Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you all for your opening remarks.

We move on to questions and answers. Members might direct questions at particular witnesses but, if they do not, and Ruth Boyle wants to respond, she should put R in the chat function. Fulton MacGregor knows how to ensure that I am aware that he wants to come in. The witnesses in the room should just indicate that they want to respond. I will keep my eyes open.

Welcome to the 10th meeting in session 6 of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. Apologies have been received from Pam Duncan-Glancy, so I welcome Paul O’Kane, who is attending as a substitute member.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on whether to take in private item 5, which is consideration of today’s evidence, and item 6, which is consideration of our approach to our stage 1 scrutiny of the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Bill. Do we agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you. As members have no questions or comments on the regulations, we move to item 3, which is consideration of the motion for approval. I invite the minister to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee recommends that the Independent Reviewer (Modification of Functions) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 be approved.—[Clare Haughey]

Motion agreed to.

The next item is to take evidence from our civil justice stakeholders on remote hearings and digital justice. I welcome to the meeting Kay McCorquodale, executive director of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service’s judicial office; Ruth Crawford QC, treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates; Iain Nicol, convener of the Law Society of Scotland’s civil justice committee; Karen Wylie, vice-chair of the Family Law Association of Scotland; and Professor Richard Susskind OBE, technology adviser to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, who joins us remotely. I refer members to papers 2 and 3.

I invite each of our witnesses to make a short opening statement.

I remind folk to indicate if they want to come in.

I call Richard Susskind.

Item 2 is consideration of an affirmative instrument:? the draft Independent Reviewer (Modification of Functions) (Scotland) Regulations 2021. I welcome to the meeting Clare Haughey MSP, Minister for Children and Young People; Angela Leonard, policy officer at Disclosure Scotland; and Barry McCaffrey, solicitor in the Scottish Government’s legal directorate. I refer members to paper?1.?

I invite the?minister to?speak to the draft regulations.

We will go to Iain Nicol first.

The clerks will write a note and report on our decision. That completes consideration of the affirmative instrument. I thank the minister and her officials for attending the meeting.

Thank you, everyone. I propose that we now have a discussion. Committee members want to probe in some areas, but the benefit of a round-table session is that witnesses can bounce off each other and have a discussion. That means that, to some extent, committee members might find ourselves just sitting and listening to the discussion, but that will help us in our further deliberations on remote hearings.

I invite Karen Adam to come in with some initial comments on the witnesses’ points.