Hansard

I thank the member for raising those important issues. The first point to highlight is that we recognise that social care is under significant pressure in Scotland, just as it is elsewhere in the United Kingdom. That is why there is an uplift in funding for social care in the budget, why there is an uplift in funding overall for health and social care and why there is an uplift in funding for local government. That has been achieved through the parliamentary process in setting the budget. We will continue to engage closely with local partners, recognising the pressures that are faced, but, ultimately, as has been expressed as the will of the Parliament, those decisions are for local partners to take.