Seòmar agus comataidhean

We will first go to a couple of other members who have not yet asked their substantive question, and we will come back to you. There is plenty of time.

That is fine. I should say that we are going to have a comfort break in a little while, but I will bring in members who have any supplementary questions on transitioning, detransitioning and retransitioning or young people.

The committee can discuss all those matters in drafting our stage 1 report. On that basis, I will suspend proceedings for 10 minutes for a comfort break. We will reconvene at 25 minutes to 12.

I am sorry, but I think that other folk want to come in on those particular areas. Is it okay if I come back to you after?

I reconvene the meeting. We start with a question from Fulton MacGregor.

Karen Adam has a brief supplementary.

We can discuss those matters in private and agree to write to the minister or ensure that we see her early in September. There is no scope for getting her in front of us today because the negative instruments come into force, but any member who wants to take further action can discuss that with the clerks. There is a parliamentary process for that.

That said and those points having been put on the record, are members content not to make any recommendation to Parliament on the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

I call Pam Gosal.

Before the cabinet secretary responds, there was a point that is more for me than for her. Right at the start, the committee agreed to hear from the bill team in private as an introduction to the bill. That was the unanimous decision of the committee at the time. Obviously, Ms Hamilton was not a member of the committee at that time, but the correct procedure in Parliament is that a minute is not taken of private sessions. However, a note of that session was published. It was not really fair to put that to the cabinet secretary; it was for us as a committee. We took a decision, albeit prior to Ms Hamilton’s attendance.

Thank you. I am trying hard not to police language unless it is directed at an individual, but you have made your point.