Both in the press and by other means this week, I have asked the Lord Advocate to answer three questions. First, was there a full appreciation of the difficulties involved in prosecuting this case, in view of the antiquity of the evidence? Secondly, was all the appropriate evidence led? Thirdly, was the approach to the matter influenced by other factors? This afternoon, the Lord Advocate has gone a long way towards answering those questions. In particular, I have to say that, had that additional evidence been led in court, I do not think that it would have taken the prosecution case much further.

However, the Parliament cannot be satisfied with this situation, which has resulted from the murder of two young girls in particularly horrible circumstances. Accordingly—and following on, to an extent, from the questions that were asked by Ms Curran—I ask the Lord Advocate whether she will consult again with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice with a view to an appeal provision being introduced under a particular section of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1995. Further, does she have any suggestions about how to avoid the obvious difficulties that would arise in that respect, such as the discharge of a jury in long and complex cases and whether it would be possible for the court of criminal appeal to make a determination in a short period of time, such as five working days, which would clearly be in the interests of justice?