We are running late, so I will simply thank all the witnesses for their time and the evidence that they have given this morning. If you wish to give any further evidence to the committee, please do so in writing. The clerks will be happy to liaise with you on that.

I suspend the meeting for a changeover of witnesses. Members should be advised that the comfort break before the next evidence session will be only a very short one.

I think that Ms Robertson’s screen has frozen.

Good morning, and welcome to the fifth meeting in 2021 of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee. We are joined by Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, who is not a member of the committee but is attending due to his interest in the proceedings. I welcome Alex to the meeting and invite him to declare any interests that are relevant to the committee’s remit.

I thank everyone who supported my motion to recognise international fetal alcohol spectrum disorders awareness day on 9 September, allowing for it to be debated. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, commonly known as FASD, deserve national attention and awareness.

In my motion, I pay recognition to the work that is done by Oshay’s, an organisation in my constituency of Ayr that?provides?support, advice and guidance for parents and?carers?of children who are affected by FASD. Oshay’s was founded by Maryellen and Billy McPhail. The McPhails have been fostering for more than 20 years and have looked after more than 50 foster children during that time. Over the years, the McPhail family has been shocked to learn of the prevalence of FASD—in children in care in particular—and about the lack of resources for affected families and foster families. The story of the Oshay’s charity, however, is one that spreads hope: the hope that those with FASD can lead a thriving and fulfilling life with the right support in place.

I will tell you the story of Taylor, Maryellen’s?and Billy’s son, who was given an FASD diagnosis as a baby. At the time, that was quite rare—it came about only because the doctor noted the mother’s alcohol dependence on the baby’s medical notes. Clinicians told the McPhails that Taylor would never walk, talk or sit up. Taylor, supported by Maryellen and Billy, had other ideas and surpassed all those milestones. To cut a long story short, he is now in mainstream education.

Taylor proved, in part, to be the inspiration for the charity. When he was nine years old, he?wrote?a book about an octopus called Oshay. In the story, Oshay the octopus was invited to a party but was worried that his tentacles would get stuck on the slide. All his friends lent him their socks to wear, which meant that Oshay could be just like everyone else, go down the slide and enjoy the party. That story, written by Taylor, shows how we want Scotland to treat those who are like Oshay. The answer is not to try to make the person fit in but to make the surroundings fit the person—and then everyone can enjoy the metaphorical party.

How common is FASD? It is estimated that around 4,500 people in Scotland have Down’s syndrome, around 44,000 have autism and around 37,000 have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is estimated that close to 285,000 people in Scotland could have FASD.

We must look at ways of reducing occurrences of FASD—through education and raising awareness—and of offering resources and support to those who are already affected. Similar to the fantastic work that has been done to make Scotland more autism friendly, I urge the Scottish Government to implement an FASD strategy to address prevention, diagnosis, support, engagement, awareness and training across all sectors: public health, medical, education, social work, criminal justice, the third sector and housing.

Today I will highlight diagnosis, support and prevention. Members will already know that FASD is caused by exposure to alcohol in the womb. Without a fully developed liver, the fetus is unable to filter out the toxins that are passed freely through the placenta into the bloodstream. One in seven babies experience significant alcohol exposure in Scotland. What is not commonly known is the suggestion that 99 per cent of cases of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are left undiagnosed.

People with FASD experience problems with thinking, speech, social skills, timekeeping and memory. The condition often exists alongside autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mental health problems. It is not just a brain issue; it can also affect facial features, limbs and height. All those factors together mean that the condition requires sophisticated diagnosis and treatment, with research showing that an early diagnosis can make a massive difference. A 2017 study on doctors across the United Kingdom found that only 31 per cent of general practitioners said that they had had in-depth education on FASD.

It is very welcome that the Scottish Government has been funding the fetal alcohol advisory and support team since 2015. That small team, which is based in Ayrshire, has become the national hub for providing training, research and consultations on FASD. It offers assessments for children and provides support and mediation in schools for parents and carers.

FASD usually comes with overlapping social issues, and 50 per cent of individuals end up in prison, psychiatric hospitals or drug treatment facilities. An FASD diagnosis is 28 times higher in those settings than in the general population. Those with FASD are more likely to experience homelessness, unemployment and dependent living, with such experiences leaving them to face additional issues such as addiction: 35 per cent have drug and alcohol problems, and 23 per cent have received in-patient care for mental illness.

When it comes to ways to support those with FASD, we must consider a multistrand plan of action. That means looking at poverty, domestic violence, mental health and safe and secure housing. The Scottish Government has taken considerable action to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking while pregnant and to train health practitioners on how to educate women. Since 2016, we have increased screening of alcohol intake while pregnant, with midwives being encouraged to record instances of alcohol use on a mother’s health records. I am led to believe, however, that that is not recorded on the baby’s medical record in many cases. That is key to ensuring a correct diagnosis of FASD, especially in the care system, and that means that it should be on the child’s records, not just the mother’s.

About 80 per cent of children in care have FASD, and it can be easy for society to demonise biological mothers. It is important that, when pregnant, the mother feels that she can be honest about her alcohol use. If it is an addiction, it is not easy to stop. We must remove the stigma for those seeking help. We must educate society on the dangers of alcohol to an unborn baby—the ones we know about and the ones we are hearing about today. We must inform mums to be. We must treat people with compassion. Most of all, we need to recognise the support and help that children, young people and adults with FASD need.

Thank you, Mr Doncaster. Your feedback is appreciated.

I invite Murdo Fraser to begin the questioning from members.

Good morning and welcome to the fourth meeting in 2021 of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee. We have received apologies from Jim Fairlie MSP, who is unwell.

Agenda item 1 is to decide whether to take item 5, which is consideration of evidence that we have heard, in private. The committee is also invited to consider its work programme and selection of advisers in private at future meetings. Do members agree to take those matters in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you, Deputy First Minister. I will begin the questioning. From discussions with local clubs and the late-night sector—and, indeed, from the previous evidence session—it has become evident that, when the system gets up and running, it will need to work for businesses and the general public. However, people who have been vaccinated outwith Scotland and, indeed, overseas might find it difficult to access the scheme. I have also been made aware of a large backlog in second vaccinations being updated on the national health service portal. With that in mind, and given that the scheme is due to be rolled out in less than two weeks, is there any flexibility with the hard-start date or could a more phased approach be considered to iron out any teething issues?

Thank you, Deputy First Minister. I note that no member wishes to speak on the motion.

Motion moved.

That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/299) be approved.—[John Swinney.]

Motion agreed to.

The committee will in due course publish a report to Parliament setting out our decision on the statutory instrument.

That concludes our consideration of the agenda item and our time with the Deputy First Minister. I thank him and his officials for their attendance.

The committee’s next meeting will be on 23 September, when we will continue to take evidence on vaccination certification. We will also take evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport on the ministerial statement on Covid 19 and on subordinate legislation.

That concludes the public part of our meeting. I will allow the witnesses to leave before we continue in private session.

The next item of business is an evidence-taking session on the latest ministerial statement, the Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Act 2021 reports to the Scottish Parliament, and subordinate legislation.

I welcome to the meeting John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery, and, from the Scottish Government, Elizabeth Blair, team leader, Covid co-ordination, governance and decision making; and Professor Jason Leitch, national clinical director. Thank you for attending this morning.

Deputy First Minister, do you wish to make any remarks before we move to questions?