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I completely agree with you. There are tremendous examples of that, but let us be honest about it—the media only focuses on when it goes wrong.

Professor Page, you talked about a rethink. How would you rethink this landscape?

Okay. Thank you. I will open up the session to colleagues. Liz Smith will be the first to ask questions, to be followed by Michael Marra.

I call Ross Greer, who will be followed by Michelle Thomson.

Of course, Sweden has more than 400 councils, and I think that Oslo has about 20.

I thought that there were 19 commissioners in New Zealand, not three.

Would you say that that makes the Scottish Government more effective, more efficient and more flexible?

Sorry to interrupt. That is happening with the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill, but the plan with the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill was to provide that information at stage 2, which meant that we were scrutinising a financial memorandum that bore no resemblance to what was introduced. There was some—

[Inaudible.]—per cent.

Good morning and welcome to the 18th meeting in 2024 of the Finance and Public Administration Committee. The first item on our agenda is an evidence session with John-Paul Marks, permanent secretary to the Scottish Government, on issues relating to public administration in the Government. Mr Marks is joined by Scottish Government officials Lesley Fraser, director general corporate; Gregor Irwin, director general economy; and Jackie McAllister, chief financial officer. I welcome you all to the meeting and invite Mr Marks to make a short opening statement.

Dr Elliott, do you agree with that? Do you feel that there is mission creep on the part of some of the commissioners? There seems to be a concern that there is a degree of empire building as well as overlap and duplication.