Mr. Robert Watt:

I am very happy to engage with the committee on this and I would be very happy to return to talk about it at a later meeting, and to engage with and hear people's views. As I said earlier, there is a very clear commitment to regional entities, local decision-making, integrated services, geographical spread and a single budget. They are the core principles and I do not think anybody disputes that.

As for the details of how this is phased in over time, I will be very happy to engage with the committee. We have been asked by the Government to develop a detailed plan and to engage with different stakeholders, and we are very happy to do that. I am very happy also to be convinced of an alternative. Everybody wants to get to the same destination, as Mr. Reid articulated.