Chamber and committees

I will ask one more question if I may, please, convener.

You mentioned the PIRC, and I wanted to ask you about concerns around the independence of the PIRC in relation to the number of ex-police officers in the organisation. You make a recommendation that it should be PIRC policy to replace former police officers with non-police officers on their retirement from the PIRC.

Do you think that the PIRC is truly independent from Police Scotland? Should the bill set out more about the formation of who makes up the PIRC? Again, we have heard some concerning evidence from witnesses about their experience with the PIRC—people have told us that they felt that the PIRC was covering their pals’ backs, if you know what I mean.

Obviously, the PIRC can investigate only senior officers, and Police Scotland investigates the level below that. We also heard concerns that, at that level, they were all pals together and the police would not be objective in the investigations. Is there anything that could be done about that?

The other issue is transparency and lack of communication. People have just been left not knowing what is happening. That is operational as well, I guess.

I want to ask you briefly about vexatious complainers. The bill does not contain any reference to that, and the Government has said that it will monitor that and bring it in as secondary legislation if it is required. What is your view on that?

I note that the prison population has risen by 10 per cent since the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill was passed exactly a year ago, providing powers over emergency release. During that time—and today in her statement—the cabinet secretary has said that she would not use those powers unless absolutely necessary. What other actions has she taken or considered ahead of using them?

I am delighted to be able to speak in this important debate during foster care fortnight and I thank Martin Whitfield for bringing it to the chamber, even if he pronounced Milngavie incorrectly—I am sure that my colleague Marie McNair picked that up. I also acknowledge his dedication to the subject of care-experienced young people.

Nothing is more important than giving a child the best start in life and a loving, stable home. As the motion says,

“there are currently 4,155 children and young people living in foster care in Scotland”

but

“400 more fostering households are needed,”

and the number of fostering households has decreased by 4.8 per cent since 2021.

We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis, and people might understandably be nervous of further commitment. All foster carers receive a weekly fostering allowance when they have a child in foster care living with them. That allowance is designed to cover the cost of looking after a child. It varies with their age and includes the cost of food, clothes, toiletries and travel and other expenses that are incurred. There are issues around rates and a possible postcode lottery and I hope that the minister will address those in closing the debate.

Fostering is about more than finances, however; it is about setting a young person on the right course and giving them the precious gift of a family life. There is a particular need for foster carers who can look after sibling groups. In 2022, 70 per cent of services reported difficulties in recruiting families who could take siblings, and 24 per cent of family groups in foster care were placed separately. Keeping siblings together is a key tenet of the Promise, and I am dismayed to hear those figures.

Make no mistake, fostering can be demanding and stressful at times and it requires endless patience and problem solving. However, the emotional rewards far outweigh any of those things. Making a difference to a child’s life must surely be worth every sleepless night and the extra grey hair. The theme of the 2024 fortnight is #FosteringMoments, as Martin Whitfield described, and those moments in a young person’s life will last a lifetime.

I am proud of the Scottish Government’s continuing commitment to fulfil the Promise and ensure that care-experienced children get the support and protection that they deserve. A key foundation of the Promise is that, when children are safe in their families and feel loved, they should stay. In 2023, 51 per cent of children leaving care in Scotland returned home to their parents, suggesting that more could possibly have been done to prevent those children from being taken into care in the first place.

The Scottish Government’s whole family wellbeing fund is aimed at significantly reducing the number of children and young people who are living away from their families by 2030. Our recently passed Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced by the minister, builds on that commitment and is another step towards fulfilling our promise to them.

The Fostering Network, Adoption UK, Place2Be and other third sector organisations such as Children 1st provide a huge amount of caring for our children who need a home. I recently led a members’ business debate and held a reception to highlight the great work that the Fostering Network does. Its fostering-friendly employer scheme focuses on how employers can support employees who are going through the fostering process. Its aim is to ensure that foster carers have the opportunity for paid leave, training, respite, meetings and other requirements to fulfil their vital role.

I hope that the scheme will help to boost awareness of the need for more foster carers and make employers think about how they could help employees to fulfil their wish. The scheme was set up in 2014 in response to findings that foster carers need more flexibility and understanding from their employers to work alongside fostering. There are now 120 fostering-friendly employers in the United Kingdom, and I am proud to say that I am one of them. I have spoken previously of the experience that I have of being a fostering-friendly employer. My head of office has two adorable adopted siblings and went through a thorough and detailed process, beginning with fostering. Now that I see those happy and thriving children, I know that every absence from the office was worth it.

I urge anyone who is considering fostering to reach out and make it happen—hundreds of children need you right now.

—despite opposition from the democratically elected Scottish Government. Scotland does not need expensive nuclear power; we already have abundant natural energy resources. Can the First Minister advise whether the United Kingdom Government has approached Scottish ministers about those apparent plans? Can he confirm that the Scottish Government will oppose those plans and, instead, focus on Scotland’s substantial renewable energy potential?

This week, the Secretary of State for Scotland confirmed that planning is under way to develop new nuclear reactors in Scotland—[Interruption.]

That was helpful. It seems to me that there are a lot of players; there are various organisations doing different things. Would not it be better for you to have all the investigatory work done when you are presented with a case, before you make the decision whether to prosecute? It seems to me that some has been done, but it is not completed, so then you do it. That is a bit cumbersome, is it not?

Good morning, Mr Farrell. My question, which follows on from what you have been discussing with the convener, relates to the timescale for deciding whether to prosecute. Witnesses have advised the committee that the length of time that that has taken has, in their eyes, been unacceptable, and that there was a shadow hanging over them for a long time.

Also the report by His Majesty’s chief inspector of prisons for Scotland said that the 12-week target for decision making

“is based on flawed data”

and that

“there is a lack of robust and accurate management information about CAAP-D’s work.”

I know that you will be aware of that report. Could you address that and the timescales involved, please?