Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, 02 Sep 2008

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Official Report 274KB pdf

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Budget Process 2009-10

Item 5 is consideration of the committee's approach to its annual scrutiny of the Government's budget, which is coming up fast. Draft budget documents are expected to be published later this month. Committee paper RAE/S3/08/14/11 sets out a possible overall approach and includes a timetable in paragraphs 6, 7 and 8. I need an indication from members that you agree the approach that is laid out.

I am pretty content with the approach, but I still think that we should give attention to the extent to which ministers have discretion to shift money around below the big budget heads, which is always a bit of a mystery.

Okay.

We are moving into private session, so I close the public part of the meeting and thank everyone who came along to listen. I will see some of you again over lunch.

Meeting continued in private until 12:56.