Public Audit Committee
Investing in Scotland's Infrastructure
Background
On 28 September 2023 the Auditor General for Scotland published Investing in Scotland's infrastructure.
The report says:
"The Scottish Government will no longer be able to deliver all its planned infrastructure investment, or its ambition to double spending on maintenance. This will affect its ability to provide services now and in the future. It will also be extremely challenging to retrofit public buildings to meet net zero targets. The Scottish Government and its public bodies must also consider the financial implications of 22 private finance initiative contracts worth £900 million returning to public ownership before the end of the decade".
Read the report on Audit Scotland's website.
Information about the Public Audit Committee's consideration of the report can be found below.
Meetings
2 November 2023
The Committee took evidence from:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Dharshi Santhakumaran, Senior Manager; and Ashleigh Madjitey, Audit Manager, Audit Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 2 November 2023
Read the Official Report, 2 November 2023
Read the meeting minutes, 2 November 2023
Decision: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government on issues raised during the meeting. It also agreed to invite the Scottish Government to give oral evidence at a future meeting.
7 March 2024
The Committee took evidence from:
Alyson Stafford, Director-General Scottish Exchequer; Morag Angus, Chief Surveyor; Dr Alison Cumming, Director of Budget and Public Spending; and Alan Morrison, Deputy Director Health Infrastructure, Investment and PPE, Scottish Government; Alison Irvine, Interim Chief Executive, Transport Scotland; and Peter Reekie, Chief Executive, Scottish Futures Trust.
Followed by:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Dharshi Santhakumaran, Senior Manager and Ashleigh Madjitey, Audit Manager, Audit Scotland.
Read the Agenda and meeting papers, 7 March 2024
Read the Official Report, 7 March 2024
Read the meeting minutes, 7 March 2024
Decision: The Committee agreed to consider its next steps at a future meeting.
Decision: At its meeting on 2 May 2024, the Committee agreed to invite the Scottish Government, the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Futures Trust to give oral evidence at a future meeting.
6 June 2024
Preparing for Expiring Private Finance Initiative Contracts
The Committee took evidence from:
Neil Rennick, Director General Education and Justice; Peter Reekie, Chief Executive and Kerry Alexander, Director of Infrastructure, Finance and Programmes, Scottish Futures Trust; and Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive; Lorraine Roughan, Project Executive HMP Kilmarnock; and Adam Jobson, Director of Organisational Development, Scottish Prison Service.
Followed by:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Dharshi Santhakumaran, Senior Manager and Ashleigh Madjitey, Audit Manager, Audit Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 6 June 2024
Read the Official Report, 6 June 2024
Read the meeting minutes, 6 June 2024
Decision: The Committee agreed to raise issues from the meeting with the Director-General Health and Social Care, Scottish Government at a future meeting.