[The Convener opened the meeting at 10:09]
Good morning. This is the 25th meeting in 2005 of the Finance Committee, which comes only a day after the 24th meeting in Elgin. We are definitely working for our money this week. I welcome the press and public to the meeting and remind people to turn off all pagers and mobile phones. Frank McAveety, Wendy Alexander and Elaine Murray were caught in a flash flood last night, so they are not with us today. Jim Mather will have to leave us at about 11.15. Mark Ballard has just arrived.