Seòmar agus comataidhean

A very quick one, Brian.

This committee?

This morning, we will take evidence from members of the Scottish Government’s standing committee on pandemic preparedness.

I welcome to the meeting the chair of the SCPP, Professor Andrew Morris, who is also the director and chief executive officer of Health Data Research UK—or HDR UK—and is vice-principal of data science at the University of Edinburgh. I also welcome Professor Tom Evans, professor of molecular microbiology and a consultant in infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow. Thank you both for attending.

We estimate that the session will run up to 10.30 am, which gives each member approximately 10 minutes to speak to the panel and ask their questions. I am keen that everyone gets an opportunity to speak. I apologise in advance if our time runs on too much, as I might have to interrupt members or witnesses in the interests of brevity.

We now turn to the questioning, and I will ask the first question. What meetings have been held and what activity has the committee undertaken during the past six months?

I would say that yours is also rather important.

I thank you for giving us some extra time. It has been a fascinating session. If you would like to raise any further evidence with the committee, you can do so in writing and the clerks will be happy to liaise with you on how to do that.

That concludes the public part of the meeting.

I have one final, small question—at least, I hope that it is small—before I bring in other members. Will you say more about the United Kingdom Government’s resilience framework for all risks and civil contingencies?

Do you want to add anything, Professor Evans?

On track design, we have established that straight tracks will not make any difference to the way that you would conclude your report. However, you said earlier that greyhounds hunt by sight—that they follow a lure. For everybody’s understanding, that is an artificial hare. There are no live rabbits.

At the property.

When you say that there is no public, that gives the impression that it is a private meeting and you are not allowed in. We need clarity that it is a public event.

I will be very quick. You have raised concerns about Irish pups being brought here and about the fact that we keep conflating the GBGB with the unregulated track that we have here in Scotland. Given that, would you be less concerned if only Scotland-bred dogs were raced at the Scottish track?