Audit Committee, 23 Nov 2004

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Official Report 202KB pdf

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Items in Private

My electronic gavel has let me down. Not to worry. I call the meeting to order.

This is the 21st meeting in 2004 of the Audit Committee, and I am pleased to welcome the Auditor General for Scotland and his team from Audit Scotland. I do not see any members of the public, which is probably just as well because, after climbing up to this floor, the first item on the agenda is to seek the agreement of the committee to take items 2 and 6 in private.

Item 2 is to consider lines of questioning for witnesses on the reports by the Auditor General entitled "Commissioning community care services for older people" and "Adapting to the future: Management of community equipment and adaptations". Item 6 is to enable the committee to consider the evidence taken under agenda item 5 on the reports by the Auditor General for Scotland that I have just mentioned.

The question is, therefore, whether to discuss agenda items 2 and 6 in private. Is that agreed?

Could I suggest an amendment to that question? I believe that item 3, which is consideration of a draft letter, should also be discussed in private.

The intention was not to consider that draft letter in detail but to hear general themes for any redrafting that members want. Are there specific issues that you want to raise?

Given my previous experience of working with the committee, I just feel that it would be appropriate for us to consider in private a draft letter that is written by the clerk.

I have no particular difficulty with that suggestion. I shall first put the question on items 2 and 6, on which nobody has commented. Do members agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Do members have anything else that they wish to add in relation to item 3?

If item 3 were taken in private, it would then become public, so it would be covered. It is certainly not anything secret. I accept Margaret Jamieson's point—the letter will eventually come into the public domain once it is agreed, so I would be happy to take item 3 in private.

All items come into the public domain. I am not sure what distinction you are making.

I accept Margaret Jamieson's point about the letter being a draft by the clerk. To hold the item in private would allow proper discussion of the draft. As the letter will eventually come into the public domain, there is no secrecy in that.

I see what you mean. There is no secrecy because the letter will eventually come into the public domain. I thought that you were suggesting that if we discussed the letter in private, it would then somehow, mysteriously, become public.

No.

I was rather disturbed by the notion that we discuss things in private so that they become public.

I can calm your fears on that.

Do members agree that item 3 be taken in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Meeting continued in private.

Meeting continued in public.