issues have been examined and there is nothing to report to the Health and Community Care Committee on this subject. Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.