Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Meeting date: Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Official Report 1009KB pdf

Point of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance on a point of serious concern relating to the Scottish budget. It was reported at the weekend that an inaccuracy in the budget presented to the Parliament on 19 December 2023 has resulted in £5 million of capital funding being withdrawn from the Clyde Gateway urban regeneration company in Glasgow. That was not just a typo; it was a serious oversight with consequences. That withdrawal of £5 million of capital funding has caused problems for Clyde Gateway, which had planned its capital projects around that sum. Not only does the blunder deal a harsh blow to the local economy in Glasgow and South Lanarkshire; it also represents a misleading of Parliament. The figure in the budget documents does not match the reality. How can people have trust in the other numbers in the budget in the light of a mistake of this magnitude?

I would be grateful, Presiding Officer, if you could therefore advise how the Scottish Government could be compelled to correct the inaccuracy in the budget documents, and I would ask that you consider inviting the Deputy First Minister to the chamber to address the discrepancy and any others that may feature in the budget.

Thank you, Mr Sweeney. I would imagine that, at this point in the session, you are very well aware of standing orders. Members will be aware of the mechanism that exists to correct any inaccuracies. Members will also be aware that points of order take precedence over other business, as they seek to establish whether proper procedures under the current item of business have been or are being followed. I would simply say to you, Mr Sweeney, that you will be aware of the various mechanisms of scrutiny that exist for you.