Finance Committee, 23 Mar 2004

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Official Report 162KB pdf

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Items in Private

I welcome the press and public to the 10th Finance Committee meeting of 2004, and ask people to switch off their mobile phones. We have not received any apologies. Now that Fergus Ewing is here, I have seen all members of the committee this morning, so I hope that all will be here.

The first item on the agenda is to consider whether to take item 3 in private. It will be a discussion about individual witness expenses, which I consider would be more appropriately discussed in private. Do members agree to deal with item 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Secondly, we agreed at our meeting on 9 March that our discussion on a contingent liability should be considered in private, because there might be some on-going negotiations in relation to the liability. However, I also said that if the negotiations were concluded in time for 23 March we should take the item in public. I am told that the negotiations continue, therefore the item will be taken in private, as per our agreement on 9 March.

Meeting continued in private.

Meeting continued in public.