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Finance Committee

Gàidhlig

Finance Committee to meet in Dumfries

CFIN006/2006 | 24 October 2006

People from Dumfries and Galloway will be able to get a glimpse of how the Parliament scrutinises the Scottish Executive’s spending, when the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee visits Crichton University Campus, Dumfries on Monday 6 November.

The formal committee meeting aims to scrutinise the Scottish Executive’s expenditure plans for 2007-8 and will take evidence from the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, Tom McCabe.

Three morning workshop sessions for local community groups will be held before the formal committee meeting starts in the afternoon. It is open to members of the public.

During the workshops, invited local community groups will be able to discuss the impact of the Scottish Executive’s spending at a local level and specific issues faced by their region. Workshops will focus on key local issues of economic regeneration and rural development, transport and tourism.

The results of the sessions will then go on to form part of the basis of the committee members’ questions to the Minister later that day.

Committee convener Des McNulty MSP said:

"The committee will be scrutinising the Scottish Executive’s public expenditure proposals for the next budget year 2007-08. That means the money that gets spent on education, enterprise, hospitals, transport - things that affect every part of our daily lives.

"Our committee wants to gather the views of the people of Dumfries and the surrounding area on the impact of these expenditure proposals as part of our wider consideration of spending across Scotland. This visit to Dumfries builds on our previous visits to other areas of Scotland.”

How to get tickets

Members of the public will be able to book seats in the public gallery. Seats in the public gallery are open to all on a first-come-first-served basis. To apply for tickets contact Scottish Parliament Visitor Services on 0131 348 5200 or email sp.bookings@scottish.parliament.uk

Background

In this parliamentary session, the committee has held external meetings at stage two of the budget process since 2003. Similar Finance Committee meetings have been held around Scotland in Motherwell, Cupar and most recently in Elgin in November 2005.

The Dumfries meeting will be held at Browne House, Crichton University Campus.

Representatives taking part in the morning workshops include:

• Scottish Rural Property and Business Association;
• Dumfries and Galloway Accessible Transport Forum; and
• Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association.

From 9.30 - 10.45 am Local organisations and members of the committee take part in three workshops discussing the Scottish Executive’s spending proposals for the forthcoming year.

From 11 am - 12.30 pm Members of the committee formally report back from each of the morning workshops.

From 1.30 pm - 3pm Formal committee meeting starts: members of the committee question the Minister on the Scottish Executive’s spending plans.

Access Arrangements

Members of the media, including press photographers and TV cameras, are welcome to attend the committee meeting on Monday 6 November. To arrange this, please contact Richard Holligan, details below.

For further information, the media contact is:

Richard Holligan: 0131 348 5605

E-mail: richard.holligan@scottish.parliament.uk

Finance Committee contact information

For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 348 5000

For general enquiries, contact 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)

Text phone: 0845 270 0152

email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk

Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk