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I think that a lot more discussion of the petition is required. I did not see the views of the teaching unions in the documents, so I suggest that we invite the unions along to give evidence or ask them for written submissions.

The witnesses have welcomed the approach of increasing green space and improving access to it. In relation to access to green space, women’s safety is important. Do the witnesses have views on how safety can be maximised? Are there any examples of good practice in that regard?

Good morning, panel, and thank you for your time this morning.

My questions are for Gavin Macleod. I was interested to read in your submission about reduced participation in volunteering by disabled people because of the potential impact on their benefits; you have referred to that again this morning. Can you say a bit more about that and tell us about experiences of which you have been made aware?

Secondly, with disability benefits being transferred to Scotland, do you plan to look, with the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland, at the barriers that exist? Unfortunately, responsibility for universal credit and capability assessments remains with the Department for Work and Pensions.

I thank the witnesses for giving us their time.

The pre-pandemic levels of fuel poverty in Scotland needed to be tackled, and that is the purpose and challenge of the strategy. How will Covid-19 impact on the scale of that challenge? At the pandemic’s worst, were there particular challenges in obtaining access to fuel? For example, did enforced isolation mean that people on low incomes who rely on pre-payment meters struggled to top up their pre-payment cards?

That is disappointing to hear; I hope that we will get some positive engagement soon.

I welcome the efforts to get decisions right first time. However, at the end of the day, there are cases in which claimants are not happy with the final decision. What are we doing through the strategy to promote the right to request redeterminations and appeals?

In Glasgow, a person who registers a birth is assisted in making a claim for a best start grant. Do you know of any other such examples of good practice elsewhere? Of course, you might not have that information to hand.

I was just interested in hearing about other areas where there might be that kind of good practice.

The strategy aspires to reaching a position where people are automatically referred to Social Security Scotland when things happen to them that could make them eligible for benefits. How achievable is that aspiration, and how can we embed it in our approach to the public sector and other services that people access?

As the minister will know, the introduction of the child disability payment has been piloted in three council areas—Dundee, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles. What lessons can be learned from the pilot and what number of claims are we talking about collectively from those areas? What source of supporting evidence will be used to assess those claims? I am aware that you might not have that information to hand and it is okay if you do not, but will you forward it on to me when you get it?

Thank you, minister. That is reassuring.

I have no further questions.