Audit Committee, 26 Sep 2006

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Official Report 224KB pdf

---

Scottish Executive (Progress Report on Committee's Recommendations)

We now move back to agenda item 6, which is on the Scottish Executive's progress report on the committee's recommendations. I will give members a chance to find the papers for this agenda item—I say that because I cannot find mine, having jumbled them all up.

We have before us a report that the Executive has submitted on its progress on a range of the most significant recommendations that have resulted from the committee's inquiries during session 2. The report is extensive. The aim in seeking such a report was to capture the impact that the committee has had and to begin to consider how that can be evaluated. The request was linked to the possibility that we might at some stage have a debate in the Parliament, although that is now unlikely.

The clerks are to be commended for having compiled the report, never mind all the other work that went on around it. It is interesting for us as members to remind ourselves of the range of areas that we have covered.

My only specific comment is that there is still more that we could do, and more that the Executive could do in responding to us, to push questions and answers towards outcome measures. We have done that successfully in some areas, but we could still do more.

If members wish, the progress report could become part of our discussion on the committee's legacy paper. It could also be covered at our forthcoming away day.

Does Audit Scotland have any comments to make?

No.

Fine. We will note the progress report and move on to the next agenda item.