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Okay. Thank you.

Have you had the opportunity to consider the SFC’s new funding distribution model and guidance for the 2023-24 academic year? If so, can you provide us with any further details on that?

Okay. Paragraph 30 of the briefing paper says:

“While recognising the role of college leadership teams in managing their finances, it is also critical for the Scottish Government to work with the SFC during AY 2023-24 to support colleges in planning for change now and making best use of available funding.”

Is there any evidence to demonstrate that the Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Funding Council to support colleges?

I would be concerned that, in going to one person, some of the voices might be diluted. How accountable do you think that the commissioner will be? At the moment, we already have a cabinet secretary and a minister who are accountable to Parliament. How accountable will the commissioner be?

Section 48 of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 aims to address some of the weaknesses of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 by making changes to it. However, the provisions in that section are not yet in force. Can you comment on the provisions that have not been brought into force and say why they have not been? Also, why are you confident that the provisions in the bill would be implemented when it is passed?

I am interested in the reasoning behind the implementation of provisions. The Law Society’s submission describes how the High Court and Court of Session already have powers to set out rules on practice and procedure in court proceedings. The submission says:

“Achieving a properly trauma-informed system requires much more than legislative change.”

We have heard from you that commissioners now take evidence that is pre-recorded. Practice is already shifting and there has been significant change in recent years, and that seems to have happened without legislation. When we have passed legislation, provisions have not been implemented. Why do we need legislation to make these changes when it seems that you can do it already?

Is anybody able to comment on why they are not in force?

Why would you be confident that anything put in legislation through this bill will be put into force?

Stuart Munro, do you want to comment on that?

The power given by section 12 is restricted when the person is a member of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service but there is no similar exemption for defence agents. I know that concerns about that were expressed in the submission. Could you expand on what the concerns are?

My question is about the commissioner. What do you think the commissioner will do that will be better than what is done by the charities that we have that already speak out on behalf of victims, complainers and witnesses? We heard from some of them last week. Setting up the commissioner’s office will involve a substantial cost, so what do you think the commissioner will do that is not done by the charities that already hear their voices?