SOME people may find it strange that a doctor has been appointed to the First Minister's Council of Economic Advisers.

It is, in fact, a bold move and one which should have been done long before now to recognise the link between poverty and health and act upon it.

The previous appointees are all decorated and lauded economists and no-one is going to argue they don't know their fiscal deficit from their quantitative easing, but Sir Harry Burns can help bring a new dimension to their discussions.

New First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she wants to use the resources created by businesses to cut inequality and tackle poverty, and Sir Harry is the eminent expert in Glasgow's problems in that field.

Economics can help solve poverty but it can also create it and his presence can warn if problems will be exacerbated by certain decisions.

Ensuring enough money and talent is invested in early interventions is crucial for breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty.

Sir Harry has the opportunity to bring the consequences for real people and real lives to discussions about economics and numbers and lines on a chart.