“The 2013/14 audit of NHS Orkney: Financial management”
“The 2013/14 audit of NHS Highland: Financial management”
Item 4 is on section 22 reports. The committee has written submissions from the Scottish Government and NHS Orkney on the Auditor General for Scotland’s reports. I am in the hands of committee members. You can either note the submissions or request further written or oral evidence.
Committee members should be aware that we are taking evidence on 2 February in Inverness from NHS Highland. Also, we are taking evidence from the Scottish Government on the “NHS in Scotland 2013/14” report on 14 January, so you could decide to defer consideration of whether to take evidence from the Scottish Government until after the evidence sessions, or you could highlight any issues and pass them on to the Health and Sport Committee. It is for members to decide which option to choose.
I think that your suggestion that we defer the decision until after the evidence sessions is very sensible.
Is that agreed?
Yes, I agree.
Before we go into private session, I intimate to committee members that I will be moving on from my post as convener of the Public Audit Committee. The inevitable political reshuffles that take place in all parties have occurred and I am moving to a new role.
I thank the current committee members—some of whom have recently joined the committee—and previous members whom I have served with over the piece. As always, the Public Audit Committee has been a stimulating and interesting committee that usually adds value to the work of the Parliament.
I have commented before that committees of the Parliament need to watch that they do not become complacent. We have a role to play in holding the Government of the day to account, whatever its political complexion, and committees need to be robust and vigorous. Otherwise, we are letting down not only the committee but the Parliament. I think that the Public Audit Committee has a commendable track record over the years.
I also thank Jane Williams and her current and previous clerking teams. They have been exceptionally diligent and hard working and have kept me right on many occasions. I appreciate that and I thank them very much.
Convener, I wonder whether you will allow me to say a few words as deputy convener on behalf of the committee. When I came to Parliament in 1999, and you were sitting there as the arch-socialist on the Health and Community Care Committee and I was the token Tory, I never imagined that we would be sitting here and working so well.
He is still an arch-socialist.
Yes—and I am still the token Tory.
I just wanted to thank you, convener. This committee is very special; it is about scrutinising the Government, of whatever colour, and organisations. I enjoy it so much because it is all about effective spend and value for money. It really does not matter that you are the arch-socialist and I am the token Tory, because this is not about politics. It is about spending taxpayers’ money.
I just want to say that it is no mistake that you have been nominated as—and have become—politician of the year for several years, because you have done an excellent job. I do not know whether your successor will have the Rottweiler qualities that you have, but I hope that we will get someone who takes on board the approach that you have taken. I think that the whole Parliament respects the job that you have done on the committee, and from my point of view it has been a tremendous pleasure working for you. I think we have done very good work on the committee and I know that it will continue.
Thank you, for your comments. I am sure that you meant “Rottweiler qualities” as a compliment.
I did. [Laughter.]
I will bring in Colin Beattie in a moment. One thing that I neglected to mention underpins all the committee’s work. Committee members have a tremendous role to play and the staff that support the committee are fantastic, but we could not do any of this work without the quality of the reports that come to the committee from Audit Scotland. Over the years, I and other conveners have paid tribute to the work of Caroline Gardner and her team, and that of her predecessor, Bob Black. Their work is exceptional. It is of the highest professional quality, and it is incisive and concise, which is always helpful. To be frank, we could not do our work without that input from Audit Scotland.
I add my congratulations on your elevation and wish you well in your new post. We will miss you—although I seem to recall that, in my time on the committee, this is your second departure. [Laughter.]
He might be back.
Hopefully he will go on to greater things.
Thank you very much. With that, we move into private session.
11:13 Meeting continued in private until 11:33.Previous
Section 23 Report