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Finally, do boards indicate whether they have reached the point that that is becoming difficult for them? Do they say that they feel that they can continue to work at that 3 per cent level?

It is not that I disagree with that—I was just interested in knowing whether, given that that diverse group is already a whole regulatory body, it made sense for those roles to sit with the HCPC.

I totally agree that regulation is really important. I should declare that I was on the Health and Care Professions Council, although that was about 15 years ago. It regulates a very diverse group of professionals and it is quite used to playing that sort of advanced role. Was there a debate about whether those roles sat neatly on the GMC or the HCPC, given that the HCPC is very skilled in those diverse roles with advanced practices?

Okay. I have a couple more points relating to issues that are raised with the committee quite a lot. The first is about the way in which settlements are made and how multi-year is helpful. We hear that a lot from other sectors, and we have heard it in committee meetings. How are you placed to be able to offer that to some boards?

Good morning. My point probably links to things that my colleagues have said. It is about the sustainability of health boards and where we think that Government and the boards are required to work together. Cabinet secretary, you noted that there are five—although my papers said four—health boards that are indicating that they are having financial pressures.

What are the key actions that you are working on together in relation to financial sustainability? What three things are you working on together with the health boards that are on the escalation framework, particularly those that are at stage 3?

Sorry, yes.

Yes. You are right that it would be helpful for organisations to be able to predict whether they are likely to have similar funding or on-going increases in funding.

My last point is about NHS boards. Are the 3 per cent recurring savings considered to be achievable for NHS boards? What conversations have you had with the boards about whether that is realistically sustainable for them?

I think that the member will know from my words in the chamber that I expect delivery for our communities, and that is what I expect from a Labour Government.

If we strip away the spin, we can sense what really lies in store here in Scotland—funding cuts for the whole public sector and considerable job losses across the country.

The Government wants to focus the debate on what someone else has done, but it needs to face up to its lack of long-term planning, leadership and decision making. As we have heard, the Finance and Public Administration Committee has been critical of the Scottish Government’s lack of strategy and leadership in the area of public sector reform. In its pre-budget report, it stated:

“the focus of the Scottish Government’s public service reform programme has, since May 2022, changed multiple times, as have the timescales for publishing further detail on what the programme will entail.”

Multiple changes and a lack of decision making are a common theme for this Government, and that is undeniably a problem for Scotland and its communities, because it leads to anxiety, a lack of productivity and a country that looks to be in decline rather than one that is surging into a new year with confidence and purpose. That lies at the door of this SNP Government.

Over the past year, I have spoken to workers in every part of our public sector, including local government, colleges, the NHS, our emergency services and schools. Conjuring up new public service values is of little comfort to them. What they need is investment and leadership, and for the work that they do to be valued through proper planning, proper investment and proper pay.

That is what I expected from the cabinet secretary. I have spent hours on picket lines in Scotland, so she should not pretend that we have a comprehensive plan for where we are going. I will accept good pay and pay increases for all our public sector workers, but let us be honest about some of the other stuff that we need to do. In the college sector, for example, we are nowhere near where we should be.

The reality is that we cannot have a debate such as today’s without talking about local government. I do not have much time left, but the Government’s disdain for local government is there in plain sight and must be overcome. The Verity house agreement has been mentioned; we know that councils and COSLA are concerned about that. COSLA has said:

“The Budget as it stands leaves not a single penny for transformational Public Service Reform—there is very limited scope for a focus on ‘Spend to Save’.”

The Deputy First Minister has been unable to give councils or trade unions any idea of where the cuts that we have spoken about will be made.

I ask the Government to speak less about values and to consider more closely what value it is providing to the voters who stood by it for a number of elections only to be left with public services that are on the brink of collapse.

We need to get some reality here. The Scottish Government declared alcohol harm as a public health emergency in its 2022-23 budget. Since then, the number of people losing their lives to alcohol has tragically increased while, since 2016-17, the number of people with alcohol problems who are accessing treatment has fallen dramatically.

Is it time for the Scottish Government to stop tinkering on the edges and instead put forward a comprehensive strategy to ensure that fewer people experience problems caused by alcohol and that people get the support and treatment that they need when they need it?