Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you all for your helpful opening remarks. Although there are different views in the room, you have articulated those views very well in a way that is helpful to members.

I will bring in the deputy convener to ask questions in a moment but, in the interests of getting through as much as we can this morning, I ask for succinct questions and answers, although I know that that is sometimes difficult. I also draw members’ attention to the research and studies that have been mentioned this morning, which we can access if members would find it helpful.

With that, I hand over to Liam Kerr and then I will bring in Sharon Dowey.

The next item of business is a continuation of our scrutiny of the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill. We have one panel of witnesses and I intend to allow up to 90 minutes for the panel. I refer members to papers 4 and 5.

I welcome to the meeting Dr Niina Vuolajärvi, assistant professor in international migration, London School of Economics; Ruth Breslin, director of the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute in the Republic of Ireland; and Dr Larissa Sandy, associate professor of criminology at the University of Nottingham. Professor Jo Phoenix, professor of criminology at the University of Reading, joins us online. I thank those who were able to send written submissions to the committee.

I remind everyone that we are here to look at the provisions in the bill. I would like questions and answers to stay focused on the provisions as much as possible.

I will start with a broad question, which I will direct first to Niina Vuolajärvi, then work around the room, before bringing in Jo Phoenix. What are your overall views of the bill? Is there anything that you particularly agree or disagree with or that you think could be improved?

I am afraid that I will have to close the session there. We are well over time, so I am sorry, but I have to draw things to a close.

Thank you all for joining us. Thank you for coming online, Jo Phoenix. It has been an invaluable session and there is lots for us to think about.

There are a couple of members still to come in. If folk can bear with us, we will run the session for another 10 minutes or so in order that we can get through as much as possible.

I say to committee members that I propose that we defer our final agenda item to a future meeting, if that is okay.

I will bring in Pauline McNeill and then Fulton MacGregor.

Thank you, convener, for the opportunity to join the committee this morning. As colleagues know, I am one of the north-east MSPs, and STV North is located in my constituency. It is safe to say that STV has felt like the beating heart of news coverage in the north-east, along with former Grampian TV, for as long as I can remember. Therefore, the relocation of STV North to the central belt is devastating and brings to an end 60 years of regional news coverage.

I do not mind which of our witnesses comes in on this. I am interested to hear a bit more detail on the importance of local journalism that truly understands and is tuned into the social, economic and cultural aspects of the region. Do you agree that the withdrawal of STV North from Aberdeen risks

“silencing the voice of the North-east at a critical time”

when

“issues such as energy transition and the future of the North Sea are of national importance”,

and not just regional importance? Those are the words of the chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

Could you also provide a sense of the impact of the announcement on local career opportunities for young people in the north-east who want to break into a career in the media and who are interested in building their skills and telling local stories that really matter to communities? What impact will the announcement have on, for example, traineeships, apprenticeships and sustaining a pipeline of top-quality north-east journalists?

I draw members’ attention to Robert Gordon University, which is also in my constituency. The school of journalism has a strong collaboration with STV North through student placements and through a memorial bursary for Donald John MacDonald, that wonderful former editor who was with STV for many years and who is remembered through that bursary opportunity.

Thank you very much.

I will stop you there. We are getting quite long and very helpful responses, but I remind our witnesses to focus on the bill’s provisions. I know that that is difficult, because there are so many interconnections with other issues.

Is that you finished your questions, Liam?

Thank you very much for your forbearance. We had a slight technical issue, which we hope is rectified now—we are crossing our fingers. I remind members that we have about 30 minutes left and that a number of members still wish to come in. As ever, I make a plea for succinct questions and answers.

We are short of time because of the interruption and quite lengthy responses, so if I may, I will bring in other members who have not spoken. If we have time at the end, we will come back to some of the outstanding issues. I will bring in Katy Clark and then Ash Regan.

I will not ask any supplementaries at the moment. I am conscious from our evidence session with the previous panel that I want to leave as much time as I can for everybody to put their particular questions. I hand over to Liam Kerr.