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| MSPs to debate Scottish government budget timetable | MSPs to debate Scottish government budget timetable |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| MSPs are to debate the Scottish government's budget timetable after the finance committee raised concerns about the delayed draft of spending plans. | MSPs are to debate the Scottish government's budget timetable after the finance committee raised concerns about the delayed draft of spending plans. |
| Finance Secretary Derek Mackay wants to hold off on publishing his first draft budget until December, after the chancellor's Autumn statement. | Finance Secretary Derek Mackay wants to hold off on publishing his first draft budget until December, after the chancellor's Autumn statement. |
| However finance committee convener Bruce Crawford warned this did not leave MSPs much time for scrutiny. | However finance committee convener Bruce Crawford warned this did not leave MSPs much time for scrutiny. |
| A "fundamental" review of the budget process has also been established. | A "fundamental" review of the budget process has also been established. |
| MSPs will now debate the matter in the chamber, and will vote on a motion put forward by Mr Crawford. | MSPs will now debate the matter in the chamber, and will vote on a motion put forward by Mr Crawford. |
| The SNP MSP's motion simply asks that parliament "notes the timetable for the Scottish government's draft budget" for the 2017/18 financial year. | The SNP MSP's motion simply asks that parliament "notes the timetable for the Scottish government's draft budget" for the 2017/18 financial year. |
| However, in a letter to Mr Mackay, the former cabinet minister said he was "concerned at the amount of time which will be available for parliamentary scrutiny after the draft budget is published" in December. | However, in a letter to Mr Mackay, the former cabinet minister said he was "concerned at the amount of time which will be available for parliamentary scrutiny after the draft budget is published" in December. |
| He pointed out that "here needs to be a recognition that sufficient time is ordinarily allowed for robust parliamentary scrutiny". | He pointed out that "here needs to be a recognition that sufficient time is ordinarily allowed for robust parliamentary scrutiny". |
| Mr Crawford also said it was "unacceptable" that Mr Mackay was not prepared to give the committee any scenario planning information as an indication of how the budget will unfold, despite the finance secretary previously telling them he would hand over as much of this information has he could. | Mr Crawford also said it was "unacceptable" that Mr Mackay was not prepared to give the committee any scenario planning information as an indication of how the budget will unfold, despite the finance secretary previously telling them he would hand over as much of this information has he could. |
| All opposition MSPs support Mr Crawford's position, and have urged the government to hand over the planning information. | |
| BBC Scotland understands Mr Mackay could be prepared to give the committee more advance information to aid budget scrutiny. | |
| Mr Mackay has argued that economic uncertainty caused by the UK's vote to leave the EU, coupled with Holyrood's new fiscal powers, means it would be best to delay his budget draft until after Chancellor Philip Hammond's Autumn statement on 23 November. | Mr Mackay has argued that economic uncertainty caused by the UK's vote to leave the EU, coupled with Holyrood's new fiscal powers, means it would be best to delay his budget draft until after Chancellor Philip Hammond's Autumn statement on 23 November. |
| He told the committee: "Publishing an inaccurate budget would be the wrong thing to do. The starting position is about to change, and having such intense scrutiny on a budget that would be subject to so much change because of the variables would be the wrong approach." | He told the committee: "Publishing an inaccurate budget would be the wrong thing to do. The starting position is about to change, and having such intense scrutiny on a budget that would be subject to so much change because of the variables would be the wrong approach." |
| The 2016/17 budget was also published on a delayed schedule due to the UK spending review. However Mr Crawford said that this and the current delay "should not be viewed as a precedent for future years". | The 2016/17 budget was also published on a delayed schedule due to the UK spending review. However Mr Crawford said that this and the current delay "should not be viewed as a precedent for future years". |
| Opposition parties, who will have the chance to contribute during the debate, have welcomed the move. | Opposition parties, who will have the chance to contribute during the debate, have welcomed the move. |
| The Scottish Conservatives said it was "essential" there was time to properly examine spending plans, while Scottish Labour said it would be "completely unacceptable" for the government to delay all scrutiny until December. | The Scottish Conservatives said it was "essential" there was time to properly examine spending plans, while Scottish Labour said it would be "completely unacceptable" for the government to delay all scrutiny until December. |
| Scottish Green co-convenor Patrick Harvie has lodged a motion of his own, agreeing with the committee and "urging" the Scottish government to put its scenario planning information into the public domain. | Scottish Green co-convenor Patrick Harvie has lodged a motion of his own, agreeing with the committee and "urging" the Scottish government to put its scenario planning information into the public domain. |
| This motion won support from every single opposition MSP, meaning a majority of members support Mr Crawford's committee - although it is not scheduled for debate. | |
| Mr Harvie said that opposition members "could have forced a vote", but said that "for many it's about a better budget process, not engineering a government defeat for the sake of it". |