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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 26 November 2024
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Displaying 2562 contributions

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Public Audit Committee

“Scotland’s colleges 2023”

Meeting date: 30 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Thank you. You will, I am sure, have seen the briefing note that we are discussing this morning. One strong message that comes out of it is a concern about the financial sustainability of the college sector. When we took evidence from the Auditor General, he used the expression, “real viability issues” in that regard. At one point, we spoke about whether there was a risk of insolvency in the sector—whether all colleges in Scotland were going concerns. Derek Smeall, what is your take on the financial sustainability of the college sector in Scotland?

Public Audit Committee

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Meeting date: 30 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Good morning and welcome to the 31st meeting in 2023 of the Public Audit Committee. The first item on our agenda is for members of the committee to agree whether to take items 3 and 4 in private. Do we agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

I will kick us off by asking some questions, before bringing in other members of the committee. I am sure that you will have read the report, which is the genesis of our round-table discussions that have taken place over the past few weeks. It contains a recommendation that people should be provided

“with a choice about whether they access mental health services remotely”—

through telephone or videolink—

“or face-to-face”.

I wonder how you, as different agencies responsible for providing the services and for having oversight of them, respond to that recommendation. I will begin by asking Simon Burt to comment.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Jillian Galloway wants to come in on this question.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Thank you for that. Graham Simpson, did you want to come in on this question?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Jo Gibson and Jillian Galloway want to answer that question and then we will move on to the next question.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

We have taken evidence on whether the whole system is overmedicalised. We might get on to that issue during our discussions this morning.

I ask Fiona Davies to come in.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Richmond Davies wants to come in on those questions.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Thanks very much for your comments on that.

I will bring in Hannah Axon from COSLA.

09:30  

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Richard Leonard

Richmond Davies might be the best person to start on that.