Letter from the Convener to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 7 October 2021
I am writing on behalf of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee in relation to the upcoming Fiscal Framework Review.
The Committee, at its meeting on 5 October, noted that the review is to be informed by an independent report with recommendations presented to both the UK and Scottish governments by the end of 2021. Given this timeframe, the Committee agreed to write to you and to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, seeking updates on progress towards commissioning this independent report and agreeing the scope of the review, as well as confirmation as to whether the timeframe set out in the Fiscal Framework is likely to be met.
We also agreed to draw your attention to the joint report produced by the Session 5 Finance and Constitution and Social Security committees and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, which was intended to inform the scope and terms of reference of the body tasked with delivering the independent report. We would further seek your assurances that the joint report is being used to inform the scope and terms of reference of the review.
I understand that you are due to meet with the Cabinet Secretary in the coming weeks. I hope that the Committee’s letter is helpful in progressing matters further and I understand that the Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee has also written on similar terms. Given the timescales involved, the Committee looks forward to receiving your response by the end of October 2021. If, for any reason, it is not possible to meet this deadline, please get in touch.
Can I also take this opportunity to congratulate you on your new role. I look forward to working with you in the weeks and months ahead to support the Committee’s scrutiny of Scotland’s public finances.
Yours sincerely,