Finance Committee, 10 Feb 2004

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Official Report 301KB pdf

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Budget (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Members have copies of the bill and a note from the clerk. This paper was originally discussed at our meeting on 13 January, but I thought it was worth tabling it again to give members a quick reminder of the procedures for considering budget bills at stage 2.

Before we start our formal proceedings, I draw members' attention to two points in the paper. First, only a member of the Scottish Executive can lodge an amendment at this stage. Secondly, as is stated in paragraph 5 of the paper,

"it is not possible to leave out a section or schedule of the Bill by disagreeing to it."

To do that, an amendment would have to be lodged.

With that information in mind, we now turn to formal proceedings on the bill. We have no amendments to deal with, but the standing orders oblige us to consider each section, each schedule and the long title, and to agree each formally. We shall take the sections in order, the schedules immediately after the sections that introduce them, and the long title last. Fortunately, standing orders allow us to put a single question where groups of sections or schedules fall to be considered consecutively, unless members disagree. I hope that members will not be too pedantic. If members do disagree, I shall have to put a separate question on each section and schedule. I ask that we try to roll up the sections and the schedules, unless members are disposed not to do that.

I am entirely disposed to do that, but since we are not permitted to lodge amendments, I wonder whether I might just put a couple of questions to the minister before we move into the formal session.

We are actually now in the formal session. The opportunity to ask ministers questions was under the previous agenda item. I am afraid that you have lost your chance.

I do not quite see why. It is a very simple request.

I am sorry, but we are now in the formal process of dealing with the bill at stage 2. The opportunity to ask questions, as I made clear at the start, was under the first item on the agenda.

I know that we are not allowed to lodge amendments, but I would have thought that seeking an assurance from the minister would be the correct thing to do at this stage. It is not very complicated and I very much doubt that the minister will make a meal of it.

I shall indulge you slightly, Fergus, but only slightly.

It is simply a technical question. The budget process is obviously, by its nature, difficult and complicated, and the task of compiling the appropriate limits that are in the bill takes a great deal of effort on the part of the minister's officials, which we all recognise and appreciate. Is the minister able to provide an assurance today that, so far as he knows, the figures and provisions in the bill are those that are required and that there is no reason at the moment to suggest that any of the figures or provisions will require further amendment?

Mr Ewing is in many ways more familiar than I am with the process and he knows that we have spring and autumn budget revisions every year—to make changes that come inevitably as the process continues. The figures are set at this time, but they are always subject to the amendments that go through the spring and autumn revisions. The only assurance that I can give is that we shall use the spring and autumn revisions as we have always used them, and as we shall continue to use them, in the normal manner in which budget bills are taken forward.

I now move us back to the formal process.

Section 1, schedules 1 and 2, section 2, schedules 3 and 4, sections 3 to 5, schedule 5 and sections 6 to 10 agreed to.

Long title agreed to.

That ends our stage 2 consideration. I thank the minister for his co-operation.