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It seems that Irene is saying that the suitability check should still be done for her staff but that there should be a lower threshold in relation to some of the other aspects—what she would call the non-requirement parts—of the job. Is that right?

Thank you very much. I just wanted to clarify that.

We move to the appointment of our new convener. On 15 June 2021, the Parliament agreed, by means of motion S6M-00393, that members of the Scottish National Party are eligible to be chosen as convener and deputy convener of the committee. I ask members for nominations for our new convener.

I welcome Collette Stevenson to her new position and congratulate her on it. I now hand over to her to chair the remainder of the meeting.

Is Paul O’Kane present?

I hear you now.

Welcome to the 10th meeting of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee in 2023. Three of our committee members have recently been appointed to ministerial roles in the Scottish Government: Natalie Don, the committee’s former convener; Emma Roddick, the former deputy convener; and Paul McLennan. As such, they have resigned their membership of this committee. I wish them all the best in their new posts and thank them for the work that they have done for the committee.

We also have two changes in the Labour membership. Pam Duncan-Glancy and Foysol Choudhury have left the committee, and we are joined by Paul O’Kane and Katy Clark. I wish Pam and Foysol all the best and welcome Paul and Katy to the committee.

As the oldest member of the committee, I will chair today’s meeting for this item—declarations of interests—and item 2, which is the choice of a new convener. I welcome the new members of this committee—Gordon MacDonald, Marie McNair, Collette Stevenson, Paul O’Kane and Katy Clark—and invite them to declare any relevant interests.

I call Paul O’Kane.

We cannae hear him. I call Katy Clark.

I have no interests that are relevant to the committee.

Convener, can I come back in?