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On a similar note, the updated financial information for the bill estimates that the number of additional hearings will be 42 per cent higher than the figure in the original financial memorandum. Why was the initial estimate so low? Does the Scottish Government expect any issues to arise from the significantly increased figures? Why should the committee have any confidence that the new figures are correct?

I am very grateful.

There are some cross-border issues with the bill, such as issues around the regulatory regimes pertaining to cross-border placements. There has been increased funding in the new financial memorandum, which should lead to fewer cross-border placements. What impact will that have on the legal aspects of cross-border issues, if any? Before you presented the latest financial memorandum to the committee, what meetings took place between you and your counterpart in the UK Government on that point?

I declare my interest as a practising solicitor. Concerns have been raised that the already under-resourced legal profession may be required to provide even more with less if and when the bill comes in. What have you done as minister to research the extra requirements that may be put on the legal profession, the impacts of that and the profession’s ability to meet those requirements?

Before Mr Rooney comes in on the work that has been going on over the summer with the agencies, could you confirm, minister, that those are agencies in the legal profession, such as the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates? Have the conclusions of that work been factored in to the financial memorandum that is before the committee? If not, I presume that the minister is asking the committee to approve certain things that we do not have the data on.

Do you know when that meeting might take place? It seems to me that we will have a potential change to the situation with cross-border placements but, as yet, there has been no meeting. The meeting to discuss the issue did not take place prior to this committee considering the new financial memorandum. Do you know when it will?

The hearings system working group proposed the establishment of salaried chairs and paid volunteers. Last week, Children’s Hearings Scotland told us that there is

“an inherent fragility in ... running a statutory service with the good will of volunteers.”—[Official Report, Education, Children and Young People Committee, 25 October 2023; c 30.]

However, there is a counter view that having salaried chairs and paid volunteers could reduce the number of people who come forward. What do you think the impact of that would be? What is your thinking on the proposals?

I have a brief question before I ask my substantive one. Based on what Ruth Maguire was saying, regardless of whether such a situation is appropriate, have you checked and had formal advice on the legal position on the balance of rights and any prejudice to the rights of the victim?

Have you taken legal advice? Yes or no?

Good morning, panel. My initial question is for Kate Wallace and follows on from that last question. I want to know about the provision of information to people who are affected by the child’s behaviour. The submissions from Victim Support Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid say that the proposals in the bill regarding information sharing do not strike the right balance between the rights of victims and witnesses and the rights of the child who has caused the harm. What amendments would you like to be made to the bill to satisfy that?

That is extremely helpful.

Dr Scott, you might want to add to that. I will ask you a question and you can deal with both issues, if you do not mind. The submission from Scottish Women’s Aid says that the bill does not currently demonstrate how it aligns with wider work to tackle gender-based violence. This question is similar to my previous one: how can the committee amend the bill to deal with that?