Many thanks, convener, for your warm words, and good morning, members.
I am delighted to be joining you this morning as the Auditor General for Scotland. This is my first meeting and I look forward to working with the committee during the weeks, months and years ahead.
In a matter of months, the public health crisis caused by Covid-19 has profoundly affected all aspects of Scottish life. Central to that are the personal tragedies suffered by the thousands of people who have died or lost loved ones. The pandemic is far from over and it remains unclear what impact it will have on us as individuals, on public services and on the economy.
The crisis has required the Scottish and United Kingdom Governments to respond quickly and provide substantial additional funding for individuals, businesses, public services and the economy. In our paper, we set out our initial assessment of the impact of Covid-19 on Scotland’s public finances up to the end of July 2020. We analyse the emerging risks to the Scottish Government’s budget and the performance of public services. We also outline how public audit is responding to these events.
The Scottish Government has made more than 90 separate spending announcements, totalling £5.3 billion, aimed at tackling the pandemic, and more is likely to come.
Transparency matters more than ever. I welcome the introduction of the summer budget revision to aid Parliament’s on-going scrutiny. Similarly, we welcome the Scottish Government’s confirmation in the past few days that the deferred medium-term financial strategy will be published alongside the budget in December this year.
The Scottish Government’s spending programme is taking place alongside UK Government spending and taxation measures that apply in Scotland. A key task for all involved will be ensuring that the Scottish Government’s responses work well alongside UK Government and local government measures.
The pandemic has brought immediate risks to people, public services and the economy, with some groups in society being disproportionately affected. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing will continue over the longer term, and responding to the pandemic will affect the Scottish Government’s wider aims and objectives. Public services will need to adapt.
For our part, we are reviewing our forward work programme to reflect the changing context of Covid-19 and its implications for public finances, public services and outcomes for citizens. The paper will support that work. As we look to provide transparency, support parliamentary scrutiny and share good practice and innovation, I will continue to engage with the committee.
I am delighted to be here along with my colleagues Mark Taylor and Fiona Diggle to support the committee’s consideration of the paper.