Agenda item 2 is consideration of the Scottish Government’s response to the committee’s report to the Finance Committee on the 2013-14 draft budget. Paper 1 includes that response, which we have been asked to note, including the aspects that are highlighted in paragraph 2.
I am content with the report as is.
There is one comment in particular that I would like to make. In paragraph 89 of our report, we made a point about zero-based budgeting. I had an interest in that matter and we discussed it, but the answer does not really deal with it; in fact, it does not even mention it. I was a little bit disappointed by that.
Okay. Would you like further clarification on that?
I think that we have got the answer. I am not enthusiastic about it, but we have got it.
Okay. We could press the Government to firm up the answer that we have been given, or to give us more detail.
I do not know what anyone else thinks about that issue.
I am quite happy with the response, but there are a few things that I would like a bit more information on. On the response to including gender in the decision-making process and how the Government will take forward the issue of gender, I would be happy to get a bit more detail on what it will specifically do, how it will monitor, and what it will do if that is seen not to work. I would like a bit more information about that.
If you are going to contact the Government about that, would it be worth saying that we will be looking at the matter in more depth, so it would be good to get its response at this stage?
Yes.
We could qualify why we are asking for more detail at this stage.
Yes.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much the Government was able to pass on about equal pay. Obviously, that is just the top of an iceberg anyway.
Yes.
I agree with John Mason on the response to zero-based budgeting. I thought that a number of presumptions were made that, quite the reverse of being critical of the need for zero budgeting, suggested that it might be needed. There is the idea that the current system does not involve
I would not want you to write especially on that paragraph, but if you are responding with a number of points, I would be happy if—
I am happy to write about that paragraph alone.
That would give it a little bit too much emphasis. However, we could ask for a bit more comment specifically on incremental budgeting against zero-based budgeting.
I ask the clerk to draw up a response that is based on the issues have been raised.
Yes. Although we are making comments, I think that the response was fairly comprehensive in many other areas. We are not saying that the Government did not respond. It has done so in a fairly positive manner, and we need to reflect that. There are only one or two points.
Yes. That can be reflected in the letter. We can thank the Government for the response and say that we are happy, but we would like further clarification on a couple of things. The clerk is happy to draw up that response.