1. I begin by putting on record the best wishes of, I am sure, the whole chamber and people across Scotland to His Majesty the King and to the Duchess of Rothesay. We wish them both a speedy recovery to good health. [

Applause

.]

Last week, in response to the Horizon scandal, the First Minister said:

“I think that the idea of almost a mass exoneration is one that is very worthy of consideration.”

In a letter to the Prime Minister just eight days ago, he said:

“it is right that normal processes for appeals are set aside”.

However, in a statement this week, the Lord Advocate, his Government’s top legal adviser, said:

“in Scotland, there is an established route of appeal in circumstances such as this.”—[

Official Report

, 16 January 2024; c 14.]

Humza Yousaf has said that there should be a blanket exoneration, but the Lord Advocate believes that the current process for appeals should not change, with each case being considered individually. Will the First Minister tell not just the Parliament but, crucially, all the victims of the scandal what the position of his Government is?