The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 2562 contributions
Public Audit Committee
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
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
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
Meeting date: 23 November 2023
Richard Leonard
Jillian Galloway wants to come in on this question.
Public Audit Committee
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
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
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
Meeting date: 23 November 2023
Richard Leonard
Richmond Davies wants to come in on those questions.
Public Audit Committee
Meeting date: 23 November 2023
Richard Leonard
Thanks very much for your comments on that.
I will bring in Hannah Axon from COSLA.
09:30Public Audit Committee
Meeting date: 23 November 2023
Richard Leonard
Richmond Davies might be the best person to start on that.