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I have been focusing on the third sector in the context of community involvement. We have had feedback that the picture is mixed from area to area—we are picking that up today, too. Central to what is coming through is that there needs to be recognition of what communities do and consideration of how they can be adequately resourced.

If the witnesses could take a step back and look at the situation, as the committee is doing, how would you like to interact with your local authorities? What are local authorities not doing that they could be doing? When do you get involved in decision making, and when would you like to get involved? That is the key issue. What funding would you need to do the best job?

I will also ask about the lessons that have been learned from the Covid experience. During Covid, local authorities and local organisations had to turn round and get action plans in place overnight. Are there lessons that we have learned—or not learned? I put that to Louise Robb first.

I am the MSP for East Lothian. Previously, for 15 years, I was a councillor and council leader in East Lothian, and I was a community councillor on Dunbar community council for 10 years.

I will put the same questions to David Watson. You mentioned DTAS; I have worked with it and found it to be a great organisation to work with.

Maybe more funding is needed for the likes of DTAS, to build capacity. Louise Robb might want to talk about that, before I ask David Watson to respond on the broader point.

That is great. I ask David Watson to comment on the wider point. Where would you want to be involved in decision making? Is the work resourced adequately? You touched on that. Perhaps you will talk about DTAS, too.

I have a final question. You touched on OSCR, which has given evidence. One of the things that we discussed with OSCR was whether the powers were appropriate and proportionate. Do you have any comments on that? OSCR seemed quite comfortable about the additional powers.

I have another couple of questions. One is about the implementation of what is proposed in the bill. I would not call it concern, but there are questions about how the bill will be implemented and how the Government will work with charities when it is implemented.

Good morning, cabinet secretary. One of the general principles of the bill is about improving transparency and accountability. Before the bill was introduced, were there any weaknesses that needed to be addressed? What action is being taken to address those weaknesses?

Does it come back to the top level of the community planning partnership board? The thematic groups are really important. I will come to Caroline Warburton in a wee second to ask about the connected economy group, because she mentioned East Lothian, which is my area. Does involvement need to be at the top level and thematic level, because that is just as important? You can have the strategy, but whether it is implemented is the key thing.

Good morning, panel. These questions are about your involvement with the third sector and how you involve it in decision making and community planning. Karen Jackson, you mainly deal with rural communities, and the same applies to Eann Sinclair. How do you engage with a rural community that is quite dispersed? How do you engage with the third sector in particular and take that engagement into your local community planning discussions?