Finance Committee, 10 Nov 2008

Meeting date: Monday, November 10, 2008

Official Report 213KB pdf

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Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good afternoon. I reconvene the Finance Committee's 26th meeting in 2008. This morning, we held some useful informal workshop sessions with representatives of local organisations. Committee members are keen to use the issues that were raised in the workshops during this afternoon's session.

We are joined by John Scott, the local constituency MSP.

This afternoon, the committee will take evidence on the Scottish Government's draft budget. I welcome John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, who is accompanied by two Scottish Government officials: Alyson Stafford, the director of finance, and John Williams, head of finance co-ordination. Welcome to you all.

First, do committee members agree to take in private item 4, which is consideration of the evidence that we shall hear from the cabinet secretary, in order that we can better inform the drafting of our report?

Members indicated agreement.