Equal Opportunities Committee, 27 Sep 2005

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Official Report 98KB pdf

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Budget Process 2006-07

Item 2 is on the budget process 2006-07. Have members any comments on the briefing paper?

I sat on the Finance Committee when it was discussing the budget. If we are fortunate enough to have the minister in front of us at a meeting, I will take up the issue of lifelong learning with him, in the context of the agist policy of not paying a grant to a person who is over 65. The minister promised to look into that. If he gives evidence to us, I will ensure that he has followed through with that.

We will be able to take evidence from the Minister for Communities.

It is important that the committee continues to push for measurable equality targets. If we do not do that, the targets will remain small scale and low level. Following Professor Arthur Midwinter's proposals, we must push the targets issue up the agenda. There is a reluctance to engage with the issue. We all back off it because it is about finance, but we should not do that. We should get our head around it and keep pushing.

The finance aspect is easy.

It is good that we now have a previous member of the Finance Committee on the Equal Opportunities Committee.

It is good to have written policies and good intentions, but we must have an audit to check whether equality policies are working and making a difference. We must continue to push that issue.

I agree that it is helpful to have a resident expert, who has been on the Finance Committee.

I was just an onlooker.

You will not be allowed to be an onlooker here; you will have to participate.

We will consider how to pursue the issue of equality audits.

Do members agree to take forward those issues in consideration of the draft budget?

Members indicated agreement.

Do members agree to write to the equalities co-ordinating group and invite its views on the draft budget? It is important that we know the views of equalities organisations on the budget.

Members indicated agreement.

John Swinburne wants the minister to attend a meeting and we expect that the minister will give evidence on 1 November.

Will that be Tavish Scott?

No. It will be the Minister for Communities, given his responsibility for equalities issues. If he cannot answer any questions at the meeting, we can ask him to reply in writing.

Do members agree to consider a draft report on the budget at our meeting on 15 November?

Members indicated agreement.