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Going back to the letter from Elena Whitham, it says, in respect of the restriction of supply and use, that

“it is not ... possible to confirm in which financial year”,

but you think that it might be in 2024.

I am just looking at a Scottish Parliament information centre briefing that is on the Scottish Parliament website. It says quite clearly, for the public to see, that all the provisions within the 2022 act will be progressed in 2023. That is no fault of SPICe—it is what it was told by the Government—but that is what the public are currently reading. Do you not accept that there will be a lot of confusion out there?

Okay—thank you.

I want to check on the two local authorities—was it West Lothian or East Lothian?

Okay, thank you.

The legislation was rushed and the Scottish Government ignored some clear warnings from various people that it was a mistake. Now it has been beset by delays and there is a lack of key information around when certain measures will be introduced. Your predecessor, in a letter to the committee, said that it was not possible to say when the restrictions on the days of sale and use will come in. She also suggests, in part of the letter, that that might be something to do with the war in Ukraine; that is a bit shabby, as excuses go. What is your best guess as to when that key measure will come into place?

So, the new possible date is late 2024.

Yet the financial memorandum has not changed; there is no additional cost.

On Sunday, at Hampden, kick-off was delayed by dozens of pyros being set off in a highly co-ordinated action by both sets of fans. As my colleague Jamie Greene said, it is already a criminal offence to take pyros into football stadiums, so why is that happening on such a big scale? Do you know how many arrests might have been made in relation to what happened on Sunday? Have you discussed it with Police Scotland? What practical difference would the new law make in respect of this issue?

Public awareness is one thing, but I am trying to understand what practical difference the new law will make in respect of policing powers. The police already have the powers that they need to search fans and to deal with people who are carrying pyros within stadiums or going into stadiums, but they are not using them.

When I googled the matter to try to refresh my memory about what is a complicated set of circumstances, I was told that all the provisions in the bill will come into force in 2023—this year.