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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 2 July 2025
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Displaying 2855 contributions

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Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

Could we pass new legislation on public inquiries that would override that act?

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

Somebody in an earlier evidence session said that there is a sweet spot when you have to question how much more money, effort and time is going to be put into the inquiry, and for what extra benefit.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Fiscal Commission (Economic and Fiscal Forecasts)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

Exactly. So, even if we expect more tax to come in, that does not help us in any way this year.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Fiscal Commission (Economic and Fiscal Forecasts)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

Yes, but that affected us negatively. However, I presume that if it affects us positively, we will take the money immediately.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Fiscal Commission (Economic and Fiscal Forecasts)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

Okay. You were asked about productivity and capital investment, and I want to press you on that. Is it the case that any capital investment will inevitably help productivity, or do you look at where the capital investment is going? For example, if we buy a new train, perhaps people’s comfort improves and things are a bit more reliable, but, actually, it is still moving 200 people from A to B, so it does not really increase productivity.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

Indeed. That is what I was thinking, too.

You suggested that, before an inquiry started, you could consult not just with the police, but with public bodies and anyone else who would be involved. Can you expand on what you mean by that?

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

The final issue that I want to ask you both about concerns the idea of who is satisfied with a public inquiry. Is it your feeling that the public, the victims, their families, or whoever is involved, or even the police, have been satisfied at the end of the public inquiries that we have had? I do not know about the Crown Office—it does not get satisfied, so to speak.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

On that point, it has been suggested that for, say, an inquiry on child abuse, some kind of specialist in childcare could be the chair, or there could be a panel or a judge. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

That specific point about the warning letters has come up before in evidence, and I think that there were suggestions that we could make savings in that respect.

Mr Kennedy, is there any advantage in having a judge running an inquiry, or should there be a panel or a specialist?

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Scottish Public Inquiries (Cost Effectiveness)

Meeting date: 10 June 2025

John Mason

The 2005 act, which you have mentioned, has come up a lot. Does this Parliament have the powers to change, amend or overrule that act?