Memoranda from the then Secretary of State,
Rt Hon Des Browne MP
SCOTLAND OFFICE ANNUAL REPORT HEARING 2008
Thank you for inviting me to give evidence to
the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on the Scotland Office's
annual report for 2008-09. In the course of our discussions on
24 July 2008 I said that I would come back to the Committee on
five matters. The first three related to funding for Scotland
under the Barnett formula, the fourth related to best practice
in public services in Scotland, and the fifth one related to the
Commission on Scottish Devolution.
BARNETT CONSEQUENTIALS
The Committee raised several points concerning
the notification of Barnett consequentials for Scotland. The Scotland
Office already submits a detailed list of Barnett consequentials
accruing to Scotland in the Spring, Summer and Winter spending
estimates. I will make sure that in future this list is set out
clearly for Committee members' consumption. I will also ensure
that details released at Budget and Pre-Budget times are submitted
to the Committee. With regards to the Committee's wish for the
timely notification of new Barnett consequentials for Scotland,
it needs to be said that in-year occurrences of new Barnett consequentials
are rare. However, I shall undertake to ensure that when these
events occur the Committee is informed of them as soon as the
Scotland Office is alerted to the fact by HM Treasury.
BEST PRACTICE
IN PUBLIC
SERVICES
Mr Davidson asked me whether or not the Scotland
Office could inform the Committee of cases where the Scottish
Executive was not following the best practice that had been established
elsewhere in the UK. We discussed a similar question when I appeared
before the Committee in July 2007 and on that occasion I said
that the Scotland Office was not resourced to provide a service
for the Executive drawing its attention to examples of best practice
in the UK and internationally. That of course continues to be
the case, but I thought it might be helpful if I reminded the
Committee about the Government's Customer Service Excellence standard.
More information about the standard can be found at http://www.cse.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/homeCSE.do.
It is subscribed to by public service delivery bodies across the
UK and provides useful examples of best practice. It may help
the Committee with its consideration of this issue.
COMMISSION ON
SCOTTISH DEVOLUTION
Finally Mr Davidson asked me about the budget
for the Commission. I note that when Sir Kenneth Calman gave evidence
on 11 June 2008 the Committee was assured that the secretariat
to the Commission would inform it of the Commission's spending.
That I believe is the most appropriate mechanism for the Committee
to gain information about the Commission's spending. The Government
will also be monitoring the Commission's spending closely.
July 2007
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