Health and social care partnerships that are responsible for delivering social care face a funding gap of £560 million in this year alone, and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities estimates that £750 million will be needed for next year. If the SNP is funding social care adequately, as it claims to be doing, why are lifeline care services being slashed? Why are health and social care partnerships declaring a social care crisis? Why are they funding only the most critical care, which means that people are stuck in hospital and unable to get out? Why is there a growing waiting list for care assessments? Why are essential packages of care being denied?

I ask the cabinet secretary: why are the most vulnerable people in Scotland being let down by the SNP Government?