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I thank Robert Kirkwood and Kenneth Hogg for their attendance and for their expertise, which has been of great assistance to the committee.As previously agreed, we now move into private session to consider a report on capital investment.
It is crucial that that work is maintained and, indeed, increased.It is now a matter of monitoring the situation and, if required, providing assistance. NHS Western Isles has made great steps forward, but I urge caution.
Yesterday, the chancellor unveiled the biggest home building programme since the 1970s. Responding, the trade body for house builders, Homes for Scotland, said that the sentiment of the announcement was clear: “to back those who aspire to buy their own home.”
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights recently launched the planning review, which is looking at delivery of housing and at the existing infrastructure to ensure that it is not just a process but is about effective and efficient delivery of housing programmes. We are looking at those issues, as well.
There are a number of areas, such as the lifelong learning programme, the common agricultural policy and the common fisheries policy, on which I think that we should seek clarification and advice from HM Treasury.
(S4F-01298) Later today, I will have meetings to take forward the Government’s programme for Scotland. A few days ago, Sean McLaughlin was sentenced to 10 years for culpable homicide.
As members may remember, there were some discussions about how the failure to agree the budget would affect various funding programmes. I draw your attention to the comments from the EU budget commissioner, who has said:“There is a serious risk that we will run out of funds early in the course of next year.
In addition, there are several consequential changes from the new procedure, including changes to rule 5.4 on the business programme and rule 5.9 on the Business Bulletin.
We need to get some measure of what clubs are receiving from various Government initiatives and the real costs of developing training programmes for young people.The fundamental issue, which relates to contractual legislation for people under 16, has not yet been fully addressed.