Chamber and committees

My final question is on something that we heard from the previous panel. L’Arche Highland told us that there are concerns that rural voices will not be heard unless the co-design process takes place in those communities and is funded well enough to provide things such as travel expenses to enable voices from those communities to feed in. Are you happy to look into that, minister? Perhaps you are already doing so.

We heard concerns from Crisis earlier in today’s meeting and in its written submission about tackling homelessness not being one of the functions of the NCS. Does the minister believe that the public sector prevention duties and other joint working will ensure that adequate consideration is given to preventing homelessness and supporting those who experience it?

Fantastic.

That is a good place to start. Do you agree that it is good that we are here today, having this conversation? I will bring in Paul Traynor as well as Pauline Nolan.

Does Pauline Nolan want to come back in?

Thank you very much for that. My last question is for Paul Traynor. The way that the bill is being planned allows for an evolution of the system over time. Is it right that we ensure that flexibility so that people can tell us something is not working once it is up and running? Could you tell us at this point whether you think that the general principles of the bill and the co-design intentions are right?

I completely understand where people are coming from when they say that they are afraid that they will not be listened to, but, when we look at the example of Social Security Scotland, there has been a lot of good feedback from disabled people’s organisations and others who were involved in the co-design. Does that offer any reassurance from your point of view?

My first question is for Sara Cowan. You have mentioned the need to keep equality on the agenda, and that is, indeed, the intention behind the committee’s scrutiny of the bill from a social justice perspective and in inviting this panel as witnesses. I have found the evidence this morning helpful, and I think that that is because we are discussing a framework bill and everybody giving evidence has such a specific interest in this issue as well as specific ideas for what the end proposals should look like. Have you found it in any way helpful to be asked to give evidence to a parliamentary committee with such a blank slate and to be able to say what you want the national care service to look like?

I nominate you, convener.

I will ask my first question of Dr Nolan. The fact that this is a framework bill leaves a lot of scope for co-design. Is it right to determine the details of the service in partnership with those with lived experience—the folk who know what they are talking about—or would it have been better to invite you to scrutinise a proposal that already had the details agreed?