Seòmar agus comataidhean

I have a brief question, which you might not be able to answer now, about an issue that has been raised with me. Traditionally, there have been one or two-person dental practices on our high streets, but there now seems to be an expansion of corporate dental businesses across the country. Do you see that as being advantageous to Scotland, or are you concerned about the ability to provide traditional NHS dentistry for the population?

Thank you.

The final instrument for our consideration is the Feed Additives (Authorisations) and Uses of Feed Intended for Particular Nutritional Purposes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2024. The regulations implement the decision by the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health to authorise 25 feed additives and one feed for particular nutritional purposes.

As members have no comments on the regulations, I propose that the committee makes no recommendation in relation to them. Do members agree?

Members indicated agreement.

Agenda item 2 is an opportunity for members to put questions to the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport on the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill. I welcome to the committee Maree Todd, the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport. I also welcome, from the Scottish Government, Donna Bell, who is director of social care and national care service development; John Paul Liddle, who is deputy director of national care service development and delivery; and Lucy McMichael, who is a senior lawyer.

I invite the minister to make a short opening statement.

Minister, I thank you and your officials for your attendance. You can leave now if you wish. The committee’s work will continue.

That would be helpful.

Thank you, Ms Harper. Your comments will be in the Official Report.

I propose that the committee makes no recommendation in relation to the regulations. Do members agree?

Members indicated agreement.

Good morning, and welcome to the 34th meeting in 2024 of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. I have received no apologies for the meeting.

Under agenda item 1, do members agree to take item 4 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you very much, minister. We will move straight to questions.

Agenda item 3 is consideration of three negative Scottish statutory instruments. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered all three instruments at its meeting on 19 November 2024 and made no recommendation in relation to them, and no motion to annul has been lodged.

The first instrument for our consideration is the Official Controls (Import of High Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin) Amendment (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations 2024. The regulations amend Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which is on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the European Union of certain goods from certain third countries.

Do members have any comments?