The Finance Committee has launched an inquiry into the plans of the public sector for period ahead of tightening expenditure. The Committee is seeking views on how the Scottish Parliament can ensure the delivery of public services remain efficient.

 

Committee Convener Andrew Welsh is launching the inquiry and he believes that it is the role of the parliament to be at the front of debate.   Welsh will get opinions from across the public sector to find out how the needs of service users can be best looked after and whether there are any areas that should be exempt from cuts. He states that they have “received expert views on these and other related topics” and “will invite the Scottish Government and key public sector leaders to explain how they are responding to these challenges”.

 

The “inquiry will aim to highlight how decisions are being made on key public services used by people across the country”.

 

Welsh believes that the inquiry will provide us with important information for looking at the details of the Draft Budget for 2011-12.

 

The deadline for written evidence submissions is 26 March, and the Committee is likely to begin taking evidence on the inquiry on 13 April.