Meeting of the Parliament 19 February 2026 [Draft]
I was just coming on to that point. The board was escalated to stage 4 of the NHS Scotland support and intervention framework in May 2025 in order to provide it with the support that it needs. The Scottish Government has set targets to improve the board’s position over the next three years, and the board remains on course to achieve those targets.
With regard to local authorities, the Government has provided another real-terms increase in funding for the next financial year. We will continue to work with COSLA to ensure that our communities continue to receive the high-quality services that they expect and deserve. The grant-aided expenditure funding formula is agreed by COSLA leaders, and Aberdeenshire Council receives additional funding due to Aberdeenshire’s rural nature. If Alexander Burnett disagrees with any of the evidence that is used to make that calculation or if he believes that other evidence would merit inclusion in distribution considerations, I am sure that his points could be raised directly with COSLA, which makes decisions on the funding methodology.