Seòmar agus comataidhean

Our next item is our last evidence session on pre-budget scrutiny. We are going to focus on the specific budget priorities that are covered by our remit.

I welcome to the meeting our panel: Gordon MacRae, assistant director for communications and advocacy at Shelter Scotland; Graham O’Neill, policy manager at the Scottish Refugee Council; and Bill Scott, senior policy adviser at Inclusion Scotland. Thank you all very much for joining us.

I have a few points to make about the format of the meeting before we start. Witnesses should wait until I or a member asking a question says their name before speaking. You should not feel that you have to answer every question; if you have nothing new to add to what has been said by others, it is perfectly okay not to say anything. I ask everyone to keep questions and answers as concise as possible.

We have approximately an hour and 10 minutes, so I will kick off the questions. Can you describe how the cost of living crisis is affecting your organisation and the clients that you support? In what ways do you think that the impact of the cost of living crisis should influence the Scottish Government’s budget decisions?

I will bring Graham O’Neill in first, and then I will ask Gordon MacRae and Bill Scott whether either of you have any comments to make on that question.

The last question comes from James Dornan.

Thanks, Graham. That is really interesting stuff, but I am conscious of the time and we need to move on. I will now bring in James Dornan.

Jeremy Balfour wants to come back in.

I am conscious of time. I will quickly bring in Gordon MacRae and then Roz McCall.

Thank you, Graham. I will bring in Gordon MacRae.

Thanks very much. Bill Scott, do you want to come in?

Good morning, and a very warm welcome to the 24th meeting in 2023 of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. We have received apologies from Paul O’Kane.

Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take agenda items 3, 4 and 5 in private. Do we agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

James Dornan, who is attending remotely, has a quick supplementary question.

The committee is going to do a small inquiry into asylum seekers and refugees as part of our work programme, so we will be keen to invite you back once that is under way.

I will move on and bring in Katy Clark.