Finance Committee, 07 Oct 2003
Meeting date: Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Official Report
261KB pdf
Items in Private
Agenda item 4 is to seek the committee's agreement to take the draft report on the financial memorandum on the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Bill in private at the committee's next meeting on 28 October. I ask members to indicate whether they agree to that.
As I recall, I think that the advice from the Procedures Committee was that such decisions should be taken on a case-by-case basis. This is an example of a case in which it would be useful to have a discussion in public. I say that because, for example, we have had some fairly detailed submissions from a number of witnesses including health boards, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and others, and they would be genuinely interested to see the process by which we produce a report using as our guide, in part, the evidence that we have had from those witnesses.
There is something inherently unsatisfactory about witnesses' coming to the committee as they have done, giving us freely and voluntarily—at no small cost to their time—of their expertise, their knowledge and their evidence, after which we go into private session and out comes a report. The process of how we reach decisions is important. It is clear that no matter how one might want to dub this particular financial memorandum, it is certainly not the Executive's finest hour. However, I hope that, notwithstanding that there may well be—I suspect that there will be—different views about how bad the memorandum is, it should be possible to produce a report that brings out the substantive criticisms that I think all members have elicited from witnesses.
This is a case—I hope that other members agree—in which our proceedings might be enhanced if we have a serious and mature debate in the public eye. It would be deleterious to go into private session on this particular matter and I really cannot see any reason why we should do so.
The committee has discussed the matter previously and there is disagreement about how we should handle it. I suggest that we simply move to a vote. I move that the committee agree to discuss its draft report on the financial memorandum to the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Bill in private at its next meeting. Is that agreed?
No.
There will be a division.
Can I see all those in favour of that proposition—
Just before we take the vote—
I am sorry, I have moved to the vote.
For
Alexander, Ms Wendy (Paisley North) (Lab)
Maclean, Kate (Dundee West) (Lab)
McNulty, Des (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab)
Murray, Dr Elaine (Dumfries) (Lab)
Purvis, Mr Jeremy (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD)
Against
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP)
Mather, Jim (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Swinburne, John (Central Scotland) (SSCUP)
The result of the division is: For 5, Against 3, Abstentions 0. The proposal is agreed to.
I close the meeting.
Meeting closed at 12:31.