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Emma Harper raises an important question about methods of cremation and burial and the decisions that people are looking to take in that regard. Wicker caskets are being used and trees are being planted as an alternative to grave sites.

Training is an important topic, and officials have been discussing it. At this point in time, there is no specific UK-wide course. We are aware of the issue, but it is important that we get the inspection regime and the regulations right. That will enable us to ensure that training is provided for our very competent and compassionate funeral directors.

In relation to water cremation, which alkaline hydrolysis is also known as, we are speaking to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to ensure that the right environmental standards are in place.

We are aware of the need for training. That issue is not specifically addressed in the regulations, but it is one that we are looking at.

Yes. A key part of the work that the Scottish Government has been doing is that it has been working directly with funeral directors to ensure that they have been closely involved in the process and have been able to give advice to ensure that we get the best, most rounded regulations.

You are right to pick up on the statistic about the difference between the least deprived and most deprived areas. In fact, this year we had the lowest gap between the least deprived and most deprived areas, so improvement is taking place. It is nothing to shout about, however, and we absolutely recognise that we have much more work to do.

You are right that childsmile is one of the key areas where we can make a difference. I am pleased that dental practices, communities and schools have re-embraced childsmile after a pretty awful time for oral health during the Covid pandemic. Registrations from nought to two-year-olds, which had fallen to 25 per cent, are up at 40 per cent this year. Again, we are seeing improvement.

I would very much prefer it if people were able to see dentists sooner than they currently do. That is what we are focusing on in delivering the wide range of outputs and changes that we are working on now.

Absolutely. Your point about training our own is really important, too; the dental courses that we have in Stornoway and Dumfries ensure that people from the local area can get training there, and you would hope that they would stay in that local area, too.

Tim is looking at me, because he wants to add something.

Public Health Scotland is doing a lot of work to ensure that we have that information. The changes that were brought in on 1 November last year included looking at the regularity of dental appointments. When I grew up, you went to see your dentist every six months but, under new determination 1, that will be a clinical decision, which means that appointments could be up to every two years for those with very good oral health. We are looking at that information and trying to understand whether that can be captured, too.

In a perfect world, we would want everyone to be able to see their dentist at a time when they want to. We are working on that. It is important for you to remember that being registered with a dentist means that the dentist can get the capitation payment, which is important to their on-going business.

The work we are currently doing is trying to increase the availability of dentists and their teams to ensure that people can see their dentist in a timely manner.

Tim McDonnell has kindly just given me the latest statistics, which show that 60 per cent of those registered—which means 3.1 million people—have seen a dentist in the past two years. Do I think that we should be improving that? I do, which is why we are working hard on workforce planning, fees and governance.

I think I did answer your question, Dr Gulhane.

I recognise exactly that point. Dentists have written and spoken to me directly about the impact of the increase in employer national insurance contributions.

It is also important to recognise that, if dentists deliver more than 50 per cent of their activity for the NHS, they are not eligible for relief through employment allowance. That is concerning. The cabinet secretary has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and we continue to highlight the issue and press for greater clarity as to what will happen.

The important thing to recognise is that the Scottish Government has increased dental funding to more than £0.5 billion in the next budget. That is very important and I do not think that anyone here would disagree that that money should be spent on improving dental care and oral health in Scotland and should not be going to the Treasury.

Over this parliamentary session, we have increased our spend on dentistry by 33 per cent, which shows the intention of the Government on oral health.

That fits exactly with the work that we are doing with the other three nations. I have experienced going to a GP surgery and seeing an advanced nurse practitioner, which made everything much easier. When people go to a dentist, they cannot get any treatment until the dentist has seen them. This is about understanding how can we ensure that people who are working in the dental team are working to the top of their qualifications.