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What support is needed for schools and teachers to be able to identify ways to support the wellbeing of children with additional support needs and deal with any lost learning for them?

Is it the case that the numbers of specialist teachers dropped as mainstreaming took a central place in education? I accept that there may be an issue just now, but that was the reason why things happened in the way that they did.

No—I am arguing that the numbers of specialist teachers dropped at the same time that mainstreaming was becoming the way forward in education.

I suspect this session might be a wee bit shorter than the last one, then.

I have a couple of questions about the issue of how much of the responsibility for recovery from the pandemic in schools should be devolved to the school and local authority level. If they have a substantial amount of responsibility, how will they be held accountable for progress?

That is very helpful. I have been advocating things like that for the past 15 years, so thank you for that.

I will leave it there, convener.

I convened the Education and Skills Committee for three years, and I have never been at an education committee meeting with the EIS at which it has not asked for more money, but that cannot be the only solution for everything. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we have had very difficult times. I accept that there were systemic problems in provision beforehand—I am not trying to hide from that—but we must look at the reality and see what will work best, instead of always asking for more money.

That leads to a number of other questions, but I will see whether any of the other witnesses wishes to come in at this stage.

I am sorry, but you cut out there. I do not know whether other members could hear you.

I am not arguing that point.

I am fine, thank you, convener.