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Item 2 is consideration of the financial memorandum to the National Parks (Scotland) Bill, on which a paper has been circulated to members. We have a reasonable amount of time to deal with the financial memorandum.
The Finance Committee will have to consider the financial memorandum to the bill and report on it, but there is not much time to do that because it is expected that the stage 1 debate will take place on 24 May.
Essentially, consideration of the financial memorandum to the National Parks (Scotland) Bill is the responsibility of the Finance Committee.
I wish to make a procedural point. I looked at the agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the Transport and the Environment Committee and discovered that that committee will take evidence on the National Parks (Scotland) Bill. Although Irene McGugan and I are rapporteurs—I assume that this is the same for her—we were not notified of that and were not sent papers. I note that the rapporteurs from the Transport and the Environment Committee are not present here although an issue relating to the National Parks (Scotland) Bill is on the agenda. What procedures are there to let rapporteurs know when committees are meeting to discuss aspects of the National Parks (Scotland) Bill, and to issue them with relevant papers?
We do not have a formal procedure for that. We are merely notified that rapporteurs should be copied into the relevant papers. I suspect that an oversight has occurred due to the recess.
We should look into this matter immediately so that we can put it right as soon as possible.
The papers can be issued immediately.
I understand that consideration of the financial memorandum is largely the responsibility of the Finance Committee, but that we can make an input into it. The financial memorandum has been circulated and it is open to you to comment on it. I suggest that we decide how we will consider it in the time that is available: do you wish to take evidence or advice on it?
The only thing that appears to be interesting or that involves large sums of money is paragraph 144 on the costs of Loch Lomond national park. Can we have a breakdown of the £2.4 million?
Does the committee agree that we should ask for that breakdown?
I agree that it is worth investigating those figures a little further. However, given the timetabling difficulties, which we have discussed before, it might help to progress the bill if we deal with those figures when we consider the budget documents later today, because the programme and set-up costs for the Cairngorm and Loch Lomond national parks appear as provisional lines in the budgets for the relevant years.
Do you think that the breakdown in the budget documents is adequate?
No. However, a breakdown of the figures in the budget document would be the same as what I am requesting.
Should we write to the minister for that specific breakdown?
There is additional information on page 21 about predictions of costs for the Loch Lomond and Cairngorm national parks.
Would you rather hear it from the minister?
No. I am happy as long as it is on paper somewhere.
We can obtain information to confirm those figures. Are there any other issues relating to the financial memorandum? With the proviso that we will seek additional information on the point that was raised, we will note the financial memorandum.