Minutes: 07 September 2023

1. Declaration of interests:

Graham Simpson declared no relevant interests.

2. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take agenda items 4, 5 and 6 in private.

3. How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals: Governance and risk management arrangements for net zero targets and adaptation outcomes:

The Committee took evidence from—

Roy Brannen, Director-General Net Zero, Kersti Berge, Director of Energy and Climate Change and Phil Raines, Deputy Director, Domestic Climate Change, Scottish Government.

4. How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate changes goals: Governance and risk management arrangements for net zero targets and adaptation outcomes (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard at agenda item 3 and took further evidence from—

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland;

Sally Thompson, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland.

5. How the Scottish Government is set up to deliver climate change goals: Governance and risk management arrangements for net zero targets and adaptation outcomes (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard at agenda items 3 and 4 and agreed to write to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.

6. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered its work programme.  In relation to its scrutiny of New vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides: Arrangements to deliver vessels 801 and 802, the Committee noted correspondence from the former director of Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited dated 11 May 2023 and the Director-General Economy dated 7 July 2023. The Committee also considered correspondence from the Auditor General for Scotland on 21 August 2023 and agreed to write to the Scottish Government. The Committee also noted correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy dated 30 July 2023 and 23 August 2023 in relation to updates on Glen Sannox, Hull 801 and Hull 802 provided by Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow (Holdings) Limited.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland to the Clerk/ Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament in relation to the 2021/22 audit of the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government and agreed to close its scrutiny of the Auditor General for Scotland's briefing, Scotland's public finances: Challenges and risks.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy dated 30 June 2023 and from the Auditor General for Scotland dated 24 July 2023 in relation to its scrutiny of the Accountable Officer Written Authority: Completion of vessel 802 and agreed to write to the Scottish Government.