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Our next agenda item is consideration of the specification for our adviser on the Sewel motion on the Railways Bill, which we will consider at the committee next week. We have a very short timescale. We indicated to the Conveners Group the draft adviser's schedule that I approved, but if members want to amend it we can communicate that to the Conveners Group before final approval to appoint our adviser is given. The paper covers the main qualities that we want to see in an adviser. Do members have items to add to the person specification?
I thought that we could build on the duties in the specification. Given our questions on the financial settlement that will come from passing powers to Scottish ministers and the Minister for Transport's previous evidence to us, there will be complicated issues concerning the negotiation or settlement—whatever we might call it—of resource transfer. An adviser will need to have some understanding of resource transfer issues and future funding mechanisms, which will need to spin off into the person specification. Those qualities might be in the specification and I just did not see them, but there is nothing about addressing resource transfer issues in the adviser's duties.
The third bullet point refers to
Are you including financial resources as well as people resources in that?
Yes, absolutely. In addition, the first bullet point of the person specification identifies
As long as that is not just about money, but also about people, because a transfer of people might be needed.
Do we agree to the specification?
Members indicated agreement.
I have another issue to raise to save time at our next meeting. I suggest that the adviser's briefings to the committee be in private, so that the witnesses and the minister do not have advance notice of the areas on which we intend to question them. Do we agree to hold those briefings in private at our meetings next Tuesday and Wednesday?
Members indicated agreement.
We move into private session.
Meeting continued in private until 16:39.
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