Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you very much, cabinet secretary. I confirm that we can hear you, and I hope that that will continue for the rest of the session and that there will be no more disruption.

I want to reflect, first of all, on the comments in your opening remarks about the research that our committee commissioned to inform the wider public and the Parliament about some of the decisions that have been made and some of the legislation that has been passed in the EU. We have also heard evidence that the Westminster dashboard does not seem to cover devolved areas. Do you agree that there needs to be more information? You say that the report is just part of the picture, but how can stakeholders, civic Scotland and so on examine the decision making that is taking place at the moment? Moreover, do you agree that it is almost as important to know what is not being taken forward by the Government as it is to know what is being taken forward?

Cabinet secretary, I am conscious of the time. Do you have any flexibility with regard to the time that you have available to stay with the committee?

I will let Mr Golden in briefly. If the witnesses could be succinct with their answers, that would be helpful.

I am a little conscious of time, so I ask for succinct answers. Unfortunately, we have a couple of agenda items still to cover before we have to leave for the chamber.

Of course.

I believe that they are back online. If they want to answer the first question as well, they can do that.

Before I bring in Jenni Minto, I emphasise what I said earlier about time.

Good morning and a warm welcome to the 25th meeting of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee in 2022.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Are members content to take item 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Item 2 is an evidence-taking session on a legislative consent memorandum on the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.

We are delighted to be joined by Dr Kirsty Hood KC, Faculty of Advocates; Dr Emily Hancox, lecturer in law, University of Bristol; and Charles Livingstone, partner, Brodies LLP Solicitors. We are also joined online by Michael Clancy OBE, director of law reform, Law Society of Scotland; and Professor Alison Young, professor of public law, University of Cambridge. I welcome them all warmly.

I will try to manage the hybrid situation. It is never as easy as when everyone is in the room but we will try our best to ensure that everybody gets a chance to contribute.

I will open with a question relating to our recent report into the impact of Brexit on devolution, in which the committee set out its view that

“the extent of UK Ministers’ new delegated powers in devolved areas amounts to a significant constitutional change.”

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is another bill in the post-Brexit era that confers significant powers on ministers, including United Kingdom ministers, potentially in devolved areas. Do the witnesses have reflections on that? Is the bill’s approach proportionate?

Unfortunately, we have technical gremlins, which I believe mean that our online witnesses cannot hear our discussion. I hope that we will be able to bring them into the discussion shortly. I apologise to them for that situation.

We move to questions from the committee, starting with Mr Cameron.