Chamber and committees

Thanks to everyone on the panel. Your evidence has been very, very powerful—I want to put that on the record. My first question is not something that I planned to ask, but it comes from something that Amanda Jane Quick mentioned much earlier. It was a reference to child sexual abuse and children carrying out the abuse. I chair the Parliament’s cross-party group on adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Recently, we did a very harrowing piece of work on sibling sexual abuse, which we brought to the chamber for a members’ business debate. I will read some small extracts from the motion that we debated.

Okay, convener. I draw members’ and witnesses’ attention to the motion. It is a major and complex issue and something that even professionals perhaps do not fully understand. It is much more common than is perhaps recorded, so I want to ask what role you think prostitution has in this unspoken shame that is happening in our communities, and do you think that the bill can help to address that?

Good afternoon, and thank you very much for your very strong evidence so far.

Amanda Jane Quick, who was on the previous panel, told us that if she had been in front of us 10 years ago, she would have been saying something very different. Presumably, she meant that she would have been against the criminalisation of buyers at that point, but now that she is out of it—to use her words—she realises that that is what is needed.

I know that this panel of witnesses are clearly representing the views of women who are currently working, but is there a risk that many of those women will one day change their mind, because of, say, a change in life circumstances, a specific traumatic event or an accumulation of trauma over the years? Is it perhaps better to make a mark just now and draw a red line, instead of waiting for that cycle to potentially repeat itself?

I am not saying that that will happen, or that I have a view on it just now—after all, we are just starting to take evidence on this. There are strong arguments to be made for both cases, as we have heard today. I thought that Amanda Jane made a very powerful point, but what do the witnesses think about it?

I am sorry—I always do the same thing of trying to unmute myself while broadcasting is doing the same. I apologise.

Good morning to the cabinet secretary and officials. I will follow Meghan Gallacher’s line of questioning. You have touched on this, cabinet secretary, but, for the record, when do you expect the remediation of all other buildings affected by RAAC to be finished?

I have a follow-up question. The cabinet secretary will be aware of the RAAC issues in the North Lanarkshire Council area that I represent. It is not, by any means, the worst-affected area, but there have been some high-profile cases involving RAAC. Is there any direct support available for councils such as North Lanarkshire Council with regard to meeting deadlines and getting the necessary work done?

I want to clarify a point and also give my apologies to the convener and the cabinet secretary for perhaps being opportunistic, given issues in my area and the constituency casework that I have had, by muddling up—for want of a better word—cladding and RAAC. I will be in the clerks’ bad books for having started another conversation about RAAC, but it was good to get some of that on the record. There was probably not a better place to bring in that supplementary question, so I just want to apologise to the convener. I also apologise for not giving the cabinet secretary any advance notice that I was going to ask that question. I appreciate her answer and it was good to get some of that on the record.

No, that is fine, cabinet secretary. I am happy with that response. Convener, I have one further question.

I strongly agree with the sentiments that have been shared, and it was a good opportunity for that to be put on the record.

Good morning. My apologies for not being at the meeting physically and for joining remotely. The session has been very useful, with both the cabinet secretary and the minister bringing in their vast experience, which is reflected in some of their answers. The exchange between the minister and Rona Mackay about the impact of the drugs that we heard about at last week’s meeting was particularly helpful.

My question is for the cabinet secretary and relates to opportunities in the community, when offenders are likely to approach services either for the first time or on repeat occasions. I want specifically to home in on when people present to services with alcohol problems and that is the main issue in their offending. Are there opportunities to do more to support people at the point at which they present to services, to avoid further offending?

Thank you, cabinet secretary. Your answer leads me to my next line of questioning. As you articulated, it is often the case that many different services and agencies—statutory, third sector and others—are involved with people when they present with issues relating to alcohol. Is there a case for more of an oversight and accountability system in such situations? Like you, I have worked in the field, and I am not saying that there is no oversight of the work that is going on, but there can be instances of people—whether in a health service, charitable organisation or social work organisation—doing their own thing. Is there a case for more oversight in relation to that?