Finance Secretary John Swinney told the Finance Committee the Scottish government was committed to a preventative approach in tackling issues arising from Scotland's ageing population. Mr Swinney was giving evidence as part of the committee's inquiry into the impact demographic change and an ageing population will have primarily on public finances in respect of the provision of health and social care, housing, pensions and the labour force on 9 January 2012. In reply to a question from SNP MSP John Mason, the finance secretary said the government was "delighted" people were living longer highlighting "thriving" individuals in their 90s and the fact many social enterprises and organisations would not survive without the volunteering and commitment of the elderly. Mr Swinney explained that the government used a range of different indicators, principally extrapolated from the census "to provide clarity about the range of issues that we have to consider as a government."