Chamber and committees

Thank you very much. Craig, would you like to comment?

Craig Fergusson mentioned the two ominous words “standing orders”. We could probably have a week-long session on council standing orders when it comes to procurement. With that, convener, I think that I had better stop.

Melanie Mackenzie mentioned what sounds like continuous improvement in trying to get procurement right. Would it be fair to say that all your authorities are doing similar work? Yes or no.

My question has been answered, convener.

Lynette—yes or no?

Grand.

I will go back to the commentary—I think that it came from Craig Fergusson—about national frameworks and value for money. I have a general question about Scotland Excel. What are your feelings about that contract? Are they good, bad or indifferent?

So there is still a difficulty in some places and areas of business, in that the accountants and solicitors are probably too much in the driving seat rather than those who are on the front line.

I would not disagree with any of that, either. However, you have given a lot of the positives, but is there still too much interference and what is sometimes the bureaucratic nonsense of accountants and solicitors who do not have the experience of what is required on the front line for people?

Risk aversion is one of the things that is mentioned a fair amount and you have given some good examples. Thank you.

Fair pay often ensures that absence rates and other things go down, as can taking account of folk’s caring responsibilities. Is enough work being done on that in procurement?