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We heard from the first panel that it would be highly unlikely for a child in need not to meet the means and merits test. If there is a difficulty with pressures on legal aid solicitors in that, if legal aid is not automatic, it might be problematic for children—

I am sorry to cut in again, but I just want to make sure that I am getting this right. Are you saying that, for an MRC to work and for someone to be kept at home, their home has to be safe and stable, which is perhaps why MRCs are not used?

I know that all panel members are concerned with the rights of children, so, as a follow-up on the same topic, I would be interested to hear whether the bill’s provisions go far enough in offering support and rights to the children and young people with MRCs. You have all said that intensive support is needed, but are there any protections that children with an MRC need but do not have?

Thank you for that.

There is a lot in that to probe, but I do not want to tread on other people’s questions.

I will just ask you another question, if that is okay, and Bill can come in after that.

We have legislation in place but, as we all acknowledge, it is clear that there is an implementation gap. What is it about additional legislation, in the form of this bill, that would address those issues? I think that we probably agree on the reasons for the gap. For example, we agreed just now on the need for resources and capacity. What is it about your legislation that would address that aspect?

Good morning. Thank you, Pam, for being with us. I appreciate your opening statement, particularly your recognition of the evidence that committee colleagues have taken. We are also very grateful to the young people, parents and practitioners who shared their expert experience with us.

I would like to ask you about the implementation gap, given that, as we know, there are policies in place. We have heard from parents, young people and practitioners that the reason for the gap is to do with capacity and resources. Parents talk to us about communication as well, and practitioners, in particular, have spoken about culture and leadership. In your view, why do we have that implementation gap? It is clear that what we currently have in place is failing too many of our disabled children and young people. What are the reasons, in your view, for the implementation gap that young people are experiencing?

Good morning. I would like to ask about fairness and consistency when it comes to local authorities managing localised needs and changing needs, such as falling rolls. I will give the example of my local area: North Ayrshire is experiencing a decline in population and, with that, a decline in the pupil roll. That is reflected in a reduction in the grant-aided expenditure that the council receives. Is it the case that councils with an increasing pupil roll will receive additional funding through grant-aided expenditure, but that, rather than having to increase the number of teachers, they need maintain them only at 2022 levels?

Those insights were really helpful, and your reflections on parents having to become professionals to take all of this on certainly resonate with our own experience of speaking to them.

I know that lots of colleagues want to come in, convener, so I will leave it there.

Forgive me for staying with the example of North Ayrshire, but its figures are the ones that I know, although I think that my line of inquiry about the situation there will be relevant to other areas of Scotland. North Ayrshire was one of the areas that lost Scottish attainment challenge funding. We have had that debate, and I absolutely recognise that there is poverty everywhere and that that funding needs to be provided across Scotland. However, the local authority employed an additional 17 teachers with that funding. Now that its funding has been reduced, it needs to find that money from elsewhere.

I recognise what the cabinet secretary has said about teacher numbers, which are important. However, when we talk about the poverty-related attainment gap, for children and families in my constituency, good services such as libraries and leisure centres are also crucial for their opportunities. What assessment has the Scottish Government made in relation to those things?