MG(06)41st Conclusions
HEADS OF DEPARTMENT MEETING
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN ST ANDREW'S HOUSE, EDINBURGH
AT 8.30AM ON THURSDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2006
Present: | Sir John Elvidge KCB | Permanent Secretary |
| Mike Ewart | Head of Education Department |
| Robert Gordon CB | Head of Justice Department and Head of Legal and Parliamentary Services |
| Andrew Goudie | Head of Finance and Central Services Department |
| Norman McFadyen CBE | Crown Agent and Chief Executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service |
| Nicola Munro CB | Head of Development Department |
| Paul Pagliari | Director of Change and Corporate Services |
| Alyson Stafford | Finance Director |
| Richard Wakeford | Head of Environment and Rural Affairs Department |
| Kevin Woods | Head of Health Department |
| | |
In Attendance: | Donald Cameron | Cabinet/MG Secretariat |
| Alex Mowat | Cabinet/MG Secretariat |
| Sarah Davidson | Head of Cabinet Secretariat |
| Robin Naysmith | PPS/First Minister (For Agenda Items 1-3 only) |
| Alan Johnston | Private Office for the Deputy First Minister (For Agenda Items 1-3 only) |
| Douglas Campbell | Senior Special Adviser (For Agenda Items 1-3 only) |
Agenda Items 1 and 2: Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
1. The minutes of the meeting held on 30 November (MG(06)40th Conclusions) were approved.
Pre- Budget Statement
2. Dr Goudie updated heads of department on the key messages from the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report published on 6 December. The First Minister had requested a comprehensive briefing pack on the afternoon of the PBR and this had been co-ordinated at department level. He said that a range of related documents had been published by HM Treasury to coincide with the Pre-Budget Statement and that he would circulate a note to Heads of Department on these documents.
(Action: Dr Goudie, Finance and Central Services Department)
Agenda Item 3: Report from PPS/FM and Alan Johnston
3. Mr Naysmith said that during the past week the First Minister had given a speech at a World Health Organisation Health Improvement event in Edinburgh. Along with the Deputy First Minister, he had also met with the Chief Executive Officers of Iberdrola to discuss the Spanish company's proposed takeover of Scottish Power. The First Minister had visited both Rangers FC and Celtic FC where he witnessed the young people's learning programme. In the following week, the First Minister was due to attend the Summit on Tackling Sectarianism.
4. Mr Johnston said that the publicity over the First Minister and Deputy First Minister's meeting with Iberdrola had overshadowed the announcement that the company UPM is to build a renewable energy power plant at its Caledonian mill in Irvine. The new plant would significantly assist in the achievement of the Executive's national renewables generation target of 18% by 2010. Looking ahead, the Deputy First Minister would be attending the Green Energy Awards in Edinburgh and would be engaged in a range of other portfolio business.
Agenda Item 4: Events Planning Grid
5. MG noted the Events Planning Grid.
Agenda Item 5: Report from Cabinet Meeting held on 6 December
6. Ms Davidson gave a brief report from the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 6 December. Cabinet had discussed a range of current issues; had agreed the handling of forthcoming Parliamentary business; had agreed that Mr Finnie should convene an informal meeting of Ministers (including Finance, Parliamentary Business and Enterprise) to discuss Scotland's position on rural post offices in advance of a possible DTI announcement; had discussed the Local Government Finance Settlement; and asked to be provided with an overview of progress against the 2006/07 budget in the New Year. In addition, Cabinet had agreed the remit and membership of an Ad Hoc Ministerial Group on the Christmas and New Year's Day Trading Bill.
Agenda Item 6: Forthcoming Cabinet Business (Paper MG(06)129)
7. MG noted progress in preparing papers for forthcoming Cabinet meetings.
Agenda Item 7: Any Other Business
8. There was no other business.
Cabinet/MG Secretariat
December 2006