Finance Committee, 27 Mar 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 27, 2001

Official Report 93KB pdf

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Budget (Scotland) Act 2001

Agenda item 2 is on the Budget (Scotland) Act 2001. Members have received copies of the letter that was received from the Minister for Finance and Local Government, Angus MacKay MSP, including his responses to questions that were raised by the committee at its meeting on 30 January. A total of 15 questions were raised, each of which has been answered pretty fully. Do members have any comments on those answers, or are we content with them?

The only response about which I have concerns is that to question 4, on Caledonian MacBrayne. That matter is obviously not yet resolved. The changes have been explained, therefore the question has been answered, but the answer begs the further question of what will happen under the new system.

Do you mean because we do not yet know what the new system will produce?

Yes. We should put down a marker that the Executive should advise the committee when it has information on what the new system will be and what its effect might be on the relevant part of the budget.

We will put down that marker.

A full and helpful answer has been given to question 6. The Executive's response says that

"generally the Equalities budget would not directly fund the voluntary sector",

which I find interesting and surprising. However, we can pursue that matter through our general interest in the voluntary sector. The response shows that such questions are a worthwhile way of eliciting further useful information.

Yes—the answer to question 6 is the fullest of all the answers. It provides useful information. Does any member wish to comment on any of the other responses to the questions that we posed?

Members indicated disagreement.

With the proviso regarding the answer to the question on Caledonian MacBrayne, is the committee satisfied with the answers that we have received?

Members indicated agreement.