The next item on our agenda is consideration of a paper from the clerk and a briefing paper from the Scottish Parliament information centre on the civil service, prior to our taking evidence that will allow us to feed into Public Administration Select Committee's inquiry into civil service effectiveness. As members will recall, we discussed the committee's remit, and the paper from the clerk seeks to clarify those issues and suggests a way in which the committee could take them forward. In order to make headway on the issues that we are interested in, I think that we should proceed in the way suggested in the paper. After we have taken evidence from John Elvidge, the permanent secretary, on 25 January, we could, if members wish, have a further discussion on any other evidence that we might wish to seek. I ask Susan Duffy to say something about the mechanisms for taking further evidence.
On 25 January, we are due to put a paper to the committee on the committee's future work programme until the summer. One of the issues that the committee had already signalled that it wanted to look at was efficient government, and the paper suggests that issues that may emerge from the evidence session with John Elvidge could be taken under the banner of efficient government. The paper that is produced on 25 January would seek to encompass possible dates and those slots can be filled in after the committee has taken evidence from John Elvidge.
Are there any comments on the paper or any issues that members want to raise? Are members content with the route forward that has been mapped out?
That concludes that item. Our final item concerns witness expenses and will, as previously agreed, be taken in private.
Meeting continued in private until 11:26.
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