Seòmar agus comataidhean

I want to ask you about the strategic improvement programme and how the long-term estate strategy aligns with the future operating model. Vicki, you alluded to a rates review of your main premises. We were fortunate enough to visit you in the summer and you have very nice offices. I am thinking about how that aligns with the future operating strategy for space and location and what you might be planning.

Thank you.

Are you saying that the UK Government has ruled out a 2026 sunset date for all legislation, or is it in the gift of individual secretaries of state to push their batch of 2,500 laws or whatever to a sunset date of 2026 and put in something more rational as a review process?

You will just have to suck it up.

No.

We seem to be in an almost legislatively surreal situation—a kind of back-to-front world—and it is difficult to make sense of that. The cabinet secretary said that there has been quite a solid and more rational conversation between Government departments at UK level and at Scottish Government level. I am interested to explore what a rational way forward might be, given that, regrettably, as you say, it looks like the bill will not be dropped. For example, is there a way to push the sunset clause back to 2026 and to consider laws in a more phased approach? Has there been any appetite from UK Government ministers to do that? Alternatively, is there a way in which we can fast-track the retention of EU law in the next 13 months?

It is useful to know how that is working out.

I want to ask about risk. We have heard evidence, which has been repeated today, on how laws are interrelated and interlinked. With food standards, for example, the cliff edge presents the threat that we default back to a time when there was no law—in effect, a lawless time. There is a lot of risk that Governments could be challenged and disastrous situations could occur that result in Governments having to fight legal battles for a long time on particular issues. How is that risk being assessed in the Scottish Government? Are teams of officials locked up having to look at the interrelated nature of laws and where there may be legal challenge in certain areas or particular risks to the public, as with food standards? How do you start to get a grip of that?

Last week, non-governmental organisations gave us a good example of invasive species legislation being split between UK and devolved Administrations.

My last question is about budgets. The UK Government has given you a challenging budget, and inevitably that will be putting substantial downward pressure on Government departments. What are the potential resourcing implications of the bill? You are still trying to work that out, I guess. We have heard about the impact on the programme for government and policy priorities, but what might the resourcing implications be?

Will you be dealing with the implications of the bill within your existing resource allocation? Will it just be part and parcel of the business of government in Scotland?

Earlier this year, I visited, with the cabinet secretary, Touch primary school, where we saw the pioneering neurodevelopmental pathway project that is being trialled by schools in the area. However, I am still hearing from families in Fife who are desperate for that kind of multi-agency support for their children to be rolled out further.

Has the pilot concluded, what findings were gleaned from the trial and does the Scottish Government have firm plans to roll out that type of programme to other areas across Scotland?