About the Inquiry
Background
The Parliament is moving towards a 'full-year approach' to considering the Scottish Government's budget. This means an element of budget scrutiny will be built into all work conducted by the Committee. The Committee will also continue to carry out budget scrutiny into specific topics.
Further detail of how the approach will operate in practice is set out in a letter of 22 May 2018 to the Convener from the Convener of the Finance and Constitution Committee.
The Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee will be looking at how the Scottish Government’s budget promotes employment and encourages fair work, with a focus on Scotland’s new employment support services; and the financing and support available to community and locally owned energy.
Evidence
The Committee has issued a call for views. The call for written views closed on Friday 7 September 2018.
Correspondence
On 24 September 2018, the Convener wrote to Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills to request further information on the apprenticeship levy.
The Minister responded on 28 September 2018.
After the evidence session on 2 October 2018, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work wrote to the Committee with further information on Fair Start Scotland, the Scottish Growth Scheme and the SME Holding fund.
On 28 November 2018 the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills wrote to the Committee to inform it of the publication of statistics on devolved employment support services.
Report
The Committee reported on 31 October 2018.
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work responded on 19 December 2018.
The Committee will take evidence on the budget for 2019-20 from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work and the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills at its meeting on 8 January 2019.
On 5 February 2019, the Committee received a letter from the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands.
On 6 February 2019, the Committee received a letter from Scottish Enterprise providing further information on their planned efficiency savings.
Scottish Enterprise's Director for Finance provided further information on its use of Financial Transactions monies in 2018-19.