Minutes: 10 March 2022

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 3 and 4 in private.

2. Planning for Skills:

The Committee took evidence from—

Joe Griffin, Director-General Education and Justice, Helena Gray, Director of Fair Work, Employability and Skills, Adam Reid, Deputy Director for Skills and Helen Webster, Deputy Director for Reform, Directorate for Advance Learning and Science, Scottish Government.

3. Planning for Skills (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard at agenda item 2 and took further evidence from—

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland;

Gordon Smail, Audit Director, Rebecca Seidel, Senior Manager and Douglas Black, Audit Manager, Performance Audit and Best Value, Audit Scotland.

The Committee agreed to consider its next steps at a future meeting.

4. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed to write to the Scottish Government in relation to the recent information it provided to the Finance and Public Administration Committee on Covid-19 expenditure.

The Committee also agreed to write to the Scottish and UK Governments on audit and accountability arrangements for the replacement funds for the European Union Structural Funds.