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Thank you very much. That covers my questions, convener.

Trishna Singh, did you want to come in?

I commend the witnesses for their the outstanding contributions this morning. The evidence session has been quite enlightening.

I want to go back to the issue of education, training and employment. You have made it quite clear that there is definitely a need to support women from ethnic minorities in building their confidence back after the pandemic. What do we need to do in the short and medium term to make that a reality? From what I am hearing today, it is quite obvious that we are failing women from that section of society.

There are many obstacles and barriers—indeed, you have talked about them already and we are aware of them from evidence that we have previously taken—but there has to be a way back for all communities. With regard to your community—the ethnic minority community—who are disadvantaged and are not progressing to what is required, what lessons can be learned to ensure that we actually go forward, not back? What I am hearing is that we are taking a backward step, confidence has been lost and individuals do not feel that they are worthy and are not able to progress into management roles or get opportunities. Perhaps we need a sea change and should try to make that happen.

Perhaps we can hear from Joy Lewis first, as she has vast experience of the sector, and then Mariam Ahmed. If others want to respond, I will be happy to hear from them.

Thank you very much indeed for that good and in-depth answer. Mariam, do you wish to respond?

I think that Farah Farzana wanted to come in, too.

The petition has some merit. There is no doubt that caffeine has had and continues to have an effect on young people. The petitioner has identified some of the concerns. It would be useful for us to keep the petition open and seek some more advice and information from stakeholders, who could include the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, scottishathletics, sportscotland, Cardiac Risk in the Young and Food Standards Scotland. All of those organisations would be more than willing to support us and give us some information on the difficulties that caffeine intake causes. That would give us a much more balanced approach to where we can take the petition in the future. If we keep the petition open and ask for that information to be submitted, we can make a judgment and a response on the basis of that.

You have identified many of the issues. The requirement has been controversial for some time. There was a delay initially when the Government set out on the process, and there was a lot of anxiety before the requirement came into force. However, I think that we now understand where we are with the process. A fund has been set up and the communication has improved. There is now a route for individuals who may be vulnerable.

The petition calls for an exemption for small houses, but the Government has made it clear that it does not intend to introduce that and that it is not going to happen. Because of that, and given what has happened with the policies and practices that have been put in place, I am not clear that we can take the petition any further. I suggest that we close it under rule 15.7 of standing orders because I do not think that anything else can be achieved, given the timescale.

I agree. We need to get that clarity, so that we understand the implications. We already had some of that from the Scottish Government, in what it is suggesting. The petitioner and his organisation also need to think about the way forward and how what they are calling for could be used. I would support trying to see whether that could be achieved.

It has been fascinating to hear the history that you have given us and to gain an understanding of the culture in Scotland at the time and the power of the state and the church to make things happen. You have given us some examples of what is being done in other parts of the world and how people there have managed to do those things.

How are you able to support what you are trying to achieve, when it has been so long—centuries—since the events took place? It is very difficult for us because, in many respects, we live in a different world today. You have explained our culture, heritage and myths, as well as the knowledge and understanding that people in Scotland had in those days, which is not anywhere near what we have today. How do you square that circle? What have you considered and discounted, and why, in trying to secure pardons for things that were done so long ago?

I concur with Ruth Maguire’s comments; there is no doubt that there is an impact on mental health. In situations in which there is domestic abuse, it is important that that is recognised.

Only yesterday, the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee held a round-table event on a very similar topic involving access to support for families and young people. It would be useful for us to take on board and think about what came out of that evidence session. I would be very keen to continue the petition in order to see what more information we can glean on the issue, and we can analyse that at a later stage.