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The second negative instrument on which an issue has been raised is SSI 2021/241. The amendment regulations amend the original regulations and provide for free dental treatment for all young people aged between 18 and 25. They were laid on 15 June 2021 and came into force on 24 August. As the Parliament was in recess from 26 June until 29 August, during which time the clock stopped, the regulations were laid less than 28 days before they came into force. They are therefore in breach of section 28(2) of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, which requires that negative instruments are laid at least 28 days before they come into force, not counting recess periods of more than four days.

Do members have any comments?

Congratulations on your appointment, Bill.

The next item of business is consideration of six Scottish statutory instruments subject to the made affirmative procedure.

No points have been raised on the instruments. Is the committee content with them?

Thank you for that, Mr Simpson. I note that you are down to ask a question on that issue at topical question time this afternoon.

Mr Simpson’s point notwithstanding, no member has indicated that they are not content. We agree that we are content with the instruments.

Agenda item 6 is consideration of seven instruments subject to negative procedure.

Thank you, Mr Simpson. I see that point now; it relates to agenda item 5.

That is not a technical matter for the committee, but perhaps the legal team can provide advice on that point.

I thank members for their support.

Before we move on to item 3, I want to congratulate and thank the members of the committee in session 5 for the outstanding work that they did. In particular, I thank Bill Bowman, the most recent convener of the committee, for his excellent stewardship. Prior to Bill, Graham Simpson was the committee convener, and I thank him, too.

The next item of business is to choose a deputy convener. The Parliament has agreed that only members of the SNP are eligible for nomination as deputy convener of the committee. That being the case, I nominate Bill Kidd as deputy convener. Does the committee agree to his taking that role?

No member has indicated that they do not agree, so we are agreed.

Bill Kidd was chosen as deputy convener.