Chamber and committees

I take your point. However, we as a committee will be able to judge that, because we speak to victims and victims organisations, and they are not telling us that a lot has improved. Obviously, we will be able to monitor how effective all of that is.

Chief Superintendent Frew, you said in your submission that the training required for trauma-informed practice “will require significant investment”, and the submission raises significant concerns. Everyone has said that they are well down the road of doing that, so why is significant investment required? Can you give me an idea of why that was raised?

This is an important debate. We have heard powerful and passionate speeches from across the chamber on support for and mitigation of all-too-frequent flooding issues.

We are all having to cope with extreme weather, not just in Scotland but UK-wide and globally. The effect of climate change is well and truly here, and we are literally in the eye of the climate change storm. We have to face up to that with practical and efficient solutions, and I found Kate Forbes’s speech particularly fascinating in that regard.

The Scottish Government is taking action across agriculture, transport, forestry, water, industry and planning in order to integrate flood resilience measures. Crucially, we are developing a national flood resilience strategy to tackle on-going problems. Although no country can mitigate the risk of flooding entirely, the Scottish Government has committed an additional £150 million over this session of Parliament to deliver improved flood resilience.

To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing any labour shortages or skills gaps affecting the economy as a result of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. (S6O-02654)

In a word, no. I am quite sure that that money is there, ready to be put to use, but I cannot speak to that question, as I am not in the Government.

Crucially, we are developing a national flood resilience strategy to tackle on-going problems. There is no doubt that measures must be put in place now to protect our communities and prevent more catastrophe in them. It has been heartbreaking to see people lose everything as their homes have been destroyed by filthy water and to see landmarks such as the harbour at North Berwick and many other places that have been mentioned today crumble under the pressure of the crashing waves.

In my constituency and where I live, which is 7 miles from Glasgow, we experienced very little of the devastation that colleagues have described. Very heavy rain, high winds and some flooding in low-lying areas was my experience, but not the lasting damage that we have been hearing about this afternoon. That said, as in every community, there are certain areas with a long-standing problem of flooding in houses and the areas surrounding them. A part of Bearsden South was particularly badly affected by storm Babet, and the residents, who are already suffering sky-high insurance quotes, cannot see light at the end of the tunnel.

When people tragically die during extreme weather episodes, as happened during storm Babet, it is time for urgent action and resilience planning. As has been said, the weather warnings from the Met Office, local authorities and politicians were accurate and timely, but nature is a force to be reckoned with.

As the motion says,

“the efforts of the emergency services, local authorities and others to preserve life”

must be commended. Once again, we saw how much we rely on the professionalism and bravery of those services to support the most vulnerable and to restore services as quickly as possible.

Responsibility for development and delivery of flood protection schemes rests with individual local authorities, which are best placed to respond to local resilience needs. Since 2008, the Scottish Government has made available £42 million per year to local authorities, and a commitment is in place for another £150 million, as I mentioned.

We are already developing a new flood resilience strategy for Scotland with communities at its heart, and, through the flood risk management plan, the efforts of all organisations that work to improve flood resilience are coordinated, helping us to target investment where it is most needed. A joint working group between the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is considering funding arrangements for flood risk management actions, which answers the call for the multi-agency task force that is called for in the Conservative motion.

Reducing flood risk will become even more crucial if, as expected, climate change increases the frequency and severity of flooding across Scotland. For households, the Scottish Flood Forum can offer advice, information and support to help those who are flooded. It provides advice on managing insurance claims, drying homes, finding a builder and protecting properties from future flooding. Crisis grants are available to families through the Scottish welfare fund, and people in Scotland who are on low incomes and who have been hit by crises such as flooding can apply for a grant through their local authority, as the minister outlined.

Help is at hand, and we must always plan ahead to mitigate and protect communities from the destructive force of climate change that we are currently experiencing.

Will the cabinet secretary outline how the Scottish Government is working with the UK Government and other devolved Governments to ensure that the immigration system is flexible and responsive to the needs of Scotland’s economy and society?

Will the First Minister outline how the newly announced fund to leave will support women who are fleeing an abusive relationship?

You have said that things have been changing over the years, but I am talking about recent accounts of complainers’ experiences in the courts. Either what you have said is not happening or there is no judicial intervention, but something has to change.

Do you think that there could be a role in that for the commissioner?

First of all, I am pleased to hear you say that you will embrace trauma-informed practice. Jonathan Campbell, you said that you would always take a sensitive approach, but as I think that you will appreciate, there is a difference between taking a sensitive approach and being trauma informed.

Most of what I was going to ask has already been asked by Mr Swinney, but I would just highlight that the committee has taken countless pieces of evidence from women—primarily, victims of sex offences—who have said that their court experience was often worse than the actual crime itself, mainly because of defence lawyers. I am trying to believe you when you say that things will change, but as far as the committee’s experience is concerned, we are not hearing of victims being dealt with sensitively. As I have said, this is along the same lines as Mr Swinney’s questions, but how will you evaluate and monitor whether that sort of thing is actually happening, if this bill is passed?

I want to give a wee update. Stuart Munro mentioned the bairns’ hoose. For the record, the Scottish Government has put £6 million into funding six bairns’ hooses. Those are in Fife, north Strathclyde—that one was mentioned—Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen city, Tayside and the Outer Hebrides. They are coming down the line, which is good news.