Chamber and committees

I suppose that it is about mental incapacity.

Under the structure of the bill as introduced, would it be possible for a trustee to challenge such a decision without reaching the stage at which it was necessary to go to court? Would the ability to challenge be built in for anyone who was dealt with in such a manner?

That makes sense. Thank you very much.

I want to re-emphasise what you stated in your report. You said:

“There was a lack of transparency and good governance around the assessment and approval of these payments.”

You also stated:

“FMPG’s Remuneration Committee membership consists of: the Chair of the Board, two Non-Exec Board members and the Turnaround Director.”

It does not do any harm to emphasise who actually gave the right for those payments to be made, because it suggests that proper oversight of what was happening in the situation was not being taken from outside.

I do not want to reiterate something that has been stated a few thousand times, but your report says that the Ferguson Marine remuneration committee’s approval of a performance framework for senior managers and the chief executive has

“not yet been discussed with, or approved by, the Scottish Government”,

and I am not sure whether there have been developments in relation to seeking approval. You mentioned that there have been moves to talk about those things, but have any real developments taken place that show that relationships between the company and the Scottish Government are going in the right direction?

Your report states that

“The Scottish Government commissioned an independent review”

of Ferguson Marine’s estimates of costs, which concluded that Ferguson Marine’s cost estimates

“are reasonable but more contingency needs to be built in as risks still remain.”

Are you working on the basis that it is an on-going process and that, once the two ferries are completed, there is still a lot of work left to do in order to bring Ferguson Marine on to a more sustainable route towards success and continuing work?

At that point, we will be able to feel more confident that sponsorship arrangements are working in the effective manner in which they should be.

Thank you, convener. I am really pleased to be on the committee and I have no relevant declarations to make.

We have heard a lot of really interesting information. It has been said that 320 additional panel members are to be sought by about this time—or up to July—next year. That is a lot of people. With regard to the sourcing of that number of candidates for such an important role, do you go out and look for them or wait for them to come to you because they have heard about the role and think that it would be a great way for them to contribute as a volunteer? What level of capability do people have to display to be taken on board?

That is very helpful.