Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you all for those answers. I will follow up with my final question.

The doubling of the carers allowance supplement is not a permanent fixture, but do you think that it should become permanent? As Fiona Collie has said, perhaps the doubling should be permanent every December, when costs are higher. Would you like to see that included in primary legislation?

With other benefits, such as the personal independence payment, there is a guarantee that they will be paid under future budgets. At the moment, the Scottish Government is not guaranteeing that the supplement will be a permanent fixture—every year, it will be the subject of negotiation between the Minister for Social Security and Local Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy.

Good morning to the panel. I hope that you can hear me.

Does the doubling up of the money go far enough to help carers, particularly after the past 18 months, or is there something else that could or should be done?

I do not have my glasses on, so I cannot see who is sitting where, but I will start with Fiona Collie and work round.

I point out that I am on the high rate of personal independence payment for care.