Chamber and committees

Has the economic leadership group been scrapped?

Before I bring in Graham Simpson, I want to probe that issue a little more. Does the Government have a position on ironing out regional imbalances? Does it have a regional policy in that sense or not?

As part of the revision, are you taking into account the termination of the Bute house agreement?

The main item on our agenda is further consideration of “The 2022/23 audit of the Scottish Prison Service”, which is a section 22 report. Our witnesses are representing the Scottish Prison Service and the Government. I welcome from the Scottish Prison Service Teresa Medhurst, who is the chief executive; Gerry O’Donnell, who is the finance director; and Allister Purdie, who is the interim operations director.

I also welcome from the Scottish Government Neil Rennick, who is the director general for education and justice, and Catriona Dalrymple, who is the director of justice.

We have a number of questions to put to you this morning. Before we turn to those questions, I will invite Teresa Medhurst and Neil Rennick to make short opening statements, and I begin with the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service.

You are the director general for justice in the Scottish Government. Why can you not tell us one way or the other?

Are you taking legal advice as a contingency against the possibility of legal action being taken?

Okay, but—again—do you not see that as a risk regarding which you need to plan for the possibility of litigation being raised?

I wonder whether you can clear something else up for me, which was in a statement that we received in evidence that we took when we had GEOAmey before us. When I asked him about exposure to human rights litigation, David Jones said:

“The human rights obligation sits with the state actor, not the private company.”—[Official Report, Public Audit Committee, 28 March 2024; c 37.]

Is that correct?

Those were my words, not Mr Farrell’s, on this occasion. He might use them as well, but I used them this time.

Thank you.

Following neatly on from that, the deputy convener has some questions to put to you. Jamie, over to you.