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The small producers and retailers did not like the scheme, as you will remember—I am sure that, as MSPs, you had letters from them. Therefore, the commitment to the scheme started to drift away.
I will start with GPs, so I will put Chris Williams on the rack first. In my experience as an MSP, we get people coming in who have mental health issues, to a greater or lesser extent.
I welcome to the committee Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and, from the Scottish Government, Gerald Byrne, head of constitutional policy, and Euan Page, head of United Kingdom frameworks.
Our first item of business this morning is a declaration of interests from Graham Simpson MSP, who joins the committee today, replacing Alexander Burnett.
No apologies have been received. I welcome Tess White MSP to the meeting. I am aware that a number of other MSPs will be watching live on Scottish Parliament television or on catch-up.
We also received a late submission from Finlay Carson MSP in support of the petition. The submissions that we received were very detailed and comprehensive.
The opening statement explained that the reason why the regulations set out a process assuming that errors might be made is that there is a recognition that fraudulent applications may be made, which possibility cannot be entirely ruled out. It is fair to say that every MSP recognises the need for the payments to be made to victims of appalling sexual abuse...
I am not surprised that Ms Mochan gets to the heart of the issue, given her experience before she became an MSP. It is clear from her raising those very issues in Parliament that she has an understanding of the area.