Minutes: 10 March 2022

1. Excess deaths in Scotland since the start of the pandemic:

The Committee took evidence from—

Rob Gowans, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE);

Lawrence Cowan, Director of Communications, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland;

Peter Hastie, Policy Manager, Macmillan Cancer Support;

Dr Lynda Fenton, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Public Health Scotland;

Dr Francisco Perez-Reche, Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology School of Natural and Computing Sciences, University of Aberdeen.

2. Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—

Dr Arun Chopra, Medical Director, Mental Welfare Commission Scotland;

Dr Roger Smyth, Chair, Legislative Oversight Forum, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland.

3. Consideration of evidence (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

4.