The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1830 contributions
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
That is useful and insightful.
There have been a number of discussions about national structures—bringing people together under one roof, as it were. I see that Hilary Sloan has made some comments about that in the chat box. It would be useful to get them into the Official Report.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
Ellen MacRae? As you can tell, I am working my way around the table.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
The availability of first responders and blue-light services across the board is certainly an ancillary issue. Your point is well made.
Willie Rennie has been patiently waiting to jump into the conversation.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
Given what Jill Stevenson has just said, I think that it would be worth going back to Hilary Sloan. What are the barriers to getting convictions in this specific area of needle and drink spiking? One thing I have picked up from this discussion, for example, is that it is hard to get evidence beyond the reporting.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
Would anyone like to respond to Willie Rennie’s comments? While you are thinking about them, I will ask Stephanie Callaghan to come in.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
That is a powerful point.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
I agree with that.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
What changes have you seen?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
Martha Williams mentioned that young people have been locked in and locked down, and she gave that as one of the reasons for the uptick, which is very plausible. There was also a comment from Ellen MacRae, I think, about the endemic nature of gender-based violence. Will you comment on whether there has been an uptick across the board in relation to reported instances of gender-based or sex-based violence?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 January 2022
Stephen Kerr
Yes—dramatically so, in fact.