2nd Meeting, 2021
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Session: 6
Location: TG.40-CR1 The Burns Room
Meeting opened at: 09:30am
Meeting closed at: 12:47pm
Committee Members Attendees
Kenneth Gibson (Convener)
Daniel Johnson (Deputy Convener)
Douglas Lumsden
John Mason
Liz Smith
Michelle Thomson
1 Decision on taking business in private:
The Committee agreed to take item 4 in private.
2 Scottish Fiscal Commission: Scotland's Economic and Fiscal Forecasts - August 2021:
The Committee took evidence from—
Dame Susan Rice DBE, Chair, Professor Alasdair Smith, Commissioner, Professor Francis Breedon, Commissioner and John Ireland, Chief Executive, Scottish Fiscal Commission.
During agenda item 2, Daniel Johnson declared that he has an interest in a retail company.
3 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy:
The Committee took evidence from—
Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy and Douglas McLaren, Deputy Director, Budget, Pay & Pensions, Scottish Government.
4 Work programme (in private):
The Committee considered its work programme and agreed-
- to consider work programme papers and draft reports in private at future meetings;
- to endorse the existing written agreements on the budget process with the Scottish Government and with the SPCB. The terms of both agreements will be monitored on an ongoing basis and, where necessary, revisions proposed.
- its work programme, including its approach to oral evidence on its pre-budget scrutiny into Scotland's public finances 2022-23 and the impact of COVID-19;
- its preferred candidate for the post of Budget Adviser.