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I am glad that the guidance has been issued. I have a question about the letter that we received from Annie Gunner Logan, who suggests that we ask the Social Work Inspection Agency and Audit Scotland to pursue the matter further. How would that work and what are the practicalities of it?
Item 5 is to consider the Scottish Government’s draft guidance on social care procurement. Members will recall that we took evidence last June on the tendering methods used by local authorities in the procurement of social care services—specifically home care services for the elderly. We followed that up in correspondence with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and draft guidance was published in January. The consultation on that is due to end in April.
Annie Gunner Logan has highlighted the issue that I raised during the inquiry: although a local authority might be the procurement agent and might outsource the work, when it comes to accountability for delivery of the service, the local authority seems to be able to step back and not face any criticism. Annie Gunner Logan is correct that we need to hear from the Social Work Inspection Agency what procedures, if any, will be put in place to ensure that the contracting local authority is held accountable for the services that are delivered. I support the request that we make further inquiries. In the past, we have been told that some of these issues might be addressed in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill. We need to get clear guidance on how the Social Work Inspection Agency views the delivery of these services and who would ultimately be held accountable for any failures in that delivery.
I agree with John Wilson. The suggestion in the letter that there be a review of the process is sensible and I would like us to support it. I appreciate that that might happen a bit further down the road, but it would lend weight to what we have done so far, on which Annie Gunner Logan has kindly complimented us. It would round off quite well the work that we have done and it would create something that would hopefully be of lasting value.
No members disagree with that approach. Something might come out of the consultation, which will end in April. We will draft a letter. Is that okay?
That concludes our business for today. Thank you all for your patience and participation.
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