To ask the First Minister whether the Executive believes that voluntary sector organisations play a valuable role in the provision of social care services. (S3F-109)

I am pleased to acknowledge with thanks the important contribution that voluntary sector organisations make to care and support services in our communities. They bring commitment and innovation and help to create a vibrant mixed economy in the provision of social care.

Does the First Minister acknowledge the experience of many of my constituents in Aberdeen, where council funding decisions made earlier this year resulted in the voluntary sector's withdrawal from the provision of a number of services to vulnerable people? Many vulnerable people faced a change in their care provider at very short notice and the terms and conditions of care workers were driven down to national minimum levels. Will the First Minister join me in urging Aberdeen City Council not to repeat the exercise with other services that the voluntary sector provides to vulnerable people, and will he commend long-term funding arrangements as the way forward, as John Swinney did this morning?

There is a great deal to be said for long-term funding arrangements. I understand that the attitude of both the previous and the present Aberdeen City Council administrations is that they have been affected by the substantial cuts in the supporting people budget that were made when it was redistributed from the Treasury to the Scottish Parliament in 2004. They think that that has been a significant factor. In addition, they claim that the redistribution of various formulas relevant to those matters has had a significant impact on the decisions that they have had to make. I point out gently to the member that he was a minister in the Government that made decisions on such matters.

Meeting suspended until 14:15.

On resuming—