The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1196 contributions
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
On the point about Parliament marking its own homework, Liz Smith referred to the evidence from one commissioner who said that he has produced seven reports for Parliament—two annual reports and accounts, one operational report, a code of practice and three separate assurance reviews—and has been called to committee once. You have already expressed your view that that is not particularly satisfactory. What should the Criminal Justice Committee not have done to allow it to see that commissioner more?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
Okay. Thank you.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
But it was your Government that established the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
Yes. What does it do?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
What is the Government’s current position on the presumption against creating new public bodies?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
One of the biggest areas that we talk about at the moment is ferries. You said that you could save £500 million rather than the £18 million for the commissioners. Is that not part of the attitude that results in the bill shooting up from £50 million to £400 million?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
The committee heard evidence that, when the SPCB was first devised, it was not in its broad terms of reference that it would manage and scrutinise multiple organisations. It has, we believe, 1.4 members of staff to examine the budgets. They do not have the capacity to do the work that the Government has asked them to do.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
Unless we need them.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
So you think that it should be spending more of that money on commissioners, rather than—
10:15Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 4 June 2024
Michael Marra
To be fair, it was not my amendment and I was not asking for that.