Chamber and committees

What does João Sousa feel about economic growth in terms of poverty?

I thank our witnesses. We have overrun our time considerably, because of the interesting questions that were asked and the very interesting responses that we received. I would normally ask the witnesses if they have any final points to make, but we do not have time for that. I therefore simply thank you, and we will now take a break until 11.35, when we will hear from our next panel.

The cut is not the same across the board. Some areas have significant cuts, but the budgets for other areas, such as the police, fire and the national health service, have increased in real terms.

No one has their hand up, so I will nab someone and drag them in. Sorry—I said that nobody has their hand up and suddenly all those hands went up. I will take Martin Booth first.

Hold on a second, Liz. I will bring Michael Marra in first.

Liz, I will bring you in now.

Just before he answers, I add that I have been threatening to bring Howard in because Audit Scotland has made the interesting point that, since the Scottish Parliament was re-established in 1999, the number of people working in the public sector has grown from 150,000 to 245,000 full-time employees and there has been a huge increase in pay, with the deals that were agreed in 2022-23 and 2023-24 being £1.7 billion more than was planned. The Auditor General has said:

“significant reform of the public sector—including its workforce—is needed to protect services over the long term”.

He went on to state:

“public services in their current shape are not affordable”.

There are a number of areas for us to discuss. Do you want to respond to Michelle Thomson first, Howard, and we will see where we go from there?

Your name is right in front of me.

I have been calling Michelle “Gillian” for the past two years, inexplicably. I just do these things. I do apologise, Richard.

Interestingly, there has been a significant increase in the budget for digital. John Mason is next.