Chamber and committees

I understand that. Thank you.

I will bring in Tracey Dingwall to respond to the first question.

I meant Stacey Dingwall. I am sorry.

I call Brian Whittle, to be followed by Maggie Chapman.

Did you wish to ask another question, Mr Whittle? Colin Smith has to leave quite soon.

Mr Smith, you let us know in advance that you had to leave. I thank you for attending this morning.

I have a couple of questions for Stacey Dingwall and Joanne Davidson. Maggie Chapman mentioned a gender perspective on business. Do your organisations collect any information on whether procurement is supporting women-owned businesses? Do you see that as part of the procurement process?

That might be an interesting thing to share with the committee, if the FSB would like to do so.

Okay.

Joanne, as I think you mentioned, there is a sub-group in Edinburgh that is focused on supporting SMEs to access contracts. At the beginning of the session, you talked about pop-up sessions to encourage your members to look at procurement. Is there anything in that work that is focused on women-owned businesses?

Our second item of business is consideration of the legislative consent memorandum on the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill. I welcome Tom Arthur, Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance, and Alasdair Hamilton, procurement policy portfolio manager with the Scottish Government. I invite the minister to make a brief opening statement before I take any questions from members.

Good morning, and welcome to the fourth meeting in 2024 of the Economy and Fair Work Committee. Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take items 4, 5 and 6 in private. Are members content to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you. I will take questions from members.