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Scottish Government budget 2022/23

Letter from the Convener to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, in relation to the 2022/23 Scottish Government draft budget on 4 November 2021

Dear Cabinet Secretary

Budget 2022-23

As the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee is newly established, we are yet to build a sufficient evidence base to properly scrutinise the 2022-23 Scottish Government draft budget at this time. As a result, therefore, we have agreed to use the pre-budget letter to set out our proposed approach to budget scrutiny over Session 6. This follows the Committee’s work programme discussion on 27 October 2021.

The Committee has agreed, in accordance with the proposals set out by the Session 5 budget review group, to adopt a “full-year” approach to scrutiny, whereby budget scrutiny is integrated throughout the Committee’s work programme. To provide you and your officials with a clearer idea of what the committees priorities are for the session, you will find a summary work programme annexed to this letter.

The Committee also agreed to scrutinise the policies and funding commitments made in relation to the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

To inform this work, the Committee would appreciate confirmation of—

The expected publication date for the National Islands Plan annual report 2021; the expected publication date for the report on the operation of the act, required under s28 of the 2018 Act; and a full breakdown of the £30m funding commitment proposed in the Programme for Government to “support delivery of the National Islands Plan and a fair, integrated, green and inclusive recovery”.

Yours sincerely,

Finlay Carson MSP

Convener

Rural Affairs, Island and Natural Environment Committee