Our second item is consideration of a letter from the convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on whether committees should be obliged to report periodically on how they have built equalities considerations into their work. I point out that the previous Finance Committee's annual reports always included a section on mainstreaming equalities, and I assume that the committee will want to continue that practice in this year's annual report. Are members agreed?
The letter asks us whether we support the principle of committees reporting on mainstreaming equal opportunities near the end of the session and in annual reports generally and, if so, whether we think that a rule change is necessary to ensure that such reporting takes place. I presume that we are quite content in that respect.
I will therefore ask the clerk to draft a response to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. That letter will, of course, be circulated by e-mail to all members.
Meeting continued in private until 14:29.