Chamber and committees

Is it possible to get a copy of the business case? I realise that, as Mr MacRae has said, it was inadequate, but it would be interesting to see the document itself and what the whole thing was based on.

Can you run through the approval process for that piece of expenditure as it happened and as it should have happened?

I heard what you said. Clearly, there were many deficiencies in the process—not just with business case, but with the whole approval process.

I will move on, because some of my colleagues will probably pick up on that again. What decision-making and approval processes were carried out in relation to the £100 Christmas gift vouchers for each member of staff, at a total cost of £2,600? That was a taxable benefit that was later picked up by the commission.

I ask that you be clear on one thing: is the information that you are giving us second hand?

Where did the information that you are giving us now come from?

I was asking whether it is normal to do that. Is there precedent for public bodies giving such vouchers to staff?

I am pleased to hear that but, as a Public Audit Committee, we tend to look backwards at what has happened and try to interpret that.

How aware were the board and the audit and risk committee members of the expenditure under that policy? Was there an approval process for individual members of staff? Was that just done at a departmental level? Was there some sort of human resources committee that looked at those personal items? How was that handled?

Each individual transaction or the policy?

If the audit and risk committee laid down the policy, how aware was the board of it?

Would the board have approved that policy?