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Good morning. Your report highlights significant recruitment and retention challenges for the ELC sector. We note that the Scottish Government is working with stakeholders to draft a strategic framework for the ELC and school-age childcare workforce and an associated action plan to address the challenge, which are due to be published in summer 2023. To what extent will the development of that framework and action plan address the challenges that the ELC sector is facing? Is it on track to be published this summer?

Do you know whether any modelling has been undertaken to establish what the backlog is likely to be if no funding is put in place to support the work to address the backlog?

Is there enough funding? Last year, it was reported that the courts service was told that justice is no longer a priority for Government ahead of the budget. Has the court service been told something similar for subsequent years? Does the current settlement represent the service being a priority?

Good morning. The report states that the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service was well placed to lead the early modelling work that informed decision making on tackling the criminal courts backlog, as it had access to large amounts of data and the appropriate skills and expertise in-house. Will you tell us more about the in-house skills and expertise and how they were used?

The report highlights the use of data and the early modelling work that the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service carried out. Is that modelling work still being used to inform decision making as work continues to address the backlog?

The modelling initially suggested in 2021 that the courts service was aiming for a backlog target of 390 High Court trials and 500 sheriff court solemn trials in order to return to normal. The report that you have now published states that the targets have shifted to 567 High Court trials and 1,892 sheriff court solemn trials, which is quite a change in the goal posts. Do you know why the courts service has done that?

The committee has been talking for quite a while about whether a blank cheque was issued. Should the scrutiny work not have taken place much earlier?

You do not have a figure that you can share with the committee.

Mr Gray’s letter refers to

“the forecast total costs to complete vessels 801 and 802 since the point of public ownership”.

Is there a final figure for the cost of the vessels prior to public ownership?

The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy is responsible for Government investments, including Ferguson investments. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance is responsible for the Scottish budget, which includes public sector productivity. The Minister for Transport is responsible for ferry services and maritime policy, and supports the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition. Why was written authority sought from the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy rather than the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, the Minister for Transport or the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition?