To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve social work services for older people in Argyll and Bute following the publication of the Social Work Inspection Agency report on Argyll and Bute Council's social work services. (S3O-402)

The report of the Social Work Inspection Agency on Argyll and Bute Council's social work services is due for publication in late October. I will provide my response to that report once it is available and I have had time to consider its findings.

The minister will be aware that Argyll and Bute Council underspends on older people's services by a substantial amount—under one budget heading alone, it spends 50 per cent less than the Government gives it. I understand that questions might arise about the quality of the services that are being delivered, too. On that basis, when the report is published, if Argyll and Bute Council does not produce a robust improvement plan that addresses both the funding and the quality of services, will the minister use her powers of intervention to protect the needs of older people in Argyll and Bute?

We will expect the council to act on any recommendations that the Social Work Inspection Agency may make and we will expect to see the results of that action through the new outcome-based monitoring approaches that we will develop with our local authority partners. I will keep a close eye on that process.