Seòmar agus comataidhean

I am interested in the responses that the cabinet secretary has given. We need to look at the cost of delivering services. I see through the eyes of an Edinburgh MSP, so I know the challenges that exist and the cost of living here in the capital. Per head of population, City of Edinburgh Council is the lowest-funded council and NHS Lothian is the lowest-funded health board.

Has there been any consideration of the cost of delivering services and of, for example, delivering an Edinburgh weighting? The council and the health board constantly report that delivering the workforce and providing services are fundamentally more expensive here in the capital, because of the cost of buying land and things such as that. Has the Government pursued any work on that?

I want to ask a few questions about the national care service. In several sessions, we heard concerns about the impact that the service would have on local governance. What impact have the Scottish Government’s proposals for a national care service had on the local governance review? COSLA has expressed concerns about the review’s wide proposals and the impact on local democracy.

The committee welcomes the fact that you have put on the record that the Government intends to introduce a local democracy bill. I hear what you say with regard to people knowing that their voices have been heard. However, one of the fundamental things that we have heard is that there are many concerns about where powers will actually reside. The Parliament voted for the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill, which looks to ensure that local government powers are respected.

It is difficult for the committee to understand the Government’s approach, given that there seems to be a fundamental contradiction between a national care service and those other workstreams that look to the protection of local government’s powers. Do you have any view on that contradiction?

From what we have heard this morning, it sounds as though a lot of the work that is being undertaken is quite organic, so I want to ask about the specific role of community councils. What should be improved about their role, and how could their role be strengthened or changed? I suppose that I should start with Rona Mackay, as you are on the community council.

What is COSLA’s understanding of the timetable for the future local governance review work? Do you think that that will be impacted by next year’s local government elections?

In its programme for government, the Government set out two key bills—a local democracy bill and a community wealth building bill. What would COSLA like to see in those bills, and what discussions have you had on them so far?

During the passage of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill, for example, we discussed the need for recognition of the role of local government. With regard to the views that COSLA has expressed on the proposed national care service, do you think that such a service might, by centralising some aspects of care, undermine the opportunity to give more powers to local democracy?

I was asking how the role of community councils could be improved or changed—

Good morning. I will carry on that line of questioning. What work has been undertaken to identify those with the greatest unmet need? Specifically, has there been work with charities such as Children’s Hospices Across Scotland to see whether we can encourage people to come forward? I understand what the minister said about it being early days for this benefit, but is the Government actively looking at doing such work?

Thank you for that, but my line of questioning was more to do with those who might not currently be in receipt of benefits but who would benefit from this. It is, I think, a question about unmet need, and it might be useful if we reached out to those third sector organisations that are actively raising the issue with MSPs across the parties, to find out and scope how we can increase and extend potential uptake.

Thank you for that. Keeping alfresco dining going can also help to support our winter clothes industry.

Those are all the questions that I have for that section, convener, but I hope that I can come in again on theme 5 in the Scottish Parliament information centre paper.