Official Report 193KB pdf
Item 1 is to ask the committee to take item 4, which is consideration of a draft stage 2 report on the budget process, in private. I seek the committee's views.
Members will be aware that throughout the Scottish Parliament there is a move to cut back on the number of parts of meetings that are taken in private. We have become used to going into private session every time a draft report is before us. This case provides an ideal opportunity not to do that, because the draft report is quite non-controversial—it is straightforward and would not cause controversy if we took it in public session. I hope that members appreciate the attempt to keep the meeting more open.
Equally, members will be aware that, since I became convener, we have tried hard not to take items in private. I take the view that a draft report is perhaps a different thing altogether, but I have always said that I will not stand in the way of the committee discussing all items in public session if it wishes to do so. Are there any other comments?
As one of the authors of the report, I am perfectly content to have my work discussed in public.
Is that the feeling of the committee? Do any members feel that we should discuss the report in private? If no members feel that way, we will not take item 4 in private; it will be held in public session.