Executive freezes public scrutiny boards
28 Jun 06
Planned commissions to go ahead, but no more until cost review carried out
The Scottish Executive has agreed to freeze the creation of further public sector scrutiny bodies until 2007, but will press ahead with the appointment of five regulators currently being established.
Minister for Finance, Tom McCabe, told Holyrood's Finance Committee yesterday that the Executive will proceed with creating commissioners for human rights, civil enforcement, police complaints, legal complaints and roadworks.
However, he undertook to take the committee's "very strong concerns" over whether the cost of such bodies is justified to Cabinet colleagues in advance of the committee's report.
The committee is conducting an inquiry into the accountability and governance of Scotland's independent and regulatory bodies.
Mr McCabe said it was a matter for the minister responsible for each of the bodies already proposed whether any of them were put on hold.