Chamber and committees

That is one of the measures that we are bringing forward as part of our programme. We have provided £3.7 million of funding to support the industry in developing an energy skills passport, which will help the transition that Audrey Nicoll refers to. It is important that the skills that we have available to us in Scotland in the oil and gas sector can be utilised in all aspects of economic activity in Scotland, and I am very optimistic that that will be the case with renewables as well.

Obviously, I want those issues to be resolved. Health boards have a responsibility to exercise their functions properly in that respect. I will seek an update from NHS Tayside on that question and share it with Mr Marra. In my previous exchange on the issue with Mr Marra, I made the point that, as the case may well reach an employment tribunal, I have to be careful about what I say in that respect but, with that caveat, I will try to give Mr Marra as comprehensive a reply as I can on the current situation in relation to the case.

The Government has had engagement with DFDS on that question. I will ensure that an update is provided to Rhoda Grant on that, so that the concerns that have been raised can be properly addressed. Obviously, it is a decision for DFDS.

The Government has to operate a sustainable ferry network, and the price increases that have been put forward are essential to ensure the sustainability of the ferry network, which is critical to the delivery of good services and to individuals’ access to the islands. Of course, many ferry journeys benefit from the road equivalent tariff, which was brought in by the Scottish Government. That has meant that the cost of travel to our islands is formidably lower than it would have been had we left the matter to the neglect of the Labour Party, which did not introduce the road equivalent tariff before this Government came to office.

—and on bringing down waiting times. That is the focus of the First Minister and the health secretary. The Conservatives do not care about that, but I certainly do.

The issues around delayed discharge are complex because, in essence, they rely on the strength and capacity of the social care system in Scotland. That is the key question that the Government is addressing in the steps that we are taking to ensure that the health service and the care system meet the needs of the public in Scotland.

One of the steps that we are taking to try to make the position better—I accept that the situation that Mr Sarwar has put to me is not acceptable—is to put in place a record funding settlement for the health service, which will strengthen social care. We are also delivering a real-terms increase in local authority budgets so that local authorities are able to contribute more to health and social care partnerships to ensure that more social care places are available at local level. Those are practical and tangible actions that the Government is taking to address the situation.

All those issues have been set out to Parliament. The health secretary made a statement to Parliament—[Interruption.]

The health secretary came here and raised a point of order on Tuesday, when it was clear from the points that had been raised by the Conservative and Labour members that there was an issue in relation to his original statement. I have dealt with those questions accordingly.

I say to Mr Findlay and to members of the public around the country that they should be assured that their First Minister and their health secretary are absolutely focused on delivering the leadership that is necessary to strengthen and to improve the national health service and to deliver for patients. That is my commitment to Parliament today.

There will be no worry on that front from me, Presiding Officer.

I am really touched that Mr Sarwar is taking such a close interest in all my press interviews. That suggests that he is a bit touchy about things these days. It suggests that he is perhaps a little bit worried about his position and that he is not quite as confident that he is heading in the direction of Bute house. However, if he is that worried, that tells us that we are on the right course in what we are doing.

Over the course of the past few weeks and months, a number of important steps have been taken by the Government to strengthen the availability of social care in our country. Some of the steps that we are taking are the expansion of frailty units, which are associated with A and E departments; the expansion of the hospital-at-home system, which is designed to care for individuals in their own homes and provide them with clinical care so that they avoid being in hospital; and the support that has been put in place in relation to the strengthening of general practitioner practices, which, of course, is not helped by the United Kingdom Government’s changes to employer national insurance contributions.

Of course, there is a big decision coming up for the Parliament in the next few weeks—the decision about the budget. The budget delivers a record financial settlement for the health service and a real-terms increase for local authority funding to support the social care system. The big question is whether Labour will support the Government in our investment in the social care system.

Yesterday, I convened a discussion at which stakeholders in the health service discussed all the challenges that we face. I am completely open about the fact that we face challenges in the health service in Scotland today. That is why I convened yesterday’s session, and it is why I am setting out the steps that we are taking to ensure that we have an immediate focus on ensuring that the resources are in place to drive down waiting times and to tackle delayed discharge. That is what we are doing.

One of the participants in yesterday’s discussion raised with me the damage and difficulty that will be faced by general practice because of the imposition of an increase in employer national insurance contributions. Is it not interesting—[Interruption.]

It is important that we put this matter in its proper context. The issue that Neil Gray had to address in Parliament on Tuesday revolved around one word that was inserted in his answer to Stephen Kerr during his parliamentary statement. That one word was the word “all”—a three-letter word—[Interruption.]