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Thanks for that. It is a tall order to try to create something like 7,000 jobs, but the target has been stated, so we will all be held to account for it. The benefit that you have described with regard to providing skills and work opportunities for 4,000 people has to be part of that, though, and it would never have happened had it not been for the growth deal investment making it possible. I presume that we will judge that in the round but, overall, it would be part of that.

Minister, in the list that you gave of devolved issues involved, you mentioned pesticides as, I think, an example of products that have an environmental impact. Could you clarify whether we face the prospect that the UK could take a different approach to the sale, transport and use of pesticides in Scotland, which would fundamentally oppose the view that the Scottish Government might have on the same matter? Could you say something about the situation that applies to Northern Ireland, which is allowed to align more closely with EU guidelines? Is it possible that three different sets of circumstances could apply to the use, sale and transport of pesticides?

So you need the power to compel, because your experience is that you might not get a response or the quality of response that you hope for.

Minister, you mentioned communications and the issues in that regard that have been raised with the committee in the past couple of years. You have given the committee some assurances about the communications improving. Do residents get information from any source other than the Scottish Government? Do the builders who built the buildings that may be subject to this work communicate regularly or otherwise with the residents? When will we see some tangible evidence that residents are getting the information that they seek?

Good morning, minister. I have a couple of questions. The Renters’ Rights Bill sets out that there will be a defence for a prospective landlord to show that the conduct is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. Could you give some examples of what that might mean in practice?

That is an interesting answer. I understand the difficulties that you probably face with that crossover of responsibilities. Looking forward, what should we try to do, or what could we recommend, to resolve that issue? My colleagues will in a wee minute ask questions about the national health service and the responses that you get from that sector, but just in general terms, how can you make the process easier? People might complain about an issue that you decide transcends a number of areas, departments and functions. Can you still carry out a full investigation, or do you need the additional powers that we talked about earlier to strengthen your ability to inquire?

Good morning, again. The standards document tells us that all the single building assessments that have been carried out to date have to be done again. Why is that?

Thank you for that further detail.

You will be well aware that, during the committee’s consideration of this issue, we were interested in whether there are sufficient skills to enable the assessments to take place. That was quite a concern and probably still is. Could you give the committee a bit more confidence about whether we have enough surveyors, fire engineers and so on to carry out the assessments that will be required to take us forward at the pace that you say?

Thank you for that.

Good morning, Rosemary and colleagues. I will share with you a couple of pieces of evidence from our session two weeks ago.

The first is on social care provision. Age Scotland told us that it feels that people are being denied access to social care at certain times of the year. The committee is wondering whether you are aware of that and what action has been taken. Could you share with us any recommendations that have been taken up to address the issues that were raised with us?