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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 15 July 2025
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Displaying 1221 contributions

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Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 16 April 2024

Liz Smith

—and what I am asking in relation to the title that you presented the committee with, which is the issue that we want to delve into, is whether your specific role would raise questions about the overall strategy for commissioners in general. I am asking whether that came up, either in your own research or with the people to whom you spoke.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 16 April 2024

Liz Smith

I fully understand that you have been examining one specific aspect; indeed, you have said so several times now. However, have questions not been raised about the overall role of commissioners and their respective staff and how they are serving Scotland? Has that not come through your research at all?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 16 April 2024

Liz Smith

Good morning, Ms MacMillan. You have made it very clear that you had a specific remit, which was about advocacy for those with a disability and autism and in relation to their vulnerability. Nonetheless, the title of your report from March 2023 is “The role of commissions and commissioners in Scotland and the UK”. Does it strike you that your very specific remit does not quite fit with that title?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

It would be very helpful if we could get details on when we might expect the revised financial memorandum, convener.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

Thank you very much.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

That would be very helpful.

I want to pursue a related issue. I do not know how many framework bills we have in the Parliament just now, but there are a lot. My understanding is that, from a Scottish Government perspective, one of the reasons for framework bills is to try to ensure that there is as much discussion as possible between the Government and relevant stakeholders to co-design—I think that that is the term that the Scottish Government uses. In other words, we have a better chance of getting good legislation if the stakeholders have had really good input into it. That is my understanding, and I think that that is the committee’s understanding. The problem is that the co-design process goes on beyond the publication of the financial memorandum, as you have just shown us, and beyond the initial stages of the legislation. Do you accept that that is also a problem, as it means that, if the process of suggestions coming in about the bill is still on-going, we will be unable to decide what the costs will be?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scottish Fiscal Commission (Report on Climate Change and Fiscal Sustainability)

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

I have a question, which is one of clarification. Professor Roy, you raised an interesting point about future Scottish budgets and said that it would be helpful if we could see the numbers on how much has been spent to mitigate climate change. Should that be done within each portfolio of the existing budget, or are you suggesting that there should be another section in the Scottish budget that shows a cumulative total?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scottish Fiscal Commission (Report on Climate Change and Fiscal Sustainability)

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

That is very helpful. I asked the question because, as you know, there have been quite a few situations in which we have questioned how easy it is to track money through the Scottish budget. It is good to know from your expertise whether that is better done in one unit or throughout the system.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

Why did you originally consider it appropriate not to provide us with an updated financial memorandum until after stage 2? Where is the logic in that?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Liz Smith

From a practical angle, I understand that the Criminal Justice Committee is taking stage 1 evidence on the bill just now. Is that correct?