Plenary, 20 Sep 2001

Meeting date: Thursday, September 20, 2001

Official Report 731KB pdf

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Business Motion

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S1M-2235.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Wednesday 26 September 2001

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Executive Debate on its Support for the Voluntary Sector

followed by Motion on the Publication of the Ombudsman for Scotland Annual Report 2000-2001

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business – debate on the subject of S1M-2221 Irene Oldfather: European Languages Day

Thursday 27 September 2001

9.30 am Scottish National Party Business

followed by Business Motion

2.30 pm Question Time

3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time

3.30 pm Stage 1 Debate on the Police and Fire Services (Finance) (Scotland) Bill

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business - debate on the subject of S1M-2054 Margaret Smith: RCN Scotland's "Value Nurses" Campaign

Wednesday 3 October 2001

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Executive Debate on a Forward Strategy for Agriculture

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business – debate on the subject of S1M-2118 Mrs Mary Mulligan: Oxfam

Thursday 4 October 2001

9.30 am Committee Business

followed by Business Motion

2.30 pm Question Time

3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time

3.30 pm Executive Business

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business – debate on the subject of S1M-2098 Christine Grahame: Borders Children with Special Education Needs—[Euan Robson.]

I have some concerns about the motion that is before the Parliament. On Tuesday, when the Parliamentary Bureau discussed the business timetable, we were unaware of information that has since appeared in the press and in a written answer yesterday. We would like to know how on earth the Government managed to underspend this Parliament's and the public's money by more than £700 million. We would have expected an explanation to be provided in a ministerial statement.

It is interesting to note that the Minister for Finance and Local Government had an unfortunate experience when making ministerial statements in the chamber. On 28 June, he thought it appropriate to make a statement in the chamber about a budgetary matter that involved only £489 million in new money and realignment cuts. However, he is unable to make a statement to Parliament on a matter involving almost double that amount.

Although I am minded to oppose the business motion, on this occasion I will support it. However, the matter that I have raised should be referred back to the Parliamentary Bureau for its meeting next week.

I hear what Fiona Hyslop is saying. There is an opportunity to raise the matter to which she alludes at next Tuesday's meeting of the Parliamentary Bureau. Equally, the SNP could have the issue debated as part of Opposition business.

The underspend should not come as a surprise to Fiona Hyslop, because on 8 June Peter Peacock made it clear to the Finance Committee that

"In the short term, the committee can expect there to continue to be significant sums of EYF."—[Official Report, Finance Committee, 8 June 2001; c 1335.]

I do not doubt that we can discuss the matter on Tuesday.

Motion agreed to.

Meeting suspended until 14:30.

On resuming—