Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Bill: Financial Memorandum
Good afternoon and welcome to the 22nd meeting in 2008 of the Finance Committee in the third session of the Scottish Parliament. I ask committee members and members of the public to switch off mobile phones and pagers.
Item 1 is consideration of the committee's approach to scrutiny of the financial memorandum to the Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Bill. Although this matter does not constitute a declarable interest as far as the register of members' interests is concerned, it is fair to say that, as MSPs, we all have an interest in a bill that deals with our pension scheme.
Members will see from the clerk's note that, as this is a committee bill and, as a result, there is no lead committee and no report on its general principles, we have to report to Parliament on its financial memorandum. The clerk's note suggests that, on that basis and given the contents of the financial memorandum, we adopt level 2 scrutiny, which will involve taking oral evidence from the member in charge of the bill, Alasdair Morgan, and seeking written evidence from the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.