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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 22 July 2025
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Displaying 1714 contributions

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Finance and Public Administration Committee

Public Administration in the Scottish Government

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

Yes.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Public Administration in the Scottish Government

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

Yes.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

You seem reluctant to say that that is your expectation of Cabinet colleagues.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

Excellent. I am glad to hear it.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Public Administration in the Scottish Government

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

But they have not given you any clarity.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

Deputy First Minister, you said that there are lessons to be learned in this area. Rather than speaking more about the specifics, will you say how you go about learning lessons? What have you changed or done differently, or what would you do differently, given the experience that you have just recounted in response to Michelle Thompson?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

That is a useful recounting, but we regularly hear from Government ministers that lessons will be learned. For example, on the ferries scandal, Kate Forbes said on 29 March 2022:

“We recognise where things have gone wrong and we are learning lessons for the future.”—[Official Report, 29 March 2022; c 4.]

The First Minister at the time said:

“Lessons have been, are being, and will be learned.”—[Official Report, 31 March 2022; c 11.]

On the Audit Scotland report about the £5 billion lack of transparency in the Covid business arrangements, Kate Forbes said that any lessons that were highlighted by the report would be learned.

This is about decision making. We are told that lessons are being learned, but I am keen to understand what those lessons are.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

Other examples include the ferries scandal, which I have mentioned and which has involved huge public expenditure, and the shambolic approach to the census. On 1 June 2022, Nicola Sturgeon said:

“Of course we will review the experience and ensure that any lessons that require to be learned are learned.”—[Official Report, 1 June 2022; c 25.]

What lessons have we learned about how those pretty poor decisions by the Government were made?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

So, for instance, will we not do what we did with the census again? Will we carry out the census at the same time as the rest of the United Kingdom? Has that lesson been learned?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Effective Scottish Government Decision Making

Meeting date: 16 May 2023

Michael Marra

Permanent secretary?