Finance and Public Administration Committee
Pre-budget scrutiny debate
Letter from the Convener to the Presiding Officer of 9 February 2022
Dear Presiding Officer
The Finance and Public Administration Committee, at our meeting on 8 February, discussed concerns raised regarding the pre-budget scrutiny debate held on 26 January and agreed to ask the Parliamentary Bureau to consider some changes aimed at improving future such debates.
The Committee was disappointed at the lack of opportunities for our committee members, other than myself and the Deputy Convener, to participate in the debate. As you will know, the debate is intended to allow committees to discuss how their pre-budget reports have influenced the Scottish Budget. We believe that, being the lead committee for budget scrutiny and for this debate, there should be sufficient time for our members to explore in more depth the range of issues in our pre-budget report, in the same way as other committees are able to do in their own committee-led debates. We see nothing in either Standing Orders or the Written Agreement between the Committee and the Scottish Government on the Budget Process, that would prevent this approach being taken, and we therefore ask that the Bureau considers scheduling a full afternoon for the debate on pre-budget scrutiny next year. We would be happy to provide information on possible speakers in advance of next year’s debate to help support effective business planning, if that is useful to the Bureau.
The Committee was also concerned that this year’s debate took place within just one day of the Stage 1 debate on the Budget Bill. While we understand the many pressures on parliamentary business, we consider that there would be merit in building more time between what is a largely consensual committee debate and the political cut and thrust of the Budget Bill Stage 1 debate. We therefore ask that the Bureau schedules the Committee debate at least one week before the Stage 1 debate.
I look forward to hearing from you following the Bureau’s consideration of this matter. In the meantime, I would be more than happy to discuss these issues with you should it be helpful.
Yours sincerely